Stabilizing Special Collections for High-Density Storage

Introduction & Planning | Globes | Objects | Rolled Drawings | Drawings and Prints
Bound Volumes | Archives and Manuscript Collections

Bound Volumes (Folios)

CHALLENGES

• Large collection of 5,000 rare folios in many different sizes
• Rare and valuable bindings and volumes required extra protection during transport to and from the storage modules
• Rare oversize volumes could not have labels affixed to the binding

SOLUTIONS

• 14 box sizes were chosen to standardize the collection
• Ethafoam® planks in standard sizes were lined with smooth Volara® foam and adhered to the box edges to form a tight custom fit around each volume
• Polyethylene straps were wrapped around each volume cover to allow labeling without adhesives, and polyester sleeves were adhered to each box exterior to store additional bibliographic information
• Thin folios of similar sizes could be stored in one box (see diagram below)

(Click on image below to see larger image)

Left: Example of folio housing. Right: Diagram of folio housing for two volumes.