Books
The main objective in air drying wet books is to remove water as
efficiently as possible while also trying to prevent
structural distortion. Structural distortion (excessive
swelling of the fore-edge, concavity of the backbone)
can be avoided if proper judgment is used in determining
the point at which the book should be opened. The following
steps assume that the covers are in good condition and
still attached to the book. If the covers must be removed
(because of delamination, color running out of the binding
materials, board swelling and warping, and the like),
the book should be stood on edge as described below,
but supported by loose pieces of binder's board, blocks
of wood, or bookends. (See also Cautions at the end
of this section.)
NOTE: Depending on the degree of saturation, a book
can take from a day to a week to dry.
1. Books that are thoroughly wet. Do not attempt to open the book. Do not attempt to fan the leaves. Do not remove the covers. Place the book in a closed position (with boards slightly open) on its head on sheets of absorbent paper. To permit water to drain efficiently, place small pieces of binder's board at the fore-edge. Place absorbent sheets of paper between the text block and the binding. Change the paper on the table when it becomes wet. If the book is placed in a moving current of air, it should soon dry to the point at which it may be opened for the next step.
2. Books that are partially wet. With care, partially open the book (at a fairly shallow angle) and interleave with absorbent paper. Paper towels are ideal. Begin at the back of the book and interleave every 20 or so leaves. Given good drying conditions, the book may be left flat until the interleaving material has absorbed some of the water, probably after one hour. Change interleaf material periodically until the book is only very slightly damp, then go to step 3.
3. Books that are damp. Stand the book on edge, lightly fan the leaves, and allow the book to dry in a current of air. If the binding is damper than the text, place paper between the boards and the book. When the book is almost dry, go to step 4.
4. Books that are almost dry. Lay the book flat, push the back and boards gently into position, and place the book under a light weight, leaving it in this position until it is thoroughly dry.
CAUTION
1. Coated paper (shiny paper used for periodicals
and art books and occasional illustrations). Give coated
paper immediate attention—once the paper starts
to dry, it fuses together and can rarely be separated.
It may be possible to salvage the item by interleaving
every sheet with waxed paper. If time or staff do not
permit this, make arrangements to freeze the book and
KEEP IT WET until it is placed in the freezer.
2. Water soluble inks or media (manuscripts, drawings, water colors), rare or unique items, and nonpaper material (film, photographs, discs, oil paintings). Contact a trained conservator.
3. Bound manuscripts or books printed or bound in vellum or leather. DO NOT AIR DRY except under the direction of a specialist.
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