This article is more than 5 years old.

Preservation is in the middle of a huge new initiative. We’re “disbinding” many bound volumes of the Biblical Recorder from the 19th century. The loose newspaper sheets will then be packaged and sent to be scanned, a project for which we received a grant. Disbinding involves scraping off spine linings and residual adhesives to allow the removal of individual issues of this Baptist newspaper. Students are using a steel lifting knife and utility knife to remove pieces of the spines and the spine lining (usually paper) to loosen each individual issue. We remove as much of the adhesive as we can. These issues of the Biblical Recorder (one issue per week) are then stacked in order and secured between the covers for shipping. The Biblical Recorder is still being published but we hold some unique copies including v.1 (1835) . Our disbinding project includes issues from the 1840’s-1890’s. I’m getting to work with some new faces which is always fun. Let’s hear it for taking things apart!