SHELVES AND BOOKTRUCKS
–Make sure that books in your work area and in the stacks are shelved upright and secured with a bookend. Leaning causes bindings to break down quickly. Books too tall to shelve upright should be shelved spine down, not on their fore edges. Fore edge shelving is extremely hard on bindings because it stresses their weakest part – the hinge.
-A non-damaging way to remove a book from the shelf is by placing an index finger firmly on the head of the textblock and tipping it out towards you. Yanking at the top of the spine ruins the spine covering.
–Books should be arranged on the booktrucks in the same manner: upright and with a book end. Also be careful to distribute the weight of the books so the truck doesn’t topple over.
-If a book doesn’t fit easily onto a shelf without jamming it, try to do a small stackshift to make room on another shelf. If that is not possible, bring the item back to the Library Supervisor and explain.
CHECKING BOOKS IN
–When books are returned, be on the lookout for paper clips on book pages. They crimp and tear paper, and may rust. Post-it notes should be avoided because they leave a slight adhesive residue, and have been known to remove printing inks; remove any you see. Avoid using rubber bands to hold together piles of materials. They can dent covers and cause paper to tear. As they deteriorate, they give off damaging sulfur compounds, dry out and stick to books. Use cotton string instead.
DAMAGED MATERIALS
-Be alert for signs of mold and mildew. When you discover wet or moldy materials, bring the problem immediately to the attention of a staff member.
-You should also be on the lookout for any books that need repair, and give them to the Library Supervisor. Books with cracked spines or call numbers that are falling off are two examples that you should not reshelve, but leave for the Library Supervisor to send to Preservation for repair.
-Never try to repair a book yourself. Even though scotch tape is clear, it can yellow and damage a book’s pages. Always give books that need repair to the Library Supervisor or another staff member.
FOOD AND BEVERAGES
-Food should not be eaten or stored near books. Crumbs attract insects and rodents which eat the starches, paste, paper and cloth of which books are made. Beverages should also be kept away from books as a spilt drink can leave a residue which cannot always be removed, and can also damage the pages of the book.. Always wash your hands before handling a book.