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REPAIR Lab: Photo Gallery

We're the University Library's Repair, Processing, and Items Restoration Lab.

How We Process Materials

Applying a call number label

Applying a call number label to the front cover of a book because the spine is too narrow.

Young woman with long brown hair wearing an orange top is putting a yellow label on the spine of a book.

Placing the Burke Collection label above the call number on the spine of a book.

Applying a property stamp to the top edge of a book

Applying a property stamp to the top edge of a book.

An open book showing an interior property stamp.

An open book showing an interior property stamp.

Attaching a disc pocket to the book.

Attaching a disc pocket to the back inside cover of a book.

Three images of book bindings.

This is a quick way to tell which style security sensor strip to apply. If there's a gap under the spine cover, use a single. If there's no gap, use a double.

A security sensor strip being applied between the pages of a book.

A security sensor strip being applied between the pages of a book.

Measuring laminate for a book's cover.

Measuring cold laminate for a book's cover. It reinforces the cover against wear.

A stack of books and toys in front of a clear bag labelled

A fully processed set of books, toys, and a tote labelled "Storytime Kit".

How We Repair Materials

Reattaching a front cover and letting it dry in a press

A book with a newly reattached front cover being placed in a book press to dry.

Two people using a book press to glue the backing of a book.

Using a book press to perform a mimic perfect bind on a dried out hardcover book backing.

A person with brown hear and wearing glasses is holding a black book to glue a minor crack on the spine cover.

Gluing a minor crack on the spine cover.

A hand gripping a blue book while a peeler is used to remove a label from the spine cover.

A peeler is used to remove a label from the spine cover after heat is applied.

A young man wearing a dark shirt with dark hair is gluing two sections of yellow paper together in preparation for tip-in.

Combining two sections together with glue in preparation for tipping-in.

A book on a taping applicator being measured for a piece of clear book tape.

A paperback book on a taping applicator being measured for a piece of clear book tape to reinforce the spine.

A person with brown curly hair and dark shirt about to cut a piece of hinge tape.

Cutting a piece of 2.5 mm clear polypropylene tape to reinforce the front hinge of a paperback book.

A person with brown hair using a knife to remove residue on a book's spine.

Using a knife to remove a label and its residue off a book's spine.

A person with short dark hair wearing a black shirt using a book's page height to measure a piece of 2 mm polyester tape.

Using a book's page height to measure a piece of 2 mm polyester tape to reinforce the interior pages.

Creating a new book spine cover with a piece on manila folder on cloth tape.

Creating a new book spine cover with a piece of recycled manila folder, filament tape for head and tail bands, and single-sided security sensor strip on a piece of vinyl-coated cloth tape.

Oh, The Things We See!

Two blue books with covers that look like a dog chewed on them

Books chewed by pets.

A white page with a lace-like border from bugs eating the paper.

The lacy edge of this book has been eaten by bugs.

A black DVD case with torn plastic sheath

A broken DVD case with torn plastic sheath and edge-worn artwork.

An open book showing a brown and blue liquid stain with mold

A water damaged book with mold

A paperback book with a partially torn cover that has crumpled barcode.

A paperback book with a partially torn cover that has crumpled barcode.

A paperback book with a torn off cover and tied together with purple curling ribbon.

This comb bound book was returned with curling ribbon threaded through the holes and cover detached.

A close-up of a book with a torn spine cover

A close-up of a torn off spine cover's top edge.

Open book with a lot of pink highlighting and pen marks

A book with excessive highlighting and notations in pen.

A view of the spine cover of books with ratty labels.

Books that need replacement call number labels.

For Funsies

A young man wearing a green shirt and holding a book is facing a bookshelf. He is standing next to a brown book cart filled with books and one stuffed toy dog.

Shaggy, aka Scott, caught searching for duplicates while Scooby patiently waits on the cart. (2024.10.31)

A young person wearing an oversized Pop-Tart costume standing next to a brown book cart.

This Happy Pop-Tart, aka Yaman, is ready to head off for her duplicate books check! (2024.10.31)

A young woman with brown hair wearing a green dress looking at the pages of an extra oversized book.

Belle, aka Caitlin, explores geologic time in the atlas section of the 6th Floor. (2024.10.31)

A young woman with long brown hair in a brown dress wearing white fairy wings is fixing a book corner.

Book Fairy, aka Emily, spotted fixing broken book corners in the Lab. (2024.10.31)

A person with long brown hair wearing a Winnie-the-Pooh costume is measuring a mylar cover in front of a small Winnie-the-Pooh plush toy watches.

Winne-the-Pooh, aka Diana, is measuring a length of mylar cover for a book on bears while a tiny Winnie-the-Pooh watches. So, meta. (2024.10.31)  

A young man with a painted on clown face is wearing a black jacket with gray sleeves. He's holding a book.

Mr. Clown, aka Isaac, says "No clowning around at the glue spines station!" Sorry, sir! I'll get going now. (2024.10.31)

Young man with long curly light brown hair wearing Anakin's black costume from the Star Wars series and holding a green lightsaber.

Anakin, aka Evan, stopped gluing broken corners to show his newly acquired green lightsaber. Wait! Wasn't his lightsaber blue before?! (2024.10.31)

A young woman wearing a Buzz Lightyear is reading a read book to a doll.

Buzz Lightyear, aka Haley, spotted giving impromptu story time in the Bronco Family Space! (2024.10.31)

A person with short blue hair wearing a black suit jacket stamping the lower right corner of a book's table of contents page.

Who's that persona?! It's Pam! She's property stamping the table of contents page of an urban and regional planning book. (2024.10.31)

A woman in a grey shirt pulling a lever on an old printing press decorated with a gold eagle

Printing a copy of the Declaration of Independence on a printing press from the 1700s at the 2024 Los Angeles Printers Fair hosted by the International Printing Museum. (2024.10.19)

A person in a blue sweater and black pants pulling packing paper from a box

A visual of how much packing paper is in a shipment box.

Packing paper arranged in a recycling bin like a soft serve cone next to brown boxes

Packing paper turned into a soft serve cone post-shipment receiving.

A person wearing a red and white striped beanie and shirt standing next to a stack of books.

Where's Waldo? Waldo, aka Pingdo, was spotted at the receiving island unpacking a comics shipment.