Library & Archives Blog – A Leeds Beckett Students Diary – Book Maintenance & Conservation

28/01/25 Claire Marris (Archive Development Officer) – meeting with Leeds Becket Students regarding the Applied Humanities Project

Our first meeting detailed the exciting work we would be undertaking partnering with Whitby Museum’s Library and Archives. We discussed our initial interest in the project, as well as the skills needed to make both the trip and our work a success. Claire conveyed to us her expectations for the project, ensuring we were clued up on the work of the space and its importance. Reading through a bug report, we were shocked by the difficult and meticulous work that went into maintaining the books stored within the archives. The session concluded with a proposed date for our trip – a trip we were no doubt thrilled to be embarking on!

05/03/25 – Our journey to Whitby Museum

We undertook the journey to Whitby: catching the 7:00am train from Leeds to Malton, from there, we continued the journey by bus through the beautiful North York Moors. The bus proceeded to take us over the tops and down into Whitby. The Whitby weather was stunning as we finally arrived at the Museum doors.

Our day in the Whitby Museum Library & Archive:

• Behind The Scenes Tour

Upon our arrival, we were taken on a tour of the library and archive; made aware of the vast collection of books, documents and other artifacts from Whitby’s rich and fascinating history. Some books date back over 300 years! As well as important documents held in the archives, they also hold digital pictures and oral histories based on personal accounts of Whitby locals. The most interesting book we viewed was the Henry Simpsons Illustrated Apprentice book. It is stunning; its creative illustrations and calligraphy decorating the book’s pages. This book has recently gone through a restoration procedure in order to preserve it. Click here to read all about this fabulous book.

• What we learnt about book maintenance:

Rob (volunteer who is training to become an Archivist) took us through the detailed and specific process of cleaning books that may be damaged or in need of slight maintenance.

To keep our clothes clean from dust, we were given aprons and made aware that for the dirtier books masks are used. We used the libraries Downdraught Bench which acts as an extractor fan to suck the dust into the machine rather than dispense it back into the room. The larger chunks of debris are collected in a drawer underneath the bench, whilst the smaller sections are passed through a series of filters so all that comes out is fresh air.

Firstly, we had to remove the dust from the books using a brush, made of badger hair (the natural bristles generate less static than manmade fibres) to wipe away any surface debris, residue, and dust. Anything other than this, such as water or bug damage cannot be removed in this way. We used gentle swipes away from us on the front and back of the book, as well as the spine and the tops of the pages to remove dust – whilst making sure to be careful of weaknesses on the binding and front/back covers.

For the tops of the pages, we had to squeeze the book gently to stop the dust falling into the pages whilst removing taking extra care around the spine grooves to remove all debris. The bottom pages of the book will more likely have less to remove compared to the tops and sides due to how they’re normally stored; usually upright on a shelf for example. We also observed that books with leather covers are prone to leather rot often referred to as red rot – as it presents as red.

To fix any torn pages, repair tape is used to hold them in place; also known as Japanese tape and is very thin, incredibly strong but having low adhesivity. Thus, if the tape needs to be removed no further damage is caused.

We then used a friction sponge to remove the lingering dust. The sponge has a rubbery feel, to cling to any dust still present, whilst needing very little pressure; avoiding any decorations on the cover, as the sponge would damage the designs further. During the cleaning it is important to constantly be aware of any insect damage, water damage or fungus. Depending on how damaged the corners of the book were, they were also wiped. Books that have shown signs of mould will only be returned on the shelf if it is certain, it will not come back. In cases where the mould does not disappear, books will be bagged and frozen for six months which often cures this problem.

To conclude the cleaning, we removed all the remaining debris from the bench and looked over the book to fully make sure it was safe to put away for conservation.

• Learning how to make a Phase Box:

We then moved onto another process of book conservation. This one involved the creation of a ‘phase box’ which would correctly encase the books; this is made with archivally acceptable materials and accurate measurements of width, length and thickness of the book was essential to ensure it fits tightly round the book.

• Bugs and book conservation in the archive:

The books are stored in a temperature and humidity-controlled archive. The humidity levels for optimal preservation should be from 45-60% to control mould growth and dryness, whilst the temperature should be from 16-19°C to slow down the paper from degrading.

The books may have also been predisposed to bugs in their previous residence but hopefully, these will be disposed of in the cleaning process however there is still a vulnerability to the books being stored – a few of the bugs most commonly found in the conservation room is the silverfish, woodlice, and the common booklouse.

Bugs such as Silverfish, Woodlice and Common Booklice pose the biggest threat to the safety and condition of the books stored within the archives. Although very small, they are capable of eating through things such as paper, wood and leather. Bug traps are in place to help eliminate this issue.

After a busy day…

…we concluded our Whitby trip with some tasty fish & chips down by the seaside; enjoyed the summer breeze for a short time before heading for the bus station and back to Leeds.

By Harry Holgate & Annalise Browne

Leeds Beckett Students

Applied Humanities Project

Making a donation towards a book conservation project:

We have numerous books in our collection that need conservation work to help preserve them for future generations to enjoy. If you are interested in donating towards the conservation of one of our books contact library@whitbymuseum.org.uk

Overall, the experience was both interesting and informative. We learnt the importance of book conservation and the role it plays in preserving valuable history that would have otherwise been lost to time. As well as this, we found the museum staff to be helpful and extremely dedicated to their work. It cannot be understated how important these great people are in all that they do, bringing to life the rich and lengthy history of such a small town. Above all, their work allows future generations to learn about Whitby’s history through this vast collection of interesting books and artifacts.

If you are interested in a work placement or work experience contact claire.marris@whitbymuseum.org.uk