Stabilization of General Collections Materials that will be Transferred to Offsite Shelving Facilities 

 

These stabilization guidelines should be followed for materials in poor condition from the Main Library or campus libraries that will be transferred to off-site shelving facilities. (All Lilly Library materials will be placed in phase boxes.) Due to the enormous backlog of materials in need of repair in the IU Library stacks, damaged materials will not usually receive preservation treatment prior to being transferred to remote shelving facilities. However, since high use materials are a priority for the IU Libraries preservation program, materials in need of repair that are stored in offsite shelving facilities will be evaluated for treatment after they have circulated.

 

Prior to being transferred, items that have been damaged due to routine causes will be stabilized. Three options are available: (1) tie with cotton tape; (2) place in tyvek envelopes; or place in custom made phase boxes. Staff in the Customer and Access Services Department and the Circulation Departments in the campus libraries will perform the stabilization procedures. Training for stabilization procedures will be provided by the Preservation Department.  All phase boxes will be made by Preservation Department staff. The Preservation Department will also review materials that are severely damaged.

 

I. Materials Exhibiting Routine Damage

 

Hardcover Bindings

 

 

 

Condition/Physical Attributes
Tie

(C&A Staff or Circ Staff in Campus Libraries)
Envelope

(C&A Staff or Circ Staff in Campus Libraries)
Phase Box

(Pres. Dept Staff)

Covers are loose or detached, or hinges weak

 

X

 

 

Textblock are not intact

X
 
 

Leather bindings are severely deteriorated (red rot)

 

X

 

*Oversized leather bindings that are severely deteriorated

 

 

X

**Items with high artifactual value

 

 

X

 

 

Soft Cover Bindings

 

 

 

Condition/Physical Attributes
Envelope

(C&A Staff or Circ Staff in Campus Libraries)
Phase Box

(Pres. Dept Staff)

Thickness is 3/8 or less

X

 

Textblock isnt intact

X

 

*Oversized items with textblocks that arent intact

 

X

**Items with high artifactual value

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

*oversized materials have the following dimensions: height/width = over 12 and/or thickness = over 1 ½

**Items with high artifactual value will be identified by collection managers and bibliographers.

II. Materials Exhibiting Severe Damage

 

The Preservation Department should be contacted regarding materials that are severely damaged, including materials that are moldy or infested with live insects. Items that are contaminated with biohazards should be reported to the Customer and Access Services Department. Procedures for reporting mold and biohazards are available here.


  As materials exhibiting any of the above characteristics may pose a threat to other collections, in addition to causing health problems, it is important to act immediately upon their discovery.

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