Students learn the art of conserving books at museum
By Huraizah Ahmad

Visitors try to master the skills of binding books
Photo: Mohd Nazib Hj Jumat

 Books are artefacts that can be useful research tools in years to come, therefore it is very important to learn ways of conserving them.

This was said to the twenty students and three accompanying teachers led by Cikgu Haji Muhammad Safwan bin Abdullah Teo from Sekolah Rendah Dato Mohd Yassin, who visited the Conservation Department of Brunei Museum.

Long before man created paper, which started out from papyrus and parchment, other materials were used to write on, such as rocks, clay, wood and animal skin.

Disintegration of books and paper have been caused by several factors like biological, physical and chemical agents.

Biological causes of book disintegration may be pests such as silverfish, ants, termites and rats among others.

Physical causes are due to the natural environment. For example, when a book is kept in the scorching heat of a hot tropical climate, it will in turn encourage the growth of fungus and moss.

Chemical agents like the chlorine and alum or even ink used in paper-making processes will also disintegrate their quality in the long run.

During the visit, Awang Karim bin Damit from the Conservation Department taught the students basic ways of binding books that included special materials and equipment used for this particular process.

Before the end of the visit, students were given the chance to try and bind the books by themselves, under the observation of Awang Karim and the teachers present.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin