Written By: Annie Ujifusa, Conservation Technician
When I wrote my last blog for the Associates, I truly thought things had come full circle for me. I dreamed of working at the Boston Public Library (BPL) from the moment I stepped foot through the doors as a tourist on a quick trip a few years back. I considered that dream realized as I finished my internship in the summer of 2024. But now, as a full-time staff member in the conservation lab, I feel an unbelievable sense of gratitude, not only to the Associates for funding my summer internship which changed the entire trajectory of my career, but also to the Research and Special Collections team for welcoming me (back) so warmly.
I feel particularly lucky to work at the BPL because it’s one of only a few public libraries in the country that have a team dedicated to conservation. The mission behind all public libraries is simple: information should be accessible to all, and it’s this that I admire most. The BPL’s collections are quite considerable, and the best part is that anyone can access our rare materials in the Reading Room, no special credentials needed! Handling a rare book is a memorable experience that everyone should have the opportunity of enjoying. Everything we do to care for our collections revolves around providing access and, as a result, connecting people to history. In the conservation lab, we repair the materials in Special Collections to directly serve this purpose. There are several important factors to keep in mind when choosing the best treatment, which is a very nuanced process and is unique to every single object. We have to balance competing priorities while adhering to a code of ethics through difficult decision-making, but it’s a part of the process that I profoundly enjoy.
I’ve been in my position as a conservation technician for over a year now and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how the work we do contributes to each item’s continued use. My time has been filled with a wide variety of projects and treatment on some remarkable items. Among them, two stand out. American Cookery by Amelia Simmons was the first American cookbook published in the United States (and it contains the first published recipe of pumpkin pie!). This 1814 copy was in a fragile state when it arrived. After hours of paper repair, reattaching fragments back into their correct position, and replacing the broken sewing tape, the book is now safe to handle with all the charm of the original binding still intact.
Also in a fragile state was an extremely rare second edition copy of A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, published in 1835. It’s a memoir written by Venture Smith, who was kidnapped in West Africa and sold into slavery when he was around six years old, though he eventually purchased his own freedom. It’s one of the earliest published autobiographical accounts of a formerly enslaved person. There were numerous tears, losses and folds in the paper, and the title page was detached. The work to repair these took about 45 hours in total, but every bit of it was necessary and, might I add, satisfying!
Once treatment was complete, I was preparing to take “after” photos when the sewing thread broke at the top hole. This binding style puts a lot of stress on the thread, and, given its age, this was unsurprising. To fix it, I tried what I’ve been calling a “thread graft”. I twisted and adhered frayed strands of a new toned piece of thread around each end of the original (one at the back of the book, one at the front). Then I fed those through the sewing hole past each other, cut off the excess, frayed the other ends and attached them in the same way as before. It worked! I was able to keep the original thread. It would've been easier to remove it and resew the simple pamphlet stitch with new thread, but keeping the original material preserves integrity; it’s something we aim to do as conservators because the elements of a binding are just as important as the text inside. The written word may literally spell out a story, but the binding physically holds a three-dimensional story of its own. Our job is extremely precise and requires us to be patient and intentional with every move, which makes it thrilling when we see the final result.
In both cases intervention ensured their safe, continued use, hopefully for generations to come. These books deserve to be handled and read, and I’m very excited that they’re available to patrons now!
My internship tested my skills and passion for book conservation and ultimately gave me confirmation that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m delighted to be a part of the team and captivated by the breadth of the collections at the BPL. Still, every single day, as I walk up the steps under the words “Free to All” carved into the stone facade, I’m reminded that books are the foundation of the advancement of knowledge, and it’s our duty as library staff to make sure access continues. I hope to continue caring for these collections for a very long time.
After - A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Before - A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Before - “thread graft”, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
After- “thread graft”, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of filling losses in the title page, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
In process, attaching the first gathering around the unbroken sewing tape, American Cookery (1814)
In process, attaching the first gathering around the unbroken sewing tape, American Cookery (1814)
In process, attaching the first gathering around the unbroken sewing tape, American Cookery (1814)
In process, attaching the first gathering around the unbroken sewing tape, American Cookery (1814)
Process of “thread graft”, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of “thread graft”, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of “thread graft”, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Process of “thread graft”, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture Smith (1835)
Before - treatment photos, American Cookery (1814)
After - treatment photos, American Cookery (1814)