Interventions

I was lucky enough to be invited to the seminar titled Interventions led by Gary Frost at the University of Iowa Library, Conservator Emeritus at the University of Iowa Libraries, with assistance of John Fifield, University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science and the University of Iowa Center for the Book.  Our core group consisted of three graduate students from the SUNY- Buffalo conservation program, the conservator and assistant conservator from the library, a book conservator from the New York Historical Museum, a student from the Book Arts program, a volunteer who is a retired director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and various others who came and went throughout the week.  The five types of Interventions are:

(1) Production

(2) Marketing and retailing
(3) Owners and users
(4) Library re-fabrication
(5) Book restorers and book conservators

More detailed information can be found here.  http://blog.lib.uiowa.edu/preservation/2015/02/10/book-intervention-types-a-construct-of-five-types/

The day started with presentations both from special guests and the participants themselves.  In the afternoon we moved to the back of the room where we were given many types of different books illustrating interventions and were asked to list what we saw and observed.  After we each had some time with the books we engaged in a lively conversation and shared our thoughts.  I came away with a new way of seeing and thinking about the book as an object and how my role as a conservator plays in the overall experience and life of this object.  I am delighted to have met so many wonderful new people and share in this unique experience.

View from the hill looking towards the Library and river.

Beautiful staircase inside the library.

Our seminar room.

One of our speakers with a chart comparing Codex versus Screen.

                 

Artist as owners.  A look at an erasure text.

Examining books for different types of interventions.

Beth Doyle gave a talk about mends done by amateurs or attempts to protect books

                  using a collection of school and common place books.              

                               

Our group.

                                                                          

Written by Deborah Howe.

The Brut Chronicle: Revived and Reconstructed

Deborah Howe, Collections Conservator, has been published in the latest issue of The Book and Paper Group Annual, a publication of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Book and Paper section.  Deborah's article describes her study and conservation of the Beeleigh Abbey Brut, also known as the Dartmouth Brut Chronicle and the ensuing considerations and solutions for its rebinding.

The Dartmouth Brut Chronicle is a history of Britain from 1377 to 1419 and was written around 1430.   Dartmouth's Brut was significant as it arrived in a 16th century stationers binding, which is unusual for the type of manuscript it is.  Deborah analyzed the manuscript's binding and through collaboration with faculty and other scholars determined a method of repair and binding that was sympathetic to the time period the Chronicle was composed yet maintained the physical flexibility needed for active classroom use and put minimal stress on the quires.

The article may be found in the Book and Paper Group Annual, 34 (2015) p. 50-56.

Double-Fan Adhesive Binding

The Double-Fan Adhesive Binding is a treatment we use in Preservation Services for new single sheet items with a good gutter margin such as theses or to repair worn out adhesive bound books.  Good margins are important as the process will trim 1/16" all around when finished.

MATERIALS

2 endsheets: cut to Height (H)
2 20-point boards: cut to Width (W) x Height of book
        (Can stack endsheets and boards to cut on guillotine)
Cloth lining: cut to H x [spine thickness + 2"]
Covering cloth: cut to H x [(W x 2) + spine thickness]
Double-sided tape
PVA glue
Tyvek optional 

PREPARE

Trim out of old case, leaving case intact, if possible.
Mark upper foredge of text with pencil mark (gets trimmed off later). 

 

Put rough-cut boards and endsheets into position with endsheet folds at foreedge to remain intact when cut.

Cut spine off.

 

 

 

DOUBLE FAN GLUE

Clamp into press screwing in the pressure equally.  Three loose bars are in the press (one has an L-shaped piece attached) with usual sized books.  Can remove one or more for bigger (wide and tall) book.

 Tip up the book to work on it.  Glue the spine once as it is straight up.  Fan it left and glue.  The fan it right and glue.  Squeeze the glued spine into shape.

  

 

CLOTH LINING

Glue up lining and set on evenly, pinching and pulling and smoothing.  Set onto spine and let dry about one hour.

