Phase-boxes.

Phase-boxes are mostly handmade boxes made to measure, to protect specific materials in a delicate or fragile condition. They can also be used to prevent damage to items which are still in a good condition.

Phase-boxes protect the enclosed items to a certain degree against mechanical, chemical and biological hazards and make sure any loose bits and pieces are kept with the enclosed item.

When completely opened and laid out flat, phase-boxes look like a kind of cross. Depending on the size of the box they can be made out of one layer or board or will have to be made out of several layers. In any case there is no contact between the enclosed items and glue which is eventually used to assemble the different components.

Phase-boxes can not only be made for books with a regular shape, but also for items which spines are thinner or thicker than the corresponding fore-edges.

The use of phase-boxes in archives have clearly demonstrated that members of the public, handling boxes items, generally show more respect for these items and handle them more carefully than unboxes items. This effect is enhanced when the public has been informed beforehand on the purpose of boxing the objects. Such information could be dissipated by a leaflet, a presentation, media-attention or public awareness training.

Phase-boxes can be made as part of a preservation project by trained institution personnel.