#previously repaired

[conservethis]

Back in 1977, one of our library staff literally stapled some replacement pages into this book. It got the job done, but the results are not that ideal, as it makes it hard to read those pages and could tear the original pages they are stapled to. But this was way before my library had a Preservation department, so I can't hold it against them!  Nowadays in Preservation, we "tip in" replacement pages using a little bit of glue along the edge going into the book. It works great!

[conservethis]

I spotted this tiger-striped repair on one of our books in our special collections stacks. Looks like a “folk repair”, aka not something done by one of our conservation staff here at the library, but it’s hard to say for sure. The technique used is one we use all the time on books of all types (both common and rare), known as a reback. However, the leather on the boards looks as though it was lifted more than necessary. But it could have also been poorly previously repaired before this repair, which could be the reason why the leather looks like it has been lifted too much. It’s examples like these that make me wish we had better records of our book’s past lives (such as their physical condition when purchased or gifted), and the work of our “mending unit” before we had a conservation lab.

But I do love the effort that was put into making the new spine match the pattern on the original boards!

[conservethis]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpp12fPvkHA)

This is an excellent video that shows the damage a ‘quick and easy’ amateur repair can cause to a book. I’ve seen multiple examples of both of these types of “quick fixes” on books in my library. Not only do they fail to actually repair the book in an effective and long-lasting way, they cause even more damage than the book initially had.

I get a lot of questions from my followers, coworkers and members of the public, asking me if I can show them how to repair their broken books...the truth is that many book repairs, while seemingly simple, are difficult to do if you are inexperienced with bookbinding. There are no “quick fixes” for books that I’d recommend. If a book is valuable to you but is too damaged to use, the best thing you can do is protect it with some sort of box or other enclosure, and then send it to a professional bookbinder or book conservator. Avoid the temptation to buy the hinge tape or “book repair tape”!

[conservethis]

Bibliopaths: The case of the lacquer binding |Rita Udina. Paper & Book conservation and restoration

Are we supposed to fear bibliopaths? Or maybe we should give them an award? Who are they? They are victims of bibliophile passion, people touched by an irrepressible instinct to complete, improve, or repair a book. The intention is good -from their point of view- but the subsequent results may not be so. This new section (which will have a brother called graphopaths) starts headed by a fantastic book from 1555, owned by the Alcon-Cusí Museum from the Royal Academy of Pharmacy in Catalonia. It is Dioscórides Anazarbeo from Dr. Laguna. At first glance I thought it had lacquered binding, because of the unusal shine of the leather. The lacquered touch and luster were obtained by a lacque for an instance shellac, which was wrist varnished on the leather, The varnish covers the painting spots and the inner cardboard.similar as it was done with furniture.

[conservethis]

Someone “fixed” this with some poorly placed pieces of double-sided tape. Sigh.

[conservethis]

So you know how you can tape things to other things by making a little loop of Scotch tape?

Turns out it’s not a very good way to repair books.