Tabley House
Heritage Volunteer Project book conservation and recording
After a brief pause, this project is back up and running.
Volunteers meet between 10 and 12pm every other Thursday with the next meeting on Thursday 23rd November.
The team is working through the library shelves taking one book at a time and recording details on a form from which the information will be transferred to a permanent record. Notes are made on the appearance, content, condition and treatment applied.
Many of the books date back to the 17th century and are leather-bound. They have to be rested on special pillows to preserve their condition. Many are written in foreign languages, particularly Latin and Greek. If books are in poor condition they may be painted with a special gel and brushed with soft brushes. Loose covers are bound with white library tape to hold them together
The collection is full of fascinating works , providing a temptation to be distracted from the task at hand. Volunteers learn a great deal from the experience.