 

BOARDS

With a pair of dividers run a score line 1/4" from the spine edge head to tail on each board.  Run a strip of 1/2" double-stick tape down the inside edge of the score line.  Flip the board over and glue the board up.  Now place glued side of board down onto text block lining up the spine with the double stick tape edge along the spine edge.  Nip for 30 seconds in press.                                                                                                                      

COVER WITH CLOTH or ORIGINAL PAPERBACK COVER

With new cloth:

Cut cloth to H x [(W x 2) + spine thickness].
Crease at the first spine fold.  Then make another fold 1/4" from this line (toward the foredge).  Make the other spine fold, and then the 1/4" fold from that line (toward the foredge).

Test fit the cover if cloth.  Clip off excess before gluing.  Put tattle tape onto spine cloth.  Glue up the boards, peel off the double-stick tape backing.  Press board going from spine to foredge.  Nip 30 seconds in press.  Let dry one hour under weight.

Prepare old case materials to reattach:

Trim out spine, old plate from old cover and reattach.  If the spine is porous, line the back with Japanese tissue.  If barcode is on board make sure to save and reattach.  If old cover is not usable in one piece, trim front and back covers to size and glue onto new cloth.

Once textblock is dry, trim no more than 1/16" from the head, tail and foredge on the guillotine.  Do a visual double check of margins to make sure where cutting is safe.

RECASE

Paperback cover:

Take a piece of Tyvek cut to H x [spine thickness + 2"] and glue over spine area of cover covering the 1/4" folds by 1/2" or so.

Clean the joint area.  Put tattle tape onto the spine of case.  Recase the book.  Trim if needed.

VARIATIONS

Kerfs (do before put on cloth liner)
On a very thick book, could put on a second liner and then make kerfs (saw marks) cut into the spine at an angle.  Could glue in some thick sewing thread, leaving them longer and then glue them down to the sides.

Written by Brian Markee.

Conserving Collaborators: making it work.

Last October, I had the pleasure of having Giselle Simon, Head of Conservation at the University of Iowa, in the lab for a day.  Giselle and I go way way back so it was just like old times.  I thought "What could we do in a day?"  I recalled that Giselle had treated many antiphonals when she was the Conservator at the Newberry Library in Chicago.  And it just so happens that we have one here that is displayed in the reading room of Rauner Special Collections in need of assessment and attention.  So how perfect, with Giselle's help (which this was definitely a two person job) we transported the antiphonal down the long corridors and elevator rides to the conservation lab.

All tied up and ready to go.  Rauner Special Collections reading room.

Being able to maneuver the pathway was tricky.

Getting the book into the elevator.  Tight squeeze.

Riding solo going down, no people allowed.

Once off the elevator, transport got a bit easier as we had a truck to put the book on and wheel away.

The goals for the day were simple.  To assess the book, perform some minor stabilization, and create a carrying/support tray.

Giselle using a HEPA vacuum to clean soiled surface.

Once we got the book situated, we realized that the surface needed quite a bit of cleaning.  Surface debris was evident in a substantial amount of areas.  Giselle hopped right in and gave it a go with her gentle touch.

In the paste down area there was extra surface debris which she was able to clean.

The back board was damaged at the fore edge, missing the outer portion of the board.  This resulted in the pages bending at the fore edge because there was no support under them.  Therefore we came up with a quick solution for a moderate fix.  We cut a strip of matt board that fitted precisely into the missing area and pasted it down with a tissue strip placed in top for a bit of extra strength.

Piece of matt board secured to fore edge of lower board.

 The next step was to fabricate a carrying tray.  We didn't have all the materials to make one like the Newberry so we improvised.

Carrying tray at the Newberry.  Coroplast lined with Volara.

Newberry tray showing a catch wall at the back.

Nothing like getting out the glue gun.  I knew I had bought that for something!

Multiple layers of blue corrugated board were laminated together to make the tray, then we adhered a sheet of Volara.  We also had time to relax and flatten some of the pages.  So in a few hours a lot was accomplished.  The antiphonal was returned at the end of the day in much better shape than it had been.  Because of the detailed inspection and keen team work the next steps are within reach and a game plan is laid.  Sometimes, those seemingly overwhelming big jobs, just need that initial step, and having a conserving collaborator around can be just the thing.

I've always fantasied about a conservator exchange program, whereby we could visit each other's labs to help on a project, to share our experiences, and to learn new techniques and approaches.  A week would be great, but I'll take a day!  Thanks Giselle.

Giselle, settling in!

