Campus & Community

Libraries Receives Grant for Book Repair Workshop

Monday, June 30, 2025, By Cristina Hatem
A person with long hair, wearing a white coat and a blue patterned shirt, stands behind a table holding and pointing at a piece of paper. On the table are two glasses of water, an open book, several papers, a red object, and an orange Syracuse water bottle. Behind them are shelves with various items and windows covered by blinds.

Marianne Hanley, preservation librarian, provides book repair instruction in the Preservation Lab.

Syracuse University Libraries’ Department of Access and Resource Sharing received a Central New York Library Resources Council Catalyst Grant for $2,000 to provide train-the-trainer workshops on book repair to local school district media specialists. Preservation librarian Marianne Hanley submitted the grant after successfully offering similar workshops to public libraries in northern New York and Florida.

The one-day workshop will be offered at Bird Library in August. Attendees will learn various methods to repair books and will receive a take-home kit with tools and supplies to repair books at their school libraries after the workshop.

Interest in the workshop is so high that Onondaga-Cortland-Madison County BOCES has offered to fund a second one-day workshop in August that will be promoted through its professional development offerings later this summer.

“Students love books, sometimes a little too much. Library books are expensive, and this all-day workshop will give school library media specialists the training and tools they can bring back to their districts to repair damaged books instead of having to withdraw or replace them,” says Hanley. “We’re thrilled to share our knowledge on how to extend the life of beloved books.”

Those interested in learning more can contact Hanley at mhanley@syr.edu.