Some titles just vanish from the stacks. Other materials that are not circulating and have less value are weeded to make room for newer items or newer editions. Occasionally, books returned to Falvey Library have gotten wet during their circulation, or they have been roughly handled and some pages are torn, loose, or missing. In other books the paper has become brittle due to heat, light, and many years spent in the Library's stacks. The goal of the preservation program is to make cost effective decisions to retain the information content of damaged books through binding, minor repair, replacement, and reformatting.
Preservation is everyone's job.
Proper preservation of library materials requires everyone to handle materials carefully. Shelvers assist by assuring that books and journals are properly arranged on their shelves. A disaster response team stands ready to handle small wet book disasters in the Library. Falvey's collection is at risk from roof leaks and water that does not drain properly from the air conditioning system. Falvey Library staff members plant their favorite flowers in the garden outside the Library's main entrance.