Library collections conservation discussion group: taking a comprehensive look at book repair

A national effort to improve the quality of book repair operations is under way. This work has been spearheaded by the Library Collections Conservation Discussion Group (LCCDG) of the American Institute for Conservation. During the past three years LCCDG has broadly examined samples of book repair techniques in order to identify and document those practices that are appropriate for use in research library collections. In addition to close scrutiny of technical specifications, the group is addressing issues such as: expanding treatment selection guidelines to encompass historically significant materials housed in the stacks; investigating methods for achieving economic and efficient operations; defining the degree and form of documentation required; identifying educational needs within the field; and exploring ways to support training workshops and programs.