Written by Deborah Howe

Personnel Announcement

I am happy to announce that Elizabeth (Lizzie) Curran has accepted the position of Assistant Conservator in Preservation Services and will start on April 25^th, 2016. Lizzie comes to us from the Huntington Library in San Marino, California where she was a Conservation Technician and was responsible for working on a variety of material. Lizzie was also a summer intern here in Preservation Services in 2013, and is a graduate of the North Bennet Street School in Boston focusing in Bookbinding. 

Deborah Howe

Assistant Conservator: Position Vacancy

Dartmouth College Library is seeking a collaborative and proactive Assistant Conservator to become an integral part of Preservation Services in support of their mission to conserve the Library’s physical collections.  In coordination with the Library’s Collections Conservator, the Assistant Conservator assists in the management of the daily workflow and production in the Conservation Lab.  The Assistant Conservator will perform conservation treatments on rare and special collection material ranging from simple to complex; develop and implement procedures and guidelines to manage work flow for material involved in digital production projects; assist in training practicum students and conservation interns; assist as consultant in exhibit preparedness for library materials.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Performs conservation treatment on rare and unique library materials, generally those requiring individual treatment. Materials include: books, manuscripts, albums, maps, and other flat work. Digital liaison for collection treatment workflow; accountable for treatments, developing and overseeing conservation workflow for all material needing treatment before and/or after digitizing; plans and coordinates projects with Collections Conservator, Special Collections staff, and the digital production team.

APPLICATION: Review of applications will begin as of August 24, 2015 and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants chosen for an onsite interview will be expected to bring a portfolio of work. For the complete job description and to apply online go to: http://jobs.dartmouth.edu and reference position # 0111201

Lifelong Learning

Stephanie Wolff, Assistant Conservator, leaves Dartmouth as of July 31.  We will miss our colleague and friend but before she left she gifted us all with a final (and as always with Stephanie) educational blog post.

Farewell Stephanie! Don't be a stranger!

As I’ve worked in the fields of bookbinding and conservation colleagues have been generous in sharing knowledge and techniques. Not only in person, through conferences, workshops, and conversations, but by way of handouts, journal articles, blog posts, and videos. Over the years I have collected these kinds of resources (books included) to further my skills and knowledge. They range from websites to photocopies to simple drawn diagrams and sketches I’ve made while at an exhibition. These collected resources help expand my knowledge and allow me to try new techniques on my own.

While working here in the conservation lab at Dartmouth I gathered a notebook full of helpful techniques and other book and conservation resources. Here I’ve listed some of the ones that are available online in hopes they may prove useful to others as well. Included is a link to Peter Verheyen’s wonderful bookbinding bibliography for even more resources.

To all those who have shares their knowledge so generously, thank you.


The Guild of Book Workers - Go to Resources, then Handouts to find a variety of wonderful material, including the ones listed here.

Anderson, Jennifer. “Cloth Covered Book Cradles.” Abbey Newsletter. Volume 17, Number 7, December 1993.

Baird, Brian and Mick Letourneaux. “Treatment 305: A Collections Conservation Approach to Rebinding.” The Book and Paper Group Annual. AIC. Volume Thirteen, 1994.

Barrios, Pamela. “A Method for Reblocking Modern Books.” The Bonefolder. Volume 4, Number 1, Fall 2007. p. 35.

Cullhed, Per. “The 5-Minute Phase Box.” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 24, Number 2, October 2000.

Eldridge, Betsy Palmer. Stitches and Sewings for Bookbinding Structures. GBW and CBBAG, 2008.

Espinosa, Robert and Pamela Barrios. “Joint Tacketing: A Method of Board Reattachment.” The Book and Paper Group Annual. AIC. Volume Ten, 1991.

Etherington, Don. “Japanese Paper Hinge Repair for Loose Boards on Leather Books.” Abbey Newsletter. Volume 19, Number 3, August 1995.

Kellar, Scott. “The Inserted Flange Case Binding Structure for Rebinding Heavy Folios Without Leather.” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 7, Number 6, Dec 1983.

Kellar, Scott. “The Laced Limp Paper Binding.” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 6, Number 1, Feb 1982.

Krupp, Andrea. “The Library Company’s Corrugated Clamshell Box.” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 15, Number 6, October 1991.

