Transportation and Retrievals

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library Reading Room

The biggest risk when transporting collections is damage from accidental falls, collisions and vibrations. Using safe housing, trolleys and knowing your route will help safeguard collections when moving items.

• If moving an object between rooms, ensure the item is in its folder or box and move using a trolley.
• Stack items on the trolley with the heaviest and largest at the bottom.

Library trolley with incorrect item stacking of collection items (left image) and trolley with correct stacking (right image)

Library trolley with incorrect item stacking of collection items (left image) and trolley with correct stacking (right image)

• Avoid stacking too high or placing heavy materials such as books on flat items, the weight may damage the printed or painted surface.
• Check the size of your trolley is big enough for the object. Avoid overhanging items.
• Know your route and ensure path is clear and free of trip hazards before moving the item.

Removing Books off the Shelf

Safe removal of a book from a shelf: push the books on either side of the desired book back with one hand (left image) and remove the book in the centre holding the middle of the spine (right image)

• Push volumes either side backward to allow a suitable grip on the book to be revealed
• Alternatively reach over the top of the book and push it gently out towards you from the fore-edge
• Do not pull a book out by the headcap, it is not designed to take the stress and will eventually tear and break (as shown below).

Unsafe removal of a book by the fragile headcap

• Remove adjacent books if necessary to gain access to safely remove the intended book
• Take care that boxes, clasps, ties and furniture do not catch on adjacent books
• Make sure that the absence of your book will not cause the rest of the books on the shelf to shift or fall
• Seek assistance if necessary, for large and heavy volumes you may need two or more people to safely remove it

Replacing Books on the Shelf

• Be careful when replacing items that books are not damaging themselves or their neighbours
• Do not force a book back onto a shelf
• If too tightly packed report it to the relevant curator so they can move and reorganise shelves

General Lifting and Carrying Advice

• Carry one box or frame at a time.
• Keep solander boxes level during transportation.
• When retrieving large boxes stored on high shelves, be careful not to tip the box as there may be loose flat items inside.

Images reproduced with the permission of The John Rylands University Librarian and Director of the University of Manchester Library. All images used on this page are licenced via CC-BY-NC-SA, for further information about each image, please follow the link in the description.

If you are interested in using any material from Special Collections please get in contact with our Reading Room staff : uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk

Back to index page