 Welcome to BurnsLiver. In this video, we will show you how to handle fragile materials. But remember, you can always contact us for help or drop in for a consultation if you have questions. While working with old materials may sound scary, everything you see in your class is meant to be touched and used. That's why it's there. However, to make sure these materials are available to generations of students to come, there are a few basic best practices that help you preserve our valuable and fragile collections. You have any questions while working with old things, just ask a library staff member for help. Before coming to class, please wash and dry your hands, especially if you've eaten recently. Food residue and natural oils on your hands can transfer to the materials. Over time, these agents can damage materials or attract hungry pests. Special collections is a pencil-only writing zone. If your hand slips, it's easier to erase accidental pencil markings. Please don't use pens or markers in the library. If you need a pencil, just ask for one. If you need to use an eraser, make sure the crumbs don't remain on any materials or the table where they might get on materials and cause damage in the long term. Just dump them on the floor, roll vacuum later. Despite what the movies show, we don't usually make you wear gloves when you work with paper because it interferes with your manual dexterity and can lead to damage. You will be asked to wear gloves when working with other formats, like photographs or metal artifacts, where oil from your hands can damage surfaces over time. Keep the long-term future of the object in front of your mind. Be mindful and deliberate as you work with it and always be as gentle as possible. Consider all items to be extremely delicate. To avoid damage, don't put anything on top of the materials. Use your clipboard as a writing surface and make sure that isn't on top of anything. Turn pages one at a time. Don't flip quickly. Books and folders should always stay on the table. If you find something cool, don't move materials to show off something. Move the people to the materials. Ask for advice and help if you come across any large pages that need to be unfolded. When you have a folder of loose materials, keep the folder and pages flat on the table and turn pages like you would with a book to keep items in order. Pages happen processed to be in a specific order. Don't remove pages from a folder. To prevent yourself from putting too much pressure on the book, use page weights or book snakes to keep pages open rather than your hand. Just remember to move the snake weights when you turn pages. Turning pages while the snakes are in the books can cause the paper to rip. Most importantly, don't be afraid to touch things. If we thought using it would break it, we wouldn't have given it to you to learn from.