Introduction
Keynote Remarks:Diane Frankel
Fine Arts & Science
Art & Conservation
American History &
Preservation
Library Sciences &
Preservation
Archaeology,
American History &
Conservation
Practice
Museum Practices &
Conservation
| Library Sciences and Preservation | |
|---|---|
| Organizational participants | Girl Scout troop and parent/preservation librarian |
| Audience | Girl Scout project |
| Subject areas | Literature, library sciences, preservation of books |
| Staff and faculty | Preservation librarian, troop leaders |
| Funding | Parents, library (all nominal) |
| Program dates | |
| For more information | Julie Page,
Preservation Librarian University of California-San Diego E-mail: jpage@ucsd.edu |
Care and Preservation of Books
Scouts can learn the merits of conservation by completing the requirements of Scout badges, just as Julie Page did with her daughter's Girl Scout troop. Page's interest in caring for books was both personal and professional: she is a preservation librarian at the University of California-San Diego.
Recognizing the need to educate children at an early age about the importance of handling books properly, Page wanted to introduce the topic to her daughter's Girl Scout troop. She soon realized that the Scouts had no specific badge that addressed conservation and preservation per se. Instead, she decided that she would work with the girls to fulfill the requirements for a badge on books, but they would focus on preservation whenever possible.
Of the 16 activities listed with the Girl Scouts book badge, six were required for completion to earn the badge. Page decided that the most efficient (and fun) way to finish all six and to explore the topic of book preservation in depth was to hold an overnight "sleep over" in the library. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, the girls learned about library sciences and the basics of book care and preservation. The appearance of a "mystery guest" led to a lively game of "twenty questions," during which the girls were challenged to discover their visitor's involvement with books. (She was an author of children's books.) This led to a discussion of careers in books and publications, ranging from authors, illustrators, editors, and graphic designers, to newspaper reporters and reviewers. Other activities included examining print runs, learning about handmade paper, and making "book snakes" to hold open the pages of a book without breaking its binding. On the subject of preservation, they became more aware of the physical and monetary damage that results from fingerprints and writing in books. They also learned of the long-term negative effects of sticking "self-adhisive note" on the pages of books. (The adhesive hardens and leaves a film that becomes acidic, which eventually discolors the paper and makes it brittle.) The girls were particularly fascinated by how easily old, yellowed newsprint crumbles and disintegrates. This graphic demonstration impressed upon them the need to care for printed materials properly now so they can be used by generations of readers and researchers in the future.
By the end of the overnight event, the Girl Scouts had earned their badges and Page had achieved her goal of educating the girls that the preservation of books can be useful, positive, and fun. Page asserts that we all have a vested interest in starting user behavior off right, beginning with school-age students and younger who borrow books from libraries. "By empowering users on the proper way to handle books, we encourage them to educate others," Page explains. For these Girl Scouts, when it comes to the importance of caring for and fixing books, "the coolness index is way up there."
Along with Jeanne Drewes, Julie Page edited Promoting Preservation Awareness: A Sourcebook for Academic, School, Public and Special Libraries (Greenwood Press, 1997), which features case studies about children, school libraries and the care and preservation of books.
