Books and DVDs, among many other items, are not designed to withstand the constant use that libraries necessitate from their collections. In order for materials to circulate efficiently and continually, they need to be easily and found and remain in good condition. Processing new items after purchase usually involves the following:
Processing materials can be purchased from a number of library vendors.
Mending books in your collection is a great way to extend their shelf-life. In order to avoid ill-repaired materials or damaging them further, it is important to use materials designed specifically for book mending (sorry, no Scotch nor packaging tape!).
Library-specific materials can be purchased through Brodart, The Library Store, Demco, or Kapco. To start off, you'll want some version of the following supplies:
Walkthroughs of common and simple repairs, as well as more advanced techniques, can be found in the resources below:
What’s the best way to remove the smell of smoke, perfume, or other unfortunate scents from your library materials? It’s a common problem in every type of library. In order to salvage your books, you’ll need a bin with a tight seal; stand the books upright in the bin to let the pages fan out and ventilate. Feel free to try different methods for different smells, but make sure to never spray or rub any of the deodorizers directly on the materials—there should always be a layer of separation. If you are deodorizing materials of archival value, only use the last method listed.
Many of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.