Friday, November 6, 2009

Phase Boxes

The first thing I learned to do was construct phase boxes. This is a effective prevention treatment because the boxes are dimensionally stable, hold the book securely and protect against dust and dirt. The materials and time (approximately 15 minutes per box) can be costly, therefore phase boxes are reserved for special collections. There are two basic techniques, a one and two piece box. Manuals for construction are available online at:
http://libwww.syr.edu/information/preservation/manuals.htm
I have used both techniques. I find the two piece box enables you to use materials more efficiently, but I prefer the one piece because it is faster. These are some images of a two piece phase box in various stages of completion (Summer 2008).

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