PRESERconVersATION
BW (Book Ward) or Books Love to be Used (Correctly)
It's just another day in the Preservation Book Treatment Ward. Hospital staff are making their rounds, examining book patients, assessing new casualties and recommending treatments.
"Staff and readers should remember that people aren't the only ones with spines around here", the doctor commented. "Books have delicate spines too, which are often damaged in the daily wear and tear of being taken off the shelf".
"Yes Doctor", the nurse agreed. "Books shouldn't be pulled off the shelf by the top of the spine. It causes their little spines to fail and tear. It may not happen immediately, but every time the spine is pulled, this delicate area is weakened. If people would grasp the book on both sides with the thumb and fingers and gently pull it out, casualties would be dramatically reduced.
"To remove a book that is tightly shelved it's neighbours can be slightly pushed in until it can be grasped comfortably".
"Not only that!" Matron's commanding voice boomed as she entered the ward. "When it's been removed, the remaining ones on the shelf and their bookend should be readjusted".
"Reshelving a book is just as important", added the doctor. "To reshelve the book, the bookend should be loosened to make a space so the book can be reinserted and adjust the bookend accordingly."
The orderly wheeled in several new casualties. "Victims of an overloaded trolley disaster!" he grumbled.
"Victims of an overloaded trolley disaster!" the orderly grumbled
"Two trips would have saved these little fellows from injury" the nurse commented tersely.
They walked into the photocopy damage unit, especially created because photocopying is a major cause of damage to library books. "If a few simple rules were followed, most of these books would still be happy on their shelves", the doctor commented. "Not pressing down on book spines while copying is most important....And large, heavy books need special care".
"Yes Doctor", the nurse mused. "With just a little care, the life of library books can be greatly extended".
So here we leave Book Ward and those caring professionals who are charged with the responsibility of preserving the library's collections. Be sure to tune in next week when we will see the doctor perform recasing surgery, Matron and the nurse carry out essential minor repairs and the orderly grumbling.
PRESERconVersATION regrets that because this is one real life hospital show too many, this is the last episode of Book Ward to be screened on this channel.