Take off the gloves when handling those rare books

[Snicklefritz]

For Rare Book Librarians, It’s Gloves Off. Seriously.​

When handling rare books, experts say that bare, just-cleaned hands are best. Why won’t the public believe them?

For Rare Book Librarians, It’s Gloves Off. Seriously. (Published 2023)

When handling rare books, experts say that bare, just-cleaned hands are best. Why won’t the public believe them?

www.nytimes.com

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Link for Gifted article good for 2 weeks from 3/10/23

For Rare Book Librarians, It’s Gloves Off. Seriously. (Published 2023)

When handling rare books, experts say that bare, just-cleaned hands are best. Why won’t the public believe them?

www.nytimes.com

 

[JunkMonkey]

Because what they see some personality do on the telly to make their story more special. "Look this is such a valuable document I'm not even allowed to touch it!" is more 'real' than any number of boring unphotogenic experts 'opinions'. The whole of the Flat Earth, Ant-vaxx, anti science movement is founded on the same principle.

"Print the legend."

 

[Vladd67]

Because what they see some personality do on the telly to make their story more special. "Look this is such a valuable document I'm not even allowed to touch it!" is more 'real' than any number of boring unphotogenic experts 'opinions'. The whole of the Flat Earth, Ant-vaxx, anti science movement is founded on the same principle.

"Print the legend."

That's a little unfair as I've seen documentaries where staff at the British library wear white gloves to show the host documents.

 

[JunkMonkey]

That's a little unfair as I've seen documentaries where staff at the British library wear white gloves to show the host documents.

At whose insistence? I can quite see some producer/director asking that they put them on for the visual/narrative effect. The trouble with experts is that they acknowledge the expertise of others. "Trust me, I've directed hundreds of TV shows, and it'll help us sell the story we're telling if you just put gloves on for this shot..."

 

[tinkerdan]

Great advice:
Except for that vintage bible I saw once that had bugs crawling out of it.
Definitely gloves--or better yet a bag and fumigate.
The good news: it was possibly only worth 1000 us dollars in good condition.
Could have been a greater loss.

 

[CupofJoe]

What I think it comes down to is...
How much do your really trust people when they say Yes if asked if they have washed and dried their hands...

 

[Overread]

One thing to keep in mind is even if you washed your hands, you are still going to keep secreting oils from your pours; how long that takes will vary person to person and situation to situation (eg ambient temperature). So whilst bare washed hands might work really well, it might be that you'd have to keep washing and drying regularly to maintain a good balance.

 

[Danny McG]

"Trust me, I've directed hundreds of TV shows, and it'll help us sell the story we're telling if you just put gloves on for this shot..."

Like every prison documentary ever -
"Let's have a shot of the cell door slamming shut for every advert break, it's never been done before!"