Thanks for your interest. My name is Gudrun Aurand. I offer preservation services of books and paper based objects such as prints and documents. Books may be restored as closely as feasible to their original state or may receive minimal mending. I will make custom bindings and custom enclosures according to your wishes. References available.
If a personal meeting cannot be arranged the item can be mailed to me. If you have the option, sending digital images has proven very helpful and allows a first assessment. After examination a telephone conversation and/or or email exchange will determine the further course of action.
I encourage consultation. The patron's concerns will be addressed, and a course of action appropriate to the item in question will be determined.
Treatment may range from washing, deacidification and mending of paper to encapsulation of fragile documents. Custom boxes may be created to house books and ephemera. I encourage consultation.
I am looking forward to hearing from you. Gudrun Aurand
SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MYSELF
Bio: Gudrun Aurand is a practicing Bookbinder and Paper Conservator. Her experience comes from traveling a long and winding road along paths of the world of books. She received her MLS at the University of Cologne, Germany. She apprenticed for five years with Jim Croft a Master Craftsman in the Art and Craft of Medieval Bookbinding (www.traditionalhand.com/oldway/) and moved on to learn about book and paper conservation. Before settling in Olympia, WA in 2005 to open a private practice, she worked as Bookbinder/Conservator for Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections MASC, http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ in Pullman, WA. During this time, she was awarded advanced internships of two months each for professional development. 2005 Etherington Conservation Center (ECC) in Greensboro, N.C; 2003 Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C.; 2001 ZfB Zentrum für Bucherhaltung (Center for Book Preservation) in Leipzig, Germany where she learned about Paper Splitting Technology.
A few definitions:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Preservation is a branch of library and information science concerned with maintaining or restoring access to artifacts, documents and records through the study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of decay and damage.
It should be distinguished from conservation which refers to the treatment and repair of individual items to slow decay or restore them to a usable state. Conservation is occasionally used interchangeably with preservation, particularly outside the professional literature.
Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books. A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology. Matt T. Roberts and Don Etherington. 1982:
Conservation: 2. A field of knowledge concerned with the coordination and planning for the practical application of the techniques of binding, restoration, paper chemistry, and other material technology, as well as other knowledge pertinent to the preservation of archival resources
Restoration. The process of returning a book, document, or other archival material as nearly as possible to its original condition. The entire scope of "restoration" ranges from the repair of a torn leaf, or removal of a simple stain, to the complete rehabilitation of the material, including, at times, deacidification, alkaline buffering, resizing, filling in missing parts, resewing, replacement of endpapers and/or boards, recovering or restoration of the original covering material, and refinishing in a manner sympathetic to the time of the original binding of the publication. Restoration, therefore, encompasses virtually the entire range of book work—mending, repairing, rebinding, and reconstruction.
In my professional career I have been actively involved with Preservation, Conservation and Restoration. Each field has its own merit. G.A.
CLASS OFFERS
I taught BookMaking and Paper Repair at Evergreen State College, Olympia WA, as well as In Seattle, WA at the SCBA (Seattle Center for Book Arts). If you are interested in classes please, feel free to contact me:
Coptic bindings as crafted by the early Christian Egyptians and machine produced bindings…what's the connection? In this course participants will sew a text block Coptic style, similar to machine sewn text blocks. This technique can be helpful to repair a text block or to create your own book. Participants will learn to glue, round, line a spine and how to make a hollow tube. A hollow tube adhered to the spine of text block and cover gives additional support to a heavy text block. Participants will be provided with a used cloth bound book which they will deconstruct as model to practice on. The case will be re-assembled using as much of the original material as feasible. As participants will learn about the structure of the book, they will start to understand how different binding techniques may support or defeat its intended purpose. Participation in other bookmaking classes will be helpful but is not a requirement. Registered participants will receive a materials list.
Book Repair
Broken spines, worn corners? Extend the useful life of your book collection. Participants will learn how to inexpensively mend book spines and corners with adhesive tape. The instructor will share tricks of the trade which will make sure your own mending attempts will be successful. Handouts with suppliers and materials used will be provided. Bring a book to practice your newly acquired skills on.
Paper Repair
In this class students will learn Paper Repair Basics. Emphasis is on archival quality repair. I will introduce a variety of mending papers and types of adhesives. Students will learn how to encapsulate a document for safe handling and storage.
PICTURES
from The Art of Bookmaking Class Oct. 2006 at Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
All materials were provided including the board covering material: paste paper I made myself. Although the technique learned was the same, each finished book had an individual note.
text block ready for cover boards
almost done
one finished product
Roma Agny Student in the American Sign Language Interpreter Training Program at Seattle Central Community College.
Roma interpreting my class in sign language, wow!
Please, cut and paste the email below into your regular email program
text block ready for cover boards
almost done
one finished product
Roma interpreting my class in sign language, wow!
