Readers as Conservators
The Folger Shakespeare Library is a working collection where materials are made accessible to scholars whenever possible. Folger Curators and Conservators are charged with the challenge of maintaining the working condition of the collection. Our readers also play an important role in the conservation process. By handling materials with attention and care, you can help ensure the continued life of the Folger collection. Please carefully review the following instructions on handling our collection. If you have any questions, please ask a member of the Reading Room staff.
Wash Your Hands Frequently
Always wash and thoroughly dry your hands before handling rare materials. Continue to wash your hands throughout the day as you work with the collection. This will help prevent acidic leather dust (known as “red rot”) from transferring to and damaging other books and materials. Please refrain from using hand lotion. The oils left on your hands from lotions (no matter how well you rub it in) will show up over time
Opening and Supporting Books
Foam supports (cradles) help minimize damage to spines and joints, the most common damage occurring in our collection. Our cradles come in several sizes; choose the most appropriately sized cradle so that the book boards (both covers) are fully supported at all times. Allow the book to tell you how far to open it; if you feel resistance, don’t open the book any farther. Keep the book supported at all times, adding and adjusting foam to meet the needs of the book as you move through it.
Keeping the Book Open
Do not hold a book open with your hands. Various sizes of “snakes,” or weighted strings and bean bags, are available at all reader tables for this purpose. Never use these as place holders or book marks, and do not leave a book open when you are not using it. You will be able to feel how far a book will open without putting undue stress on the binding; paying attention to this is crucial to conservation efforts.
Turning Pages
Take your time. Pages may be weak and brittle from age, use, and acidity, and this causes corners to break off and fore-edges to tear. Evaluate each page before turning and select the best area to hold before slowly turning the page. Touch the surface of the paper as little as possible. Never fan quickly through the pages.
Folders, Phase Boxes, Envelopes and Slings
Different types of materials may come in different enclosures. Most of these are fairly intuitive to open; however, if you ever have a question about how to open a book’s enclosure, please ask! The Reading Room staff is more than happy to assist you.
Handling Materials in Need of Conservation
Due to the age and condition of the collection, the materials you request may have loose, detached, or damaged parts. If the item you request is in a phase box or another type of enclosure, it is likely in need of some repair. Please handle such items with extra care. If one or both of the boards is detached from the book, gently set the boards to the side and put the book into its cradle without them.
If any part of the book should become loose or damaged while you are using it, please notify a member of the Reading Room staff immediately.
Additional instructions for Handling of Library Material can be found in the “Guidelines for Using the Collection,” posted at every reading room table.
