The primary function of the Preservation Lab is to support the Special Collections department, although we work with all UNT Library departments to provide training, consultation, and general preservation and repair services to ensure that the UNT Libraries’ collections remain in good condition and available to our students, faculty, and researchers.

For the Special Collections department, our primary work is to preserve materials in the best possible condition, while making them accessible for use with the least risk of damage. This may include:

• The construction of housing enclosures for rare books, photographs, maps, and other flat and 3-dimensional objects. These housings can include:
  • Encapsulation
  • Mylar Jackets and Wraps
  • “Four-Flap” enclosures
  • Phase Boxes
  • Clamshell Cases
• Cleaning of materials
• Mold treatment
• Deacidification
• Humidification
• Flattening
• Paper repairs
• Preparing collections for long-term permanent storage
• Exhibition consultation and planning
• Environmental monitoring
• Disaster planning
• Conducting preservation assessments and surveys

For the general collections and other Library departments, our work is to help keep items in the best possible condition for circulation and general use within the Libraries. This can include:

• Performing general repairs on circulating and non-circulating items, such as:
  • Book re-casing
  • Spine removal and repair
  • Double-Fan adhesive binding
  • Page repair
  • Velo-binding
  • Sewing supplemental materials into circulating items and adding pocket enclosures
• Training staff in other departments on basic repairs
• Offering consulting services to other departments on the best ways to repair or house materials.

At this time, we are not able to offer preservation services to the UNT community outside of the Libraries, or to the general public; however, please feel free to contact us for guidance or advice regarding your preservation needs and concerns.

To learn more about our Preservation Lab please take our Preservation Lab virtual tour.