What is encapsulation? Why is it important?
The Irving Wallace papers have a range of ‘photo-ready’ international book cover galleys—poster-like items with a collage of title, author, and image clippings. However, over the years the tape and glue have lost its stickiness and the transparent cover page has undergone acidification. So, what is the solution?
Defined by the SAA Dictionary of Archives Terminology, encapsulation is the process of sealing an item “between two sheets of polyester film to provide support, to protect it from handling, and from the environment.” The polyester film sheets can be partially or fully sealed along the edges and are an efficient method of preservation. For these book cover galleys, sealing the materials with encapsulation keeps all those maneuverable pieces in their original place once again. Encapsulation is a common tool that, as illustrated by the NYPL, helps to “stabilize, store, and protect paper-based artifacts, especially fragile ones.” A sheer solution for prolonged maintenance.
Works Cited
“SAA Dictionary of Archives Terminology: Encapsulation.” Society of American Archivists, 2025. https://dictionary.archivists.org/entry/encapsulation.html
Qian, Shaoyi. “Encapsulation: A Useful and Versatile Tool for Book and Paper Conservation.” The New York Public Library, June 27, 2022. https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/06/27/encapsulation-book-paper-conservation