Introduction | Prep | Activity

Practice handling materials (20 minutes)

Before you visit a collection, get comfortable with your tools and movements. Use items found around your home to prepare for handling fragile materials.

Set up your workspace

Prepare a large clean workspace, such as a desk or table that is free of computer cords. Remove dangling jewelry and ID lanyards.
Clean your hands: wash with soap and water and make sure to dry thoroughly

If you have not done so already, review the materials in Handling Special Materials - Prep and Harvard's reading room guidelines. Use your workspace as you would a desk in a special collections reading room. Clear away any pens, notebooks, food, drinks, or other items, and keep them fully out of reach while you are working with the materials. We know that there are a lot of considerations to keep in mind, but this is your chance to review and practice these methods in the comfort of your own space.

Gather your materials

Find a few books of different size and format - library books, old and new hardcovers, paperbacks, scrapbooks, magazines, etc.
Make your own foam wedges: Use two bath towels and one hand towel. Roll each of the two bath towels along the shortest edge and place them side by side with a few inches in between. Drape the hand towel across the top of them.
Make your own flexible weights: Take four small zippered plastic bags, containers, or socks. Fill each with a handful or two of dry rice or beans. If using a zipper bag, press out the air and close the zipper, then roll the bag up loosely. If using a sock, knot the sock near the opening so the beans have room to move around inside.
One non-sharp metal or plastic knife or small spatula
One large piece of wrapping paper or tissue paper, folded in quarters or eighths
One rolled item like a poster or rolled piece of wrapping paper

Handle a book

Assess the book's vulnerabilities

Work slowly and deliberately. Observe the book’s physical reactions to handling.
Don’t force the spine to open or bend the paper excessively. Stop if you hear buckling or cracking.
Ask these questions of each item:
- Where are the vulnerable areas of the book? (e.g. fragile cover attachment, tight opening, brittle paper, loose pages, folds/tears in paper)
- What can I do to prevent further damage?

Set up the book in its cradle

A book placed on the rolled towel setup. The book is open and the left side is weighed down with a plastic bag filled with beans.

Take your “foam wedges” and “flexible weights” that you assembled above and place them in front of you.
Place a closed book with the front cover facing up on the right rolled towel, with its spine resting on the table.
Open the front cover to view the title page.
Separate and position the left rolled towel to restrict the angle of the open book.
Adjust the rolled towels to prop the book covers higher if the opening is tight or pages are torn/brittle.
Drape bag weights on edges or in unprinted areas to hold the pages open.

Practice turning pages

Turn a few pages using the dull knife or spatula, then try a few with your fingers.
Adjust the towels as you page through the book.

Handle a scrapbook

Using your same towel cradle setup, use two hands to fully support each page on both sides as you turn one page at a time. As you lift the pages, look for any dangling elements that may be on the underside. Support these items with your fingers so they aren’t flapping about. Wear gloves if you find bare photographs. Move slowly!

Handle folded and rolled items

Rolled and folded items are often oversized, but these methods apply to items of any size.

A roll of wrapping paper partially unrolled horizontally. Small plastic containers and bags filled with beans weigh down the top and bottom edges. An unfolded piece of paper with a small plastic container of beans weighing down the top right corner, and a bag of beans weighing down the left edge.

For your folded item, place it on the table and use a weight to hold down each consecutive unfolding. Reverse the process when you fold it back up.
For your rolled item, place it on the table. Unroll a small portion at a time, unrolling with one hand and simultaneously rolling up with the other. When you want to take notes or examine one portion more closely, use weights to prop up both rolled sides and keep them from rolling in.

Note: Need a visual? Visit the “Want to know more? Try these advanced techniques” section of 10 Tips for Reading Room Success for example demonstrations with rolled and folded items.

You have completed Handling Special Materials. Explore more modules.

Introduction | Prep | Activity