Notice: Due to ongoing construction, 4 East is currently closed to the public.  To obtain items located on 4 East, please place an online request for the item to be paged for you using the ‘Place Request’ button in the catalog. Please visit our Circulation FAQ page for assistance in using our catalog.
Notice: Due to ongoing construction, 4 East is currently closed to the public.  To obtain items located on 4 East, please place an online request for the item to be paged for you using the ‘Place Request’ button in the catalog. Please visit our Circulation FAQ page for assistance in using our catalog.
Save America's Treasures

Full Treatments

Full treatments are a combination of all of the other treatments. Books needing a full treatment will generally be disbound; the sewing will be removed; the pages surface cleaned and washed; any torn pages or signatures will be mended; the book will be resewn; and then it will be rebound using the original cover or a new cover will be made. This is a time consuming process and can take many days from start to finish when drying time is taken into account.

Author:

Mitchell, S. Augustus (Samuel Augustus), 1792-1868

Title:

Mitchell's primary geography : an easy introduction to the study of geography

Publisher:

Cowperthwait, Desilver, & Butler, 1854

Edition:

3rd rev. ed.

Call Number:

G125 .M663 1854 

Description:

176 p. : ill., maps (some col.) ; 17 cm.

Permanent record:

https://catalog.lib.msu.edu/Record/folio.in00002253203

a geography book showing damage to book spine before repair

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book showing damage to the front cover

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book showing damage to the inside cover

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Before pictures showing damage to binding, especially at the spine and corners.

the book with a new spine after repair

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the front cover after repair

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the inside cover after repair

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The binding after conservation work. The book was disbound, resewn and a new spine was made with dyed Japanese paper.

the doodles inside the front cover of a book

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Many of the books in this collection have charming doodles such as this one on the inside of the front cover.
the pages of the book after cleaning

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During treatment, the pages were washed, deacidified and resized. The only visible difference after treatment is a slight “brightening” of the paper. There are no drastic changes to the look of the original.

Author:

Murray, Lindley, 1745-1826

Title:

The English reader : or, pieces in prose and poetry, selected from the best writers

Publisher:

Cooperstown : Printed and sold by H. and E. Phinney, 1837

Call Number:

PE1120 .M83 1837 

Description:

252 p. ; 15 cm.

Permanent record:

https://catalog.lib.msu.edu/Record/folio.in00002262127

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Photos of the textblock, showing the damage to the textblock, including the broken sewing in the middle of the book.

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Before photos showing the spine and front cover. The cover was in fairly good condition, but was slightly worn.

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The textblock was disbound, washed and deacidified and tears were mended before it was resewn and placed back into the original covers.

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The book looks little changed from the exterior with just small repairs to the headcaps and corners.

Author:

Willetts, Jacob, 1785-1860

Title:

The scholar's arithmetic : designed for the use of schools in the United States

Publisher:

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. : P. Potter, 1822

Edition:

4th ed.

Call Number:

QA101 .W56 1822 

Description:

191 p. ; 18 cm.

Permanent record:

https://catalog.lib.msu.edu/Record/folio.in00002267314

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Before photos of the spine and front cover.

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Before photo showing the edge of the textblock. Note that the edges of the pages are very jagged, indicating that the sewing is probably loose or broken.

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Another example of the doodles, scribbles and holographs found in many of these school books.

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After photos of the spine and front cover with repairs to the headcaps and joints. Very little has been done to alter the appearance of the book.

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After photo of the textblock. The loose and torn pages have been mended and the entire textblock was washed, resized and deacidified before it was resewn. Note that the pages are much more evenly aligned now that it has been sewn.