Procedures - Processing New Books

When books arrive from Cataloging, place them on the "NEW BOOKS TO PROCESS" shelf. When ready to process, retrieve books from that shelf and follow these procedures:

Stamping:

o We use archival ink that we acquire from the Library of Congress (which is located in Room 110 in the office supply cabinet).

o Use the smallest of the three stamps with the circular Library logo on it.

o Choose from one of the few beginning pages of the book, primarily a page with only print.

o Stamp the book as close to the gutter as possible, preferably at the bottom of the right page.

o Blot the stamp with a scrap piece of paper before you close the book to ensure the ink is dry and will not smudge the other page.

o If the book is mostly photographs or full bleed images, please see the librarian or chief curator for guidance.

Covering the book jacket:

o Any book that has a book jacket requires a pH neutral glassine cover.

o Take a large piece of glassine (located in Room 103 in the Map Case Drawer marked "Glassine").

o Also, obtain the paper knife (located in Room 110 in the office supply cabinet).

	o Set the glassine on the glass table in Room 104 with the book jacket on top of it. o Flip the book jacket over so that the outside of the cover is facing upwards.
	o Fold the glassine along the bottom of the book jacket (the whole length of it). o Make the fold up to the middle of the width of the jacket.
	o Do the same along the top length of the book jacket, they will overlap. o Pull tight on both sides and create the creases.
	o when cutting the excess, create a smaller fold using the size of the width of your fingertip.
	o Use the knife at a slightly upward angle, going from the end of the blade to the tip in one motion, and cut the excess glassine with the paper knife.
	o Place the book jacket back into the glassine and fold around it using the creases already made.
	o Look at the sides of the width where the flaps of the book jacket are located. o If they are uneven, fold the sides allowing for a bit of glassine to remain.
	o Fold and create a new crease, then cut with the paper knife. o Do again to the other side.
	o Place the book inside its book jacket.
	o Completed!