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Sunday is Robinson Crusoe Day, the anniversary of the 1709 rescue of Alexander Selkirk. A Scottish sailor, Selkirk had been put ashore in 1704 on the uninhabited island Juan Fernandez at his own request after a quarrel with his captain. His adventures form the basis for Daniel Defoe's book "Robinson Crusoe." WHAT'S HAPPENING? Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. storytimes feature music in stories, feltboards, and glove puppets. Saturday morning's 10:00 storytime features stories and activities about the Southwest. BOOK TALK Library Director Betty Long provides this week's book information. Have your children outgrown their childhood books and you want to save them for your grandchildren? If you are thinking of storing books, here are some helpful hints from the Preservation and Storage Division of the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Preparation: It is important that books are clean and dry before they are packed. Books that feel damp or have a musty odor should be aired in a sunny room. Surface dirt and dust should be removed with a soft brush. Brushing should be done outside. If possible, use a face mask since inhaling microscopic spores in the powder on the surface of moldy books can be extremely dangerous. Insects can do considerable damage to paper-based material in storage, and books should be carefully checked for evidence of infestation. Unhatched insect eggs resemble black poppy seeds and are often hidden in the gutters between pages. They should be removed with a soft brush and discarded before the books are packed. Leather-bound books packed side by side will stick together if subjected to sufficient moisture and, as a precaution, should be wrapped in good quality archival or 100% rag paper. Leather covers that have become unstable and powdery will stain other items and should also be wrapped. Packing: Boxes for book storage should be strong, clean, dry, and able to be tightly closed. Ordinary cardboard cartons are quite suitable, except when they have been previously used to hold food as residue and odors will attract pests. Books can be packed either lying flat or standing upright. They should never be stored resting on the spine or the fore-edge (the front edge opposite the spine) as this can seriously damage bindings. Books stored upright should be packed tightly enough to prevent them from leaning at an angle, but not crammed together in a way that subjects them to excessive pressure and makes unpacking difficult. Books stored upright should not have items stacked on top of them. Where heavy books with rounded spines are packed flat, one on top of the other, they should be arranged with spines and fore-edges alternating. This provides support and prevents the stack from becoming lop-sided. Larger, heavier books should be packed at the bottom of the box, with smaller, lighter ones on top. Boxes should not be overpacked. A little space for air to circulate is desirable. Boxes should be closed tightly and sealed with packing tape to make them inaccessible to insects. We'll conclude this piece in next week's column with information on storage. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "If prices keep going up, it'll be cheaper to eat money." ROSWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY, JUDY ARMSTRONG, 624-7276
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