Preservation Scenario 2
You are reading a very interesting book but must stop because you
have an appointment to keep. Would you-
- turn the book upside down on a flat surface in order to keep
your place
- memorize the page number and close the book
- put a pencil between the pages where you stopped reading and
leave the book in close proximity to where your pet is lying
- mark the place by inserting a bookmark where you stopped
reading and put the book in a secure place
- "dog ear" one of the corners and put the book down
Answer: B and D. If you have a good memory, "B" is the
ideal solution. Inserting a bookmark to keep your place is the
least injurious practice. Turning a book upside down can weaken
and often damage the spine of an older, fragile book. The crease
left from turning a corner down will not disappear, but sometimes
the corner will (especially if the paper is brittle). Pets are
known to chew up books, and small children can make pencil or
crayon marks in books.
UCSD Preservation Program, 1989
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