Now the the boxes are unpacked (well, most of them), and the shop is mostly set up, it’s time to get down to work. One of my first projects was a pro bono project on a children’s book, belonging to my son, Ethan.

Books with flaps regularly have problems, especially when handled my small hands. You can here that one has become detached from the page beneath. We wanted to catch that right away, before we lost the flap.

Since this will still be in use, an adhesive that is strong and quick to dry was used. PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) is a synthetic glue that has been tested to be safe for long term use, and is common in bookbinding and general collections conservation. Application of a thin layer with a soft brush was all it needed.

Once applied, we wanted to dry the page under pressure, to avoid warping while the repair dried. A plexiglass board and weight applied the right amount of pressure.

By the end of the day, the book will be back in Ethan’s hands. Not the most complex conservation treatment for the week, but I’m happy that my son won’t go shoeless (or bookless) for too long.