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A rare look at the Vatican Library's treasures

December 25, 2011 4:04 PM

No one is allowed to borrow a book from the Vatican Library except the pope. And no wonder: the archive holds some of the oldest and most precious works of art and treasure known to man. Morley Safer and "60 Minutes" cameras get to see the best of the best.

A rare look at the Vatican Library's treasures
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by shawanye March 2, 2012 1:21 PM EST
What a shame that the majority of these books will never be read again.I think they should make digital copies and share this history with everyone.What would happen if the library were to burn down?These pieces would be lost,with only few having enjoyed them.The Vatican needs to share.(please!)
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by 167irishboy January 2, 2012 10:47 PM EST
Awesome
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by Huoguo2012 December 28, 2011 1:13 AM EST
Curators and archivists often eschew gloves when handling fragile books and papers. Gloves interfere with the tactile sensitivity of the fingertips, making the handler more clumsy and increasing the possibility that the object will be damaged. Also note that vellum is actually quite stiff and sturdy. That's why these objects still exist and haven't crumbled into dust.
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by diyframer December 26, 2011 11:55 PM EST
Why are the curators in this story touching these precious antiuqe manuscripts without gloves? We are picture framers in Berkeley, CA, and we were astounded to see the mishandling of the libaray's collection.
http://www.framersworkhop.com
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by venusvegasvada December 26, 2011 2:47 PM EST
What a wonderful place. Let's hope it's still there, unchanged, thousands of years from now. What a great legacy to pass on to the future.
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by magnolia407 December 26, 2011 12:16 PM EST
The treasures do not belong to the Vatican but to the world. These are historical treasures that cost a fortune to maintain for future generations.
To sell these and put these in the hands of individuals or anyone that would not share them with the rest of the world or anyone who would not protect them for the world history would be a crime. Theresa
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by WendySeattle December 25, 2011 10:26 PM EST
Interesting story & I was shocked to see these ancient treasures handled by hands without gloves. They are so fragile.. gloves should be used at all times.
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by Snickerdootle December 25, 2011 8:52 PM EST
Facinating story! I'm glad 60 minutes was persistant and got the story! Thank you!
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