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We have used books or binders with materials in them successfully in our
exhibitions.  Just leaving them on a shelf or table or some other type
of reading area has worked for us.  I agree that tethers could get
easily tangled.

For a baseball exhibition last year we even used binders with minor
league baseball cards in plastic sleeves and did not lose a single one
during the exhibit.  We did have backups of most of them in place if
needed.

Chris Hunter
Director of Archives and Collections
Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium
Nott Terrace Heights
Schenectady, NY 12308
(518) 382-7890, ext. 241
[log in to unmask]
www.schenectadymuseum.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Erich Rose
Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2009 11:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Books in exhibitions

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****

I don't know of any commercial product made for this purpose other than
plastic jackets for the covers of books such as those used in libraries.
Those will not hold up in the museum environment. At least the
children's or science center environment. But there are a few methods
that various museum's have used with different levels of success. I
think you need to decide how long you want the books to  last and to
what level you want them to be easy to use. I've had many a children's
book taken apart, laminated (med-hvy weight plastic) and then bound with
either sex bolts or sandwiched between strips of wood or plastic. Even
with the heavy weight laminating plastic they get beat up within a year.


I have also seen and done books with no extra protection other than a
great big stamp or label saying "Property of XX Museum" and then these
were placed in designated reading areas. Sometiomes they were at least
mounted to a board making them a bit cumbersome to move ny distance.
They actually did pretty well. But no matter what have back ups on hand
or a budget to replace them as needed. 

I would only tether if it is critical that the book be "right there" at
all times. Tethers get tangled and this seems to lead to yet more
damage. If there is floor staff that can walk the gallery every so often
and put things back as needed that may be the best strategy.

--
Erich Rose
Exhibit, Environmental and Industrial Design
807 The Living End
Austin, TX 78746
512-626-9930; [log in to unmask]

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