Stabilize to Digitize
We are very fortunate to have this early 20th century journal kept by Francis Wallace, documenting his experience as a student at the University of Notre Dame. Unfortunately, the materials that make up this composition book contain wood pulp paper which is now known to degrade fairly rapidly. Repair to stabilize this journal is challenging as the paper is weak, and accessing the pages requires a safe support to work. We love this Book Fixture, designed by conservator Jeff Peachey, that helps to safely support material in a position which allows us to get the job done. Ultimately, these repairs will stabilize the book so that it is safe enough to be digitized, allowing future users to access the text, while limiting handling in order to preserve this delicate object.
