Collections Care at VCUL

Reducing deterioration of our collections is accomplished through many shared efforts, not least of which is the attention we can all give to how we identify damage, handle and store collection materials. There are a number of activities that library employees do everyday in which a little extra attention can go a long way to prolong the lives of collection materials and reduce our workload. For more information see the Care and Handling Guidelines.

• Wipe down surfaces as needed.
• Work with clean hands, washing hands with soap and water prior to handling.
• If you have a beverage while you work, make sure it is in a cup with a covered lid.
• Rest materials completely on a flat surface so no portions are hanging over the edge of a table or cart.
• When stacking books, place larger ones at the bottom, small on top, stacking books no higher than 4-6, depending on thickness of the items.
• Use string ties to bundle materials, such as a book and its supplements, instead of rubber bands and slips of paper instead of sticky notes. 

• Volumes should stand upright on shelves and carts using bookends to avoid damaging spines. 

• Volumes can also be placed flat on their back covers on shelves and carts. This is helpful if a bookend isn't going to help you keep a book upright because it is large or only a couple of volumes.
• If an oversized volume does not fit standing upright on a shelf or cart, it should rest spine down; always use two hands when handling an oversized volume. This is to prevent the spine from detaching from its case, resulting in a potentially time consuming repair.

• When removing or replacing a volume from a row, loosen the bookend to make space and adjust the bookend as needed to keep them from leaning, but not too tightly packed. Avoid overcrowding. 
• If there is no bookend because the row is full, push the two volumes on either side back and pull the desired volume out from the center of the spine. 
• Items must fit within the space of the shelf when using compact shelving. 
• Avoid carrying more than what you can comfortably handle with two hands, and not exceeding 6 volumes. 
• Use book carts to transport boxes, more than 6 volumes, or if it is more comfortable/safe to do so.
• When packing mail bins - lay volumes flat with spines facing spines. Rest oversized volumes spine down, filling bins only ⅔ full.