Csapodi, Csaba: Conservation of the Manuscript and Old Book Collections at the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Methods and Results. 1949–1964 (A MTAK kiadványai 44. Budapest, 1965)
them. Plexiglass has all the adventages of glass without its disadvantages. It is totally transparent, light and flexible. Unfortunately plexiglass is an import item in Hungary and it is difficult to supply the thin ones needed. Those evailable are usually so thick that they are unsuitable for general use. Therefore we have only a few pieces of plexiglass 8, although this would be one of the best means of storing. The Storage, Protection and After-Treatment of Bindings. The careful conservation of the old valuable bindings and the fine bindings of soft covered books are of no use if provisions are not made for the further protection of the already bound pieces. Leather binding is a lasting and dependable protection for the inside of the book, but it is quite sensitive. Irrepairable damage to the binding may be caused by carelessly removing a finely bound book which is placed next to a hinged one on the shelf. The same problem may arise if the books are carelessly thrown on top of one another. For the heavier volumes, the leather on the lower margin of the board soon wears away if they are pulled, and not raised, off the shelf. All of these damages can be avoided with care. One method is to make cases for the volumes, making sure that they are not tight. For if they are, the volume rubs against it and wears away. A soft flannel lining for the case is the best and it is also important to have vents, and an save-like covering above the spine of the book. (Plate 48). Another tested solution is to put a transparent but strong plastic cover on the binding. This is advisable in cases when we want to exhibit the fine binding. Another way of protecting the covers is to put flannel-lined sheets of cardboard on both sides. If this is too expensive common binder's boards without flannel may serve the purpose. In our incunabula collection protection against scratching is done in such a way. Under the heavier folio volumes a flannellined sheet of cardboard is placed on the shelf for we learned from experience that the lower edge of the binding very quickly wears away. We must not forget that not only do the books have to be regularly dusted, but the leather bindings must be rubbed with a leather dressing a year after its making and periodically from then on. Otherwise they dry and the sulphurous smoke of the polluted city air destroys them. Among the protective cases we would like to introduce two special types. These are employed when it is desirable to have the books preserved in their original state, without any conservation. This method was especially necessary for the library of Mihály Vörösmarty. Vörösmarty was not a bibliophile and the majority of his books remained unbound. We have almost a hundred of them. Binding them means tampering with the collection, while storing them without binding would have meant their destruction. Therefore J. N ÉMETH planned a special case for them (Plate 49). The book-like case with drawers in which we keep Laura Csajághy's prayer book (she was the wife of Vörösmarty) which has fallen apart is also by J. N ÉMETH (Plate 50). Between the pages of the book there 8 Such A use of plexiglass in manuscript protection is the idea of Klára CSAPODI — GÁRDONYI who applied it to the manuscript collection of the National Széchényi Library. 20
