The Vespiary Book Binding & Book Conservation

It’s been a little hectic, but I’ve posted up some links on the side to the suppliers I referenced in my workshop at MLA. I personally like Talas for their friendly customer service and wide selection of supplies and tools. At the library I work at, we order quite a bit from Gaylord, but I didn’t include them simply because they do still insist on selling products that I think are destructive to the overall health of collections.

A fun (if simplistic) downloadable program is Stored Alive! Produced by the Image Permanence Institute, you have the option of storing various collectible object in differing environments for, oh, 50 years or so. See how rough a barn or garage is on your heirloom family photos.

I also recently dug up this old article from Slate about something I rail against every day - new books, made shoddily. Sure, during the war you made books from whatever you could get your hands on. But now, it seems very important book binding corners are cut in order to make a few dimes. Books are expensive! And more often than not, they fall apart before you even start to use them. I say revolt! When buying a new book that you hope to keep for more than a plane-ride, make sure they’re sewn, and also pray there is material support holding the book block in to the case…

As an aside, here’s the etymology for shoddy:

originally, woollen yarn obtained by tearing to shreds refuse woollen rags, which, with the addition of some new wool, is made into a kind of cloth.

“You think thet’s ellerkence, - I call it shoddy.” 1862