How to Shelf Mark Rare Books: Best Practices and Labeling Methods

    Labels on rare collections (books, manuscripts, documents, photo albums, etc.) are often glued directly onto these objects. Over time, this can cause damage to the original binding materials, and in most cases, this damage is irreversible.

In this blog, I will share my experiences from the past few years of thinking about and experimenting with ways to deal with these labels on rare book collections. Some methods have proven to be effective and safe, while others have not. As conservators, we always prioritize the reversibility of any technique we apply to rare objects.

Rare Book Labeling in Libraries

A) An 18th-century binding damaged by a new archival label.

Labeling Recommendations for Modern and New Archival Materials (Books, Magazines, etc.):

For general collections, acceptable acid-free book labels are available from library suppliers. Alternatively, if it is absolutely necessary to label the inside of a book cover directly, a soft pencil should be used.

In Figure A, an 18th-century binding has been damaged by an irreversible transparent tape applied to the spine joint, securing the shelf mark label in place (from the librarian’s perspective). Over time, with repeated use and handling, the tape has caused deterioration of the original leather.

another example of label cause a damaged to a book

I have tried various methods to avoid reapplying labels to rare books after conservation and restoration, particularly on the original binding material, especially if it is leather or paper.

• Using Transparent Polyethylene

In this method, a protective layer of transparent polyethylene is applied to the spine as a quarter binding. All labels and barcodes are then affixed to this polyethylene layer.

Advantages of this method:

• Prevents direct contact or adhesion between the book and the label.
• Protects the book’s spine from dust and direct hand contact.

Disadvantages of this method:

• Limits ventilation to the spine, preventing it from "breathing."
• May develop fungal growth on the cover in humid conditions.
• Causes books to become electrostatically charged, making them stick together on the shelf. This can result in multiple books being handled as one, increasing the risk of damage.

Humidity begins to affect the spine. Electrostatic charge causes multiple objects to behave as one during handling.

• Using a Flap

  One of the worst methods I have ever tried is using a flap made of leather, cloth, or celluloid, attached to the inner end of the spine during the restoration process to hold labels.

  Advantages of this method:

  • Keeps labels away from the original cover material.
  • Provides good ventilation for the spine.

  Disadvantages of this method:

  • Cannot be applied to all books on the shelf; it is only feasible when fully restoring and rebinding a book.
  • Lacks durability when used on shelves, as readers may pull books by the flap, causing damage.
  • The label may not always be visible when the book is placed on the shelf.
  • Becomes an irreversible part of the book’s binding.
  • Alters the historical authenticity of the original object.

Using a Flap

• Using an Acid-Free Label Card

  An acid-free card designed to be attached to the endleaf or front leaf of the book, providing an external space for affixing labels and barcodes.

  
  

  

  Using acid-free cards

Advantages of this Method:

• Nothing is directly glued to the object, ensuring good ventilation and preventing label-induced damage.
• Stickers and labels are kept away from the book's spine.
• Clearly visible to librarians and readers, making it easy to locate the call number or barcode on shelves.
• The acid-free card prevents acidity transfer or staining on the book’s pages or cover.
• Practical, cost-effective, and easy to use and replace.

Applying acid-free label card method to all rare books

Disadvantages of this Method:

• It may get mixed up between objects during handling or reading.
• Librarians need to educate readers on how to properly place these labels back onto the objects after use.
• If books are subjected to heavy pressure on shelves for an extended period, the label may leave embossed marks.

    Until today, this method remains my favorite, even though there is a risk of losing the label during the reading or handling process. However, librarians can always print a new barcode, apply it to a new card, and attach it to the book.

It’s important to note that researchers who typically handle rare objects (which are usually not handled by regular readers) understand the value of these books and handle them with care. Librarians can easily guide them on the best practices for handling these objects.

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Creating a Knowledge Sharing Culture
Sherif Afifi

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Sorry English is not my first language but sharing experience is a global language