Filling and Framing

Some repairs entail replacing missing or damaged pages, or parts of pages, with new ones. Other repairs entail restoring missing parts and pieces of pages simply with blank paper. This latter kind of repair merely maintains the integrity of the paper, preventing further tearing or disintegration. We call the processes entailed in these repairs, "filling-in," "framing" and "mounting."

When presented with a page with a gaping hole in it, as shown above, we can prevent the paper from tearing through to the edge, as follows.

First, we place a piece of acid-free paper under the torn area. Then we carefully trace around the edge of the torn hole with a pencil. This tracing is then cut out and fitted into the hole in the page.

This paper fill-in is held in place with archivally safe tape which affix the edges of the cut-out to the page. Obviously, this is done only when replacement text cannot be located.