·Selecting Rare Books for Physical Conservation: Guidelines for Decision Making

When funds are limited, librarians and curators responsible for selecting rare books for conservation treatment must base their decisions not only upon physical condition, but also upon the ''value'' assigned to each physically deteriorated book. This article discusses the rationale for, and possible uses of, guidelines designed to facilitate conservation decisions by systematically evaluating and weighing such factors as monetary, intellectual, and aesthetic value, projected use, and usability.