Book conservation--first of all, how do we know what to conserve?

Book conservation goes beyond simple repair. Book conservation attempts to preserve as much of the original book materials as possible, possibly by treating them to lengthen their life (ex. by deacidification of paper) or by restoring them as closely as possible to the original condition. It is a much more time consuming and expensive process than simple book repair. So what are some guidelines to identify books that deserve conservation and preservation in Special Collections?

Most preservation librarians agree the age of the book is one factor to consider. Though not all librarians agree on what age is the 'magic age.' Some library policies require books published before 1830 in the USA should be offered to Special Collections. The argument for this date is based on the fact that most book printing in the USA before 1830 required a great deal of hand work, whereas after this date much of the process was more automated. Other policies use a date of 1850. And some base the date on when printing processes changed in each state. For European books, the magic age is normally books published before 1775.

But age of the book is not the only factor. Books pre-dating the 'magic' date may not be accepted in Special Collections if their condition is poor. And books that post-date the 'magic' date may be worthy of conservation and inclusion in Special Collections. There are several reason for this:

--Because the book is a first edition of an important work (important because the author is important or because the content is important--i.e. it is a landmark study on a given subject).

--A book may be valuable because it contains valuable graphics of some sort (color plates or hand illustrations).

--Books that were signed by the author, show evidence of ownership by an important person or that contain valuable annotations may merit inclusion in Special Collections.

--Books with rare, special or high quality binding, especially those which may be associated with known early binders and their shops or produced by high quality presses such as the Kelmscott, belong in Special Collections.

--Books in danger of mutilation, such as books of erotica or other controversial topics may require protection in Special Collections.

--Some limited editions merit inclusion in Special Collections. Many libraries have specific policies for retaining books in Special Collections.

--Some libraries collect books of regional or subject interest (i.e. a Florida library might collection all materials on or by Walt Disney).

--Some library policies require that books meeting some unusual physical description, such as under 4 inches in size, be held in Special Collections.

--Some libraries collect 20th century first editions.

So these are some of the reasons we may choose to preserve a book for Special Collections.

George A. Smathers Libraries. (1998). Guidelines for Identification of Materials for Rare Books. Available http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/inhouse/CMManual6-14.html

American Museum of Natural History. (2008). Definition of Rare Materials at the AMNH Library Available http://library.amnh.org/conservation/rare_materials.html