Michele Brown at the Great Wall of China in 2014

“Who fixes these, anyway?” That was Michele’s Brown’s question. She was a recent graduate of Fordham University who studied English Literature. She was working in Harvard University’s Houghton Library typing catalog cards for rare books. At the end of every week, she would attach loose boards to textblocks with cloth ties, and she wondered what happened to them next. She was told that it was difficult to find people to fix the books. When Michele discovered that she could study bookbinding and conservation in London, the decision made itself. She attended Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts in London and never looked back.

Michele has been Rare Books Conservator at Cornell University Library since 1995. She is preparing to retire on March 10^th, so she shared some thoughts with us about her career here in Ithaca. She observed that each treatment had its own challenges, and that one of her favorite treatments was the rebinding of Newton’s Principia. See her blogpost here: https://blogs.cornell.edu/culconservation/2012/09/14/rebinding-newtons-principia/ One year she was showing the book at a reunion event. An alumnus who was a physicist teared up as he examined the volume. “It reminded me how important books are to people, and making it so people can use them is important,” Michele commented.

Cornell University Library’s copy of the first edition (1687) of “Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica” by Isaac Newton, generally referred to as Newton’s “Principia,” rebound by Michele Brown in 2012

Michele’s favorite tools are her bone folder, which she uses every day, and her dividers, because they are the first pair she bought. She recalls finding the dividers at a hardware store down the street from Camberwell and paying a couple of pounds for them.

Michele’s favorite tools: her first dividers and her bone folder

A high point for Michele was traveling to China three times to work with library professionals on a Luce funded grant. The focus of the grant was the care of circulating collections. She remembers, “The people were really interested in what we were teaching. We met lots of great people and saw interesting things.” In addition to visiting libraries and universities, Michele also visited the Great Wall and the Three Gorges Dam.

Michele Brown at the Great Wall of China with colleagues Pat Fox of Cornell University Library and Cao Li of Renmin University Library

“It’s a given that it’s great to work with Cornell’s outstanding collections, but I’ve also enjoyed working with great colleagues who are as passionate about book conservation as I am,” Michele reflected.

Michele’s plans for the future include gardening, joining the Ink Shop to learn printing, and making more artists books. She is currently working on a book with 3D printed covers!  Best of luck, Michele!