In the case of books in good condition, the book cover may be considered as appropriate housing, and no extra boxing is needed. Boxes are used for books whose covers are historically important or for books that are rarely used but cannot self-contain due to damage. Extra housing--like boxes--are typically not created for circulating materials as boxes tend to be displaced from circulating items quickly and repair is the best course of action.
If the library and conservation feel like a box would be beneficial to a circulating item, that box should have a clear, inert polyester (i.e. Mylar) spine so all employees can see if the item is still in the box on the shelf for security reasons. Books will most often be housed in a four-flap tuxedo box as these do not create micro-climates and do not cause abrasion damage. For large items or extra sensitive items, corrugated board may also be used. Always make sure that the top flap is set over top of everything else to avoid water pooling into the book during any water incident.
Conservation will use archival (chemically safe) materials that are P.A.T. certified (pass the Photograph Activity Test) and will not damage the book in any way. If you are unsure about the chemical composition of an old housing, consult a conservator.
Researchers checking out items with a box should be informed that they are responsible for the item and the box and that both need to be returned in good order when checking the item back to the libraries.
Items that are so damaged they are falling apart may be tied with a wide, cotton twill tape during transit to conservation for repair. See the section Transporting Items to Other Buildings for more information.
At the current time, dust jackets are removed from circulating items as they tend to be immediately damaged on use and end up disassociated from its book. Dust jackets also cause barcode placement issues.
There are some instances in which a librarian can request that a particularly important dust jacket be retained as part of the item. In this case, contact conservation. Conservation will place an inert polyester (Mylar) sleeve over the dust jacket and attach the dust jacket to the book so that it will not be disassociated easily.
Runs of magazines and journals may be placed in open magazine holders for storage on the shelf. These are typically made of board or plastic. These containers should be regularly checked as they may decay overtime and cause damage to the items they are holding.
Plastic magazine holders with open weave structures can cause damage when placing items inside them--take caution when using them. This open weave can also cause damage if over-filled. If concerned, contact conservation for archival-safe boards that can be placed on the inside ends of these holders to prevent damage.
Avoid over-stuffing and under-filling these holders and all other containers. Bad fill will warp the items inside any container and cause irreparable damage. People should be able to pull items out of storage containers without other items moving. If you have an under-filled holder/container, contact a conservator and they can provide a spacer that can fill out the rest of the container and keep all collection items upright.
Items that cannot stand up alone on a shelf, especially when their covers are made of paper, are highly susceptible to damage. Contact conservation and put in a conservation work order request for a hard cover to be added to the collection item.
When collection items have mixed media (photographs, CDs, etc.) the storage should strive to meet the needs of the most fragile medium present.
Conservation can create pockets or other containers for CDs or other types of media--contact them for assistance.
Storage furniture for mixed media items needs to be checked regularly. Off-gassing from mixed media can affect other media close-by and increase the rate of degradation. Mixed media housed in drawers are particularly sensitive to micro-climates, off-gassing and mold growth. Contact preservation for assistance with proper storage.
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