Kyle, Hedi. Handout from the presentation: Wunderkabinette: Architectural Book Environments (includes Preservation Enclosures: Wrappers, Boxes, Slipcases, Folders, as well as other inventive structures), 2005.

Minter, William. “Spiral Bindings in Hardcover: An Alternative to Rebinding.” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 21, Number 5, 1997.

Rebsamen, Werner. “Gebrochener Ruecken (Shaped Spine Case-Binding Techniques).” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 11 Number 3, April 1987.

Smith, Wendy. “The Ferguson Slipcase.” The Abbey Newsletter. Volume 13, Number 5, September 1989.

Syracuse University Libraries: Department of Special Collections, Conservation Lab Treatment Manual Series. Information on Conservation Recase, Molded Paper Spine Binding, Paper Spine for Thin Volumes, Phase Boxes, Corrugated Board Clamshell Box 

Verheyen, Peter D. German Case (Bradel) Binding, Originally published 2002, re-written with new illustrations 2006. Published in Skin Deep, Volume 22 - Fall 2006.

Verheyen, Peter D. Bookbinding Bibliography.

Written by Stephanie Wolff

Structural Intervention: Treatment of Albums from the Iconography Collection

As a Samuel H. Kress Conservation Fellow, I have been spending my first post-graduate year revamping Rauner’s Iconography Collection. The Iconography Collection is an image-based collection which includes prints, photographs, negatives, albums, and various other materials.  In my initial survey of the collection I found that a number of the top treatment priorities were albums.  I decided to focus on treatment of these albums not only because they were in poor condition, but also because this allowed me to further explore my interest in album structures. 

Example of a damaged album discovered during the survey.

   

In conservation we try to preserve the original structure of the books we work with, but there are times when the original structure is inherently problematic and must be altered to prevent future damage. I have found that this is especially applicable to albums.  A common condition issue was that either one or both of the boards were detached. 

For the album shown below, I successfully reattached the boards and preserved the original structure of the album.  The detachment occurred between two of the front pages, and the spine covering had pulled away from the text block.  I cleaned the old adhesive from the inside of the spine covering and the spine of the text block, and then placed new linings on both.

Carte-de-visit album before treatment, showing detached front board.

 Here you can see that the new spine lining was used to successfully reattach the front board.

  

Carte-de-visit album after treatment, showing reattached front board.

  

However, for some of the other albums treated, such as the next example shown below, I decided that returning the album to its original structure was not the best solution.      

  

Carte-de-visit album before treatment, showing detached front pages 
and detached cover.

While I placed a new lining on the text block spine and attached the text block to the back cover, I chose to leave the front board detached. Reattachment would have made the album too difficult to open and would have caused it to break again in the same exact manner. 

  

Carte-de-visit album after treatment, showing reattached front pages and front cover 
left purposefully detached  (back cover has been attached to the text block).

My favorite album from the collection features stunning watercolors from 1857-58 made by Sir Henry Hugh Clifford, who was stationed in Canton, China an Assistant Quartermaster General in the British Army.  While Clifford was stationed in China to serve in the Second Opium War, his meticulous paintings capture serene and colorful landscapes and portray scenes of everyday life in China.

Watercolor painting by Sir Henry Hugh Clifford entitled "Chinese Junk"

As we are nearing the end of a long, cold winter, this album has been a treat to work with, and has led me to start fantasizing about warmer weather and beaches.

Watercolor painting by Sir Henry Hugh Clifford entitled "Sunset, Victoria".

Prior to treatment, the album was bound in a post-style binding.  After close examination, it became clear this was not the original binding structure and the cover did not add informational value to the object. 

Overall image of album: please note the significant amount of
surface dirt on the pages in the upper right.

Detail of post binding structure: cord strung through two holes through
text block and tied together, pages are not secure.

We decided that removing the album from the binding completely and storing the leaves in an enclosure was the best solution, because this will allow for easier access and prevent strain on the pages.  While dis-binding the album, I conducted dry surface cleaning of the pages to remove the highly noticeable, easily-transferable dirt.

Dry surface cleaning a page from Sir Henry Hugh Clifford's album using
cosmetic sponges.

Album page after surface cleaning.

Album page before surface cleaning.

Collectively, these treatments show that, while we strive toward minimal intervention, altering the structure of bound materials is sometimes the best course of action to prevent further damage. 

Written by Tessa Gadomski