We are all looking forward to a little break over the holidays, but wanted to share a book that has captured everyone’s attention in the lab this week: Edward Topsell’s History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents from 1658. Originally published in two volumes in 1607 and 1608 (Beasts and Serpents, respectively), this is the first collected edition. It describes both real and fantastic animals, including delightful woodcut illustrations, like the camels below.
This week we found another example of modesty flaps added by a reader or previous owner. This time on a paperback copy of The selected poems of Frank O’Hara. They’ve also added a laminate book cover over the bandage to seal it in place.
We do not recommend using bandaids on library materials. You can already see how poorly the adhesive is aging as it migrates from edges and holes in the bandage. Please choose high quality, chemically stable materials and adhesives for your modestly flaps.
This 20th century French work of science fiction is back in the lab for evaluation for one of our imaging workflows. Published roughly 60 years after Verne’s Voyage au centre de la Terre, Creux’s novel features a ship that can drill its way into the earth – rather than the protagonists climbing down a lava tube. We just love the highly decorated cover.
The custom housing for this item was funded through our Adopt-A-Book program. Other adopted conservation treatments are currently on display in the Mary Duke Biddle room in an exhibit titled Donors Choose: Highlights from the Duke Libraries Adopt-a-Book Program. Please join us on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, from 11am to 12pm, for a gallery talk. Staff from the Conservation Services Department will be available to talk about the items on display and answer questions. We will have bookmarks and buttons for attendees!
We love getting new equipment for our work areas. In the past month, we have upgraded to sit-stand tables for two shared work areas. We are thrilled to present our new “Conservation Station” at Smith Warehouse. This space allows our shelf preparation work to be co-located with acquisitions and cataloging. By moving these workflows to Smith, we anticipate a quicker turnaround from shelf-prep to shelf. This table was a hand-me-down from another department, and we are thrilled to have it.
Conservation Station and our new-to-us table!
Over in the conservation lab we have upgraded from an older desk-height table to an Uplift sit-to-stand table. This table is in the “dirty room” where we do all of our solvent and mold removal work. The desk is chair-height and difficult to work on for any length of time.
Our older fixed-height desk gave everyone a back ache.
Our new table has a lot of “bells and whistles” the old table does not. It can adjust from 25″ to 51″ in height, it has locking wheels, and a solid top. We can move this table into the lab when we need added table space, something that was impossible with the old table.
The new sit-stand table with a free gift!
We really like the Uplift brand desk. The best part is the desks come with the choice of free accessories. We chose the clamp-on punching bag. Yes, it does work and yes, it is fun! Thanks to our generous Adopt-a-Book donors, we were able to purchase this table and have it customized to fit our needs.
Who doesn’t want a free punching bag?
Both tables improve the ergonomics of our work. They also provide flexible space options for when things get really big.
General Collections conservation is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get from Circulation. Lucky for us, this gentle reader only got through a couple chapters, not the whole text. We’ll take this over highlighting or underlining any day.
We do need to, thanks.The fading would indicate these have been here a while.Arrows on stickies: 21st Century manicules?
At first glance, though, it kind of looks like they were wearing matching crocheted outfits. I don’t know that such a thing has been done before, but based on the number of images I can find of crocheted chainmail and horses in sweaters, it seems entirely possible.
