| VANDALISM | Vandalism of library materials is an alarming preservation problem in any library. This kind of deliberate abuse is both difficult and costly to resolve. Sometimes pages or discrete sections of a book can be replaced and the item rebound, but whole volumes that are out of print are often impossible to replace. A volume that is repeatedly mutilated will often be withdrawn from the collection or rebound with a notice simply stating that the section or pages are missing. Colorful plates in art books are especially subject to mutilation. While a photocopied replacement page can often be obtained, the value of the copy is diminished by the lack of color. As a result, we often choose not to replace them. |
