Someone who works at in Preservation Services at the U of I Library had a minute, and created this Conservator Barbie set up, complete with “sparkly sewing frame, a stippling brush, a broken case binding, and a gingham book snake,” demonstrating some of the work that goes on in that department.
Since I do not know all the book preservations lingo, I had to look up these items:
- Stippling brush: used to apply glue to book binding
- Case binding: the traditional way to bind hardcover books, “pages are sewn together in sections and attached to the inside of a case with end papers which are tipped on to the book block and then glued into the case.”
- Book snake: an item used to gently hold a book open
- Sewing frame: “holds the tapes or cords upright, assisting in neater, faster sewing”
You can learn more about the important work of the Preservation Services Unit at their website.