" He was required to keep clean all the
boys' and novices' presses and other receptacles for books;
when necessary he was to have these fittings repaired. To
provide coverings for the books; to see that they were
marked with their proper titles; to arrange them on the
shelves in suitable order, so that they might be quickly
found, were all duties within his province.[2] He had to keep
them in repair: in some houses he was expected to
examine all of them carefully several times a year, and to
check, if possible, the ravages of bookworms and damp.
If necessary, he could call in skilled labour to keep his
library and books in order; but usually several brethren
were trained in the necessary arts, as at Sponheim. The
Abingdon regulations, which are in the usual form, forbade
him to sell, give away, or pledge books. All the materials
for the use of the scribes and the manuscripts for copying
were to be provided by him.[3] He made the ink, and could
dole it out not only to the brethren but to lay folk if they
asked for it civilly.[4] He also controlled the work in the
scriptorium: setting the scribes their tasks, preventing
them from idling or talking; walking round the cloister
when the bell sounded to collect the books which had been
forgotten by careless monks.
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