Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 1

APPENDIX I: Handout

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

and the CONSERVATION DIVISION

SESSION ON CARE AND HANDLING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS FOR

DIGITAL SCANNING

In-House Course Handout 

Part 1: Criteria for Selecting Items for Conservation Treatment before Digital Scanning

Part 2: Safe Handling of Library Materials – Review of Practices

C Basics

C Books

C Paper

C Photographs

Part 3: Review Sheet to Select a Scanner for Books

Part 4: Criteria for Selecting Proper Scanning Equipment

Part 5: NDL Liaisons in the Conservation Division [Names and phone numbers]

Part 6: Catalog for supplies [not included here]

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Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 2

Appendix I, Part 1

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

and the CONSERVATION DIVISION

SESSION ON CARE AND HANDLING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS FOR

DIGITAL SCANNING

Criteria for Selecting Items for Conservation Treatment before Digital Scanning

Books

1. Foldouts that require flattening or mending.

2. Pages with large tears across image area.

3. Folios in pamphlets that are bound by over-sewing or by stapling.

4. Pages dog-eared or creased in a way that obscures text/image.

5. Pages stuck together.

6. Uncut pages.

7. Books with text blocks that will not open even to 90 degrees.

Paper

1. Tears over 1 cm. long that bisect the edge of the paper.

2. Holes larger than 1.5 cm. in diameter.

3. Creases and folds that obscure text/image. 

4. Folded brittle paper that requires unfolding.

Photographs

1. Flaking or cracking of image.

2. Tears or breaks in image area.

3. Losses in image area.

4. Adhesive tapes on the image.

5. Photograph lifting away from the mount/backing.

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Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 3

APPENDIX I, Part 2

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

and the CONSERVATION DIVISION

SESSION ON CARE AND HANDLING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS FOR DIGITAL

SCANNING 

Safe Handling of Library Materials – Review of Practices

1. Basics -- The highest priority for the preservation of the materials is a safe, clean

working environment: 

• No food or drink in the work spaces.

• Wash hands after and before eating - this is also for your own health and safety. 

• Do not use pens, markers or sharp objects near the books.

• Prepare work spaces and surfaces before beginning.

C Have sufficient space cleared to safely handle all steps in the procedures. Normally

this should be six times the dimension of the materials being worked with.

• Keep surfaces clean and uncluttered.

• Do not place objects on top of the library materials. If necessary to stack, limit the

stack sizes. Do not place items on the floor, near windows or on radiators.

• When you leave the area close books and cover documents.

• Be observant and use common sense. 

• Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

2. Books -- Safe handling of books includes:

C Support the sides of books that appear to have weak bindings and/or are

designated for an opening of less than 180 degrees.

C Never force a spine open or apply hard or abrupt pressure to pages to open them.

C Do not wet your fingers to turn the pages. 

C Turn pages by lifting the upper right corner and then supporting the page with

your whole hand to turn it.

3. Paper -- Safe handling of documents and flat materials includes:

• Support single sheet items with a more rigid support - folder, polyester film, or

board. Keep one hand under the object and, if the object is too large, get someone

to provide assistance.

C If the item appears fragile or brittle use a polyester film folder for scanning. When

handling remember that polyester film has static charge. Open the folder

completely to insert the sheet. 

C Oversized items may be supported by a rigid board. When turning an item over, it

should be sandwiched between two boards so that both sides of the item are

supported.

C To pick up a single sheet use a corner of paper inserted under the edge.
Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 4

C If you need to turn the item over, move slowly and do not flex the item by 

having sufficient space for the operation.

C A folded item may be unfolded carefully after determining that it is not brittle by

looking at the folded edge and paper edges for small tears and breaks that indicate

brittleness.

C Use both hands to support a stack of folders.

C Keep materials in order to minimize handling.

4. Photographs

C Do not touch the surfaces of photographic emulsions.

C Do not try to flatten curved or curled photographs that are mounted on board.

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Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 5

APPENDIX III, Part 3

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

and the CONSERVATION DIVISION

Review Sheet to Select a Scanner for Books

Book may be scanned on the book-edge scanner if all items checked are in Column A.

Book must be scanned using an overhead device if any item in Column B is checked.

**Note: If the sewing is restrictive and only allows the book to open less than 90 degrees,

the book cannot be scanned. Books in this category may be reviewed by conservation for

possible treatment.

ITEM: ____________________________________________________________________________________

NO. OF PAGES: ____________

************************************************************************

Column A (OK to Invert) Column B (Do Not Invert)

Size Size

__ 8 1⁄2 x 11 inches or smaller __ between 8 1⁄2 and 11 x 17 inches

__ less than 1 1⁄2 inches thick __ larger than 11 x 17 inches

__ thicker than 1 1⁄2 inches

__ thicker than 4 inches

Condition Condition

Cover: Cover:

__ Cover/text attachment is strong __ Cover/text attachment is weak

Pages: Pages:

__ flexible __ brittle

__ cockled pages __ breaking at spine

__ gutter margins more than 3 /8 inch __ margins less than 3/8 inch in gutter

Sewing: Sewing:

__ sewing gone, pages completely separated __ sewing intact, but some pages loose

__ sewing strong and intact __ sewing broken, one or more sections loose

__ sewing weak, book falls open easily 

 (recommended opening 120 degrees)
Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 6

__ Restrictive sewing: __ Restrictive sewing:

__ opens to 120 degrees without stress to pages or binding __ opens less than 90 degrees (cannot be scanned)

 __ opens only to 90 degrees

Other information that may influence choice of scanner:

__ foldouts

__ color illustrations

__ halftone illustrations

__ other (please specify) _______________________________________________________________________

If item needs conservation, please check the following:

__ needs housing: __ before treatment __ after treatment

__ separate uncut pages 

__ mend pages: __ mend tears across image area __ guard unbound folios

__ flatten foldouts __ mend foldouts

__ open out dog-eared pages obscuring text or image

__ other (please specify) _______________________________________________________________________

**************************************************************************************

Reviewer’s recommendation:

__ OK to invert

__ Do not invert

__ Cannot be scanned (explain) __________________________________________________________________

Scanner recommended:

__ Book-edge

__ Overhead, with cradle

Degree of recommended opening:

__ 90 degrees

__ 110 degrees

__ 120 degrees

__ 130 degrees

__ 180 degrees

__ less than 90 degrees (cannot be scanned)

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Library of Congress NDLP and the Conservation Division. Appendix I Page 7

APPENDIX I, Part 4

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

and the CONSERVATION DIVISION

SESSION ON CARE AND HANDLING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS FOR

DIGITAL SCANNING

Criteria for Selecting Proper Scanning Equipment

Materials which can be safely inverted and scanned on a flatbed scanner include:

a. copy negatives

b. photographic prints in good condition

c. flat paper items in good condition and without friable media (i.e. pastels)

d. items that are sleeved in polyester film (Mylar ̈) so that they can be handled safely

e. pamphlet and sheet music items that are in good condition and can open to 180 

degrees.

Materials which must be scanned by overhead scanning equipment include:

a. books, on a cradle or with wedges, if necessary

b. photographs adhered to board mounts

c. anything that cannot be pressed flat safely

d. anything too large to be turned over safely 

e. anything larger than the dimensions of the flat bed scanner.

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