Loose material in or from collection items: Difference between revisions

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Loose materials are sometimes found in bound collection materials. Current Folger policy for vault items favors keeping anything relating to the history, readership, or use of materials with the materials themselves, making reasonable accommodation against damage. This article contains policy and procedures for dealing with things found in books.
Extraneous items sometimes make their way into bound collection materials. These can be loose ("laid in") or affixed or attached in some way. Current Folger policy for vault items favors keeping anything relating to the history, readership, or use of materials with the materials themselves, making reasonable accommodation against damage.


== If you find something in a Folger book ==
Please notify Reading Room staff if you find something loose in a book, modern or rare, that we don't seem to know about.   
== Staff procedures ==
== Staff procedures ==
In case of doubt, consult supervisor, curator, or conservator
In case of doubt, consult supervisor, curator, or conservator
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* Make a copy note, giving a summary of what and where found  
* Make a copy note, giving a summary of what and where found  
* Write shelfmark and location on the item itself, using standard procedures for writing on collection materials
* Write shelfmark and location on the item itself, using standard procedures for writing on collection materials
* If laid-in item is small, very acidic (for example, newspaper clippings), or otherwise may damage the rare material, fold buffered paper around it and keep it in place  
* If loose item is small, very acidic (for example, newspaper clippings), or otherwise may damage the rare material, fold buffered paper around it and keep it in place  
* Add an attention flag for loose materials
* Add an attention flag
* For laid-in items considered too bulky to keep in place, or in case of any doubt, consult curator   
* For laid-in items considered too bulky to keep in place, or in case of any doubt, consult curator   


==== Loose items to be removed ====
==== Loose items to be removed ====
* Organic materials which might prove detrimental to the book, such as flowers, leaves, etc., remove to the curatorial file and make copy note. Consult curator if there's evidence of mold or pests
* Accession/acquisition-based items, such as bookseller descriptions, or shipping labels
* Accession/acquisition-based items, such as bookseller descriptions, or shipping labels
** relating to Mr. and Mrs. Folger's purchase, remove to case file  
** relating to Mr. and Mrs. Folger's purchase, remove to case file  
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*** if the case number is unknown, remove to curatorial file
*** if the case number is unknown, remove to curatorial file
*** make a copy note with general description of the removed material; it is not necessary to indicate where the material was found  
*** make a copy note with general description of the removed material; it is not necessary to indicate where the material was found  
** relating to Folger Library purchase, discard' do not make a copy note '''(or remove to curatorial file and make copy note?) '''
** relating to Folger Library purchase, discard; do not make a copy note '''(or remove to curatorial file and make copy note?) '''
* Organic materials which might prove detrimental to the book, such as flowers, leaves, etc., remove to the curatorial file (unless there's evidence for mold or pests), and make copy note


=== Items attached or affixed ===
=== Items attached or affixed ===

Revision as of 13:42, 18 March 2014

Extraneous items sometimes make their way into bound collection materials. These can be loose ("laid in") or affixed or attached in some way. Current Folger policy for vault items favors keeping anything relating to the history, readership, or use of materials with the materials themselves, making reasonable accommodation against damage.

If you find something in a Folger book

Please notify Reading Room staff if you find something loose in a book, modern or rare, that we don't seem to know about.

Staff procedures

In case of doubt, consult supervisor, curator, or conservator

Loose items

Loose items to be kept

  • Keep loose material with the book unless instructed otherwise
  • Keep laid-in material where it is found, as long as it doesn't put stress on the binding
  • Make a copy note, giving a summary of what and where found
  • Write shelfmark and location on the item itself, using standard procedures for writing on collection materials
  • If loose item is small, very acidic (for example, newspaper clippings), or otherwise may damage the rare material, fold buffered paper around it and keep it in place
  • Add an attention flag
  • For laid-in items considered too bulky to keep in place, or in case of any doubt, consult curator

Loose items to be removed

  • Organic materials which might prove detrimental to the book, such as flowers, leaves, etc., remove to the curatorial file and make copy note. Consult curator if there's evidence of mold or pests
  • Accession/acquisition-based items, such as bookseller descriptions, or shipping labels
    • relating to Mr. and Mrs. Folger's purchase, remove to case file
      • if there isn't a file for that case number yet, start one
      • if the case number is unknown, remove to curatorial file
      • make a copy note with general description of the removed material; it is not necessary to indicate where the material was found
    • relating to Folger Library purchase, discard; do not make a copy note (or remove to curatorial file and make copy note?)

Items attached or affixed

  • Leave in place unless damage is actively occurring
  • Insert buffered paper or ask conservation to mount Japanese paper to protect from metal pins or other rusty things, acidic paper, etc.
  • If conservation staff must remove an attached item, remove to curatorial file and make a copy note giving a summary of what and where

Special considerations

  • Consult the curator of manuscripts about extraneous manuscript material