You have my dream job! lol You know, Worcester library, which is one my favorite haunts, uses little book 'easels' to display their books, but quite often the entire book does NOT sit evenly upon it and the front board and first 30 or so pages just hang down over the front of the prop. I can literally hear the spines screaming when I walk in the building. Sometimes it's so bad I have to pull them off these little torture devices and place them kindly on a shelf. :) I get why they use those display pieces, they should just get larger ones to accommodate the books appropriately. Just my opinion. Thanks for this video, I enjoyed it immensely. I'm kind've obsessive about 'fixing' books on shelves if they're in distress no matter where I am. It's horrifying to see what some people do to books. Love the little bookworm in the beginning of the video, I have that little guy! :)
I'm a school librarian and I work alone, do things all by myself in the library. I just found your channel because I wanted to learn how to fix book spine. After watching this, I can't complaint anymore on how some books returned wet to our library. It seems that you've more problems there haha
Though I now process incoming mail at my Library, (I worked in shelving for 11 years) I have found many damaged books and even books from other libraries! (How could you NOT notice different font in the lettering/numbers on the spine label??) Some of the books have been so badly handled I sent them up to Tech Services to be repaired. Most people are careful of these books, but some continue to highlight passages with markers or underlining, which is really atrocious! They need to get their OWN copies and mark them up how they please, not leave them for patrons in that state!
Thank you for this video. A lot of what you say will be helpful to owners of smaller, private libraries. I possess about 2,000 books in my own home and am just becoming aware of how important long-term care of delicate books is. I am horrified to realise that years ago I 'repaired' pages and dust-jackets with tape. I am sure sticky tape is most people's first solution. It seems so obvious. How about a video on ways to avoid tape? But I suppose that is not really relevant to student users of an academic library, is it?
I get the impression that you're overwhelmed by the amount of work; perhaps the library needs more staff to maintain the bookshelves and for conservation? From 18:35 I can see lots of books on the shelves which are stacked lying on the front edge when there is room enough for them to be shelved normally. You've just said that this isn't a good way to place books. Odd.
