Here is my summary of the Book jacket questions from the List. I asked what
art Libraries do with the book jackets that come on books, and at least 39
individuals responded to this query. Over all, respondents were nearly
evenly divided on the question of whether to keep book jackets or not. 17
respondents favored keeping the book coverings and 18 respondents discarded
the covers. For those who did not keep covers, the most highly cited use (12
responses) was to offer book jackets to other departments/individuals. Next
in frequency (9 responses) was to use book jackets on bulletin boards to
advertise the books, the library and attract users. Respondents cited lack
of resources (money, time, and personnel) as a reason for not keeping book
jackets on books in six instances. For responders who kept book jackets, 10
replied that their libraries covered the book jackets with mylar protective
covers. Six libraries said they kept book jackets on the books specifically
because of their unique content or for authority work. Five respondents
indicated they kept the books jackets because they considered the cover part
of the bibliographic record of the item. Four libraries noted that they kept
book jackets on rare or special collection items. Two respondents said they
cut out author information from book jackets and glued this material to the
inside of the book covers.
A special category for book jacket use and comment emerged that included:
covering wall space or graduate student carrels with book jackets; reference
to an Andrei Codrescu commentary for NPR on libraries that remove book
covers; covers were kept to protect light-colored cloth books; a library
mentioned that keeping covers on the books lengthens the life of the book;
one library bulletin board display of book jackets required title and author
information to be visible; book covers were kept to help library users find
information; one response noted that keeping the book jackets was
time-consuming, extended book life and reduced repair; one library cataloged
jackets separately; one person said book jackets would ultimately be
recognized as an art form; another library stored book jackets for the
future when they would have time to put them on the books and add mylar
coverings; another respondent made book jackets into bookmarks which listed
the library hours on back; one library cut out book jacket pictures for a
picture file and loaned these as if they were books; another library mounted
book jackets on boards, cataloged these and stored them in cabinets.
If anyone has other ideas or wishes to add to this interesting group of
views about ways to deal with book jackets, please feel free to email me.
Thank you, again for responding.
Deborah Perotti
Library Preservation Coordinator
The Museum of Modern Art
[log in to unmask]
ph. 212 708-9438
fax 212 408-6385
HTTP://www.moma.org
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