How A One-Of-A-Kind 1850s Record Book Is Professionally Conserved | Refurbished

Bexx Caswell-Olson is the director of book conservation at the Northeast Document Conservation Center. She shows us how she restores a 170-year-old marriage record book. This includes deconstructing the book, washing the pages, mending any tears, and reassembling the book. The book has not been copied or digitized, so it is important to conserve it since it is the only record of this information.

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How A One-Of-A-Kind 1850s Record Book Is Professionally Conserved | Refurbished

[briangarrow]

I worked at a small town in the Pacific Northwest as a wastewater treatment plant operator and the decision was made to clean out the old records out of the building department. I spent a few evenings after work pulling old blueprints out of the dumpster behind city hall. Nobody asked me to do it, and nobody was interested in helping me. I was able to save a number of beautiful blueprints of a few of the original structures in the town, like the bridges, old water plant and other buildings. I turned the drawings over to the local history museum. I hope that someday they will have a presentation on the original structures that were built in my hometown, and use the prints I rescued.

[ramonwang]

The fact that it's a marriage record book, and that everyone in it at one point was going through a precious moment in their lives, and that even though they are no longer here, we still have a small symbolic reminder of those important moments from people who would be otherwise insignificant to us. It makes me weirdly emotional to a small degree :"D

[realjacob]

Digitizing all the old books is so critical. My Prof always raves to me about how awesome it is so read old books no one has read in 100's of year all online.

[UnpaidInternJR]

I can’t help but think the digital imaging department is just one person with a scanner

[KaleidoSTAR_PH]

im surprised that ink back in a day were waterproof, that washing the paper scared me but nope... im amazed!

[andererYanic]

It impresses me that the ink didn't get hurt just a little

[ijunkie]

These records are so precious to genealogical and historical research. A big thank you to everyone involved in preserving these treasures.

[artyyunden]

Finally a person who actually did their homework their entire life.

[AhadSajid-PK]

Damn, this is some Nicholas Cage National Treasure shit. I like it.

[jessicab]

This is so fascinating to see, thank you so much for sharing your work in such a great video! It’s very satisfying to see the whole careful process, and watch the book be gently taken apart, cleaned and repaired, and then put back together.
Really delightful. Thank you again.

[krutikg]

Its beautiful these people are long gone and maybe forgotten but a part of their history lives through this. Always as a proof they were there.

[junelovell]

as a restoration nut and family history obsessed person: please digitize this content. Thanks for the wonderful video, loved the narration, as well.

[vixis]

My rule of thumb is if I can't say it to your face, I will not say it online. I learnt this after a thoughtless comment I made to someone years ago and hurt them. I glad I learnt - being polite online is necessary and you *don't* know what anyone else is going though. Well said, and my appreciation to you for being gracious in pointing out a better way for all of us.

[rbeehner]

I appreciate seeing the process and care taken. I have a dozen or so first edition books from the 19th century needing such restoration. The first thing I did to that end is do no repair myself.

[tildeissobieberlike]

Is that washi kozo? The Japanese paper I mean.

[kolLPOO]

thats cool to see, we have a book from 1480 at home and sent that a few years ago for restauration. mind blowing to think about how many people must have held that in their hands

[valfssantiago]

2:44 still a better adhesive than Elmers Glue.. ohhh im commenting on the wrong restoration channel?

[jtbeav]

That seemed like an insane amount of effort to just preserve an old book 😯

I didn't realise it was quite so complicated

[mzansime]

What a delightful short doccie. 😊❤️ It's so well made, with a lovely, informative voiceover. And the actual book restoration work it covers is fascinating. It really makes me wish it had been a career choice. ❤️

[iamayzah]

argue with me, but I need these restorations with no voiceovers because of the satisfying asmr