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Wednesday, May 31 • 10:30am - 10:50am
(Sustainability) Fast, Cheap, and Sustainable: 3-D printing exhibition book cradles

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3-D printers and Makerspaces are a growing presence in libraries. While frequently marketed as a service to students and community members, 3-D printers [also referred to as Rapid Prototyping (RP) or FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)] can be used by conservators and exhibition designers to produce affordable custom book mounts from stable, recyclable polymers. The University of Florida's Smathers Libraries are experimenting with printing custom mounts for temporary exhibitions. Rather than purchasing generic, expensive plexi mounts, they are designed in-house, using freely available Computer-Aided Design and Drawing (CAD) software to fit unique openings of selected volumes. The mounts are printed in house on one of the Libraries' FFF printers using commercially available polymers.

This presentation will explore the Smathers Libraries' process for designing mounts, selecting polymers, printing process, and cost analysis, from the point of view of the conservator, exhibit designer, and university librarian. The presenters will also discuss issues with and limitations to the current procedures, including the possibility of recycling the mounts following exhibition into reusable filament.

Speaker(s)
avatar for Fletcher B. Durant

Fletcher B. Durant

Librarian (Preservation), Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
Fletcher Durant is the Preservation Librarian at the University of Florida Smathers Libraries. His work focuses on the preventive conservation of library and archival materials, the sustainability of cultural heritage, and risk management. He is a trained book and paper conservator... Read More →

Co-Author(s)
avatar for Lourdes Santamaría-Wheeler

Lourdes Santamaría-Wheeler

Exhibits Coordinator, University of Florida George A. Smathers Libaraies
Lourdes Santamaría-Wheeler is the Exhibits Coordinator at the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. There she oversees an exhibition program that enhances research and learning opportunities by sharing and interpreting the Libraries’ collections. Her work addresses... Read More →

Wednesday May 31, 2017 10:30am - 10:50am CDT
Plaza Ballroom Lobby Level, East Tower