Vol. 20, No. 1

Sept. 7, 2000

Conservationists help preserve library collections

Library materials in various stages of repair and restoration There is a battle going on every day at the Hugh M. Morris Library–and at all libraries around the world. The curators of these collections of books and other materials must wage war against forces–both human and natural–that threaten them. "The Costs of Carelessness," an exhibit on display now through Sept. 22 on the first floor of the Morris Library, details some of these destructive forces and the efforts that are undertaken to thwart them. Library materials deteriorate when they are made from poor quality materials or when stored in a poor environment. Carelessness in handling of library materials during use can also inflict damage. Natural disasters such as fire and flood also take their toll on library collections. It is the library's job to combat all of these threats. Environmental conditions in which collections are stored include temperature, humidity, light and air quality. Because these factors have a significant effect on longevity, the library works to maintain the best possible storage conditions for these materials. Some library materials are at risk because they are made from materials that are inherently unstable. One of the largest preservation problems faced by research libraries is the large quantity of books printed on acidic paper. Beginning about 1850, book paper has been made from wood pulp and other additives, rather than from the cotton and linen rags used prior to that time. The problem is that wood pulp paper becomes acidic over time, causing the material to become brittle and eventually unstable. Other unstable media includes videotape, some photographs (such as color), and many of the media on which electronic information is stored. Libraries combat these problems by trying to get publishers and manufacturers to use a better quality material. Other methods of preservation include storing collections in optimum environmental conditions to retard deterioration and making copies when necessary and feasible. Natural elements, such as water and humidity, can create conditions that attract mold and insects that feed on the organic components of paper-based materials. The exhibit shows viewers how mold can thrive on nonliving organic matter, growing on almost any surface containing moisture and other organic nutrients. This means that paper, leather, adhesives and food residues are all potential targets, and even a greasy thumbprint can create an environment in which mold can form and grow. One example of the effects of an inherently unstable material is "red rot," a condition identified by a red, powdery substance most commonly found on the leather bindings of post-1850 books. The culprit in this case is said to be chemicals used in the leather manufacturing process of that era. Another result from the use of inherently unstable materials is "foxing," which has a reddish brown freckle-like appearance. Water damage may cause the pages of a book to swell up and work loose from their binding or may show up as black mold on book surfaces. The effects of these natural forces is often compounded by improper handling of books and other materials by library users. While it may seem perfectly harmless to grab a bite to eat while working on an all-night research project, the exhibit reminds library users to take good care of library books, "but don't take them out to lunch." Another common fault of library users is forcing a book loose from a tightly packed library shelf. Pulling a book out of the stacks by the tip of the spine can lead to a destabilization of the spine and cause damage to the binding. Instead, the exhibit suggests that users gently push back the books on either side of the desired work and grasp the desired volume by the front and back cover when removing it from the stacks. Such natural and human damage to materials often requires them to be removed for replacement or repair. Then, it is the job of the preservation staff, located in the basement of Morris Library, to apply the proper treatments to damaged library materials and get them back into circulation as soon as possible. "The libraries on campus operate mainly for research purposes," Steven Silberg, library services and curator of the exhibit, said. "We take care of the circulating collection and make sure the research information is available to library users." The restoration process begins when circulation staff members inspect returned materials, looking for signs of damage and abuse that warrant the attention of the preservation staff. There are several options including repair, sending a book to a commercial binder, removing an item from circulation, replacement or copying or removing the item from the collection entirely. "We go through the items and determine what treatments are needed," Silberg said. "We also have a computer database that details any previous history of preservation treatment." The conservation staff turns out about 200 repaired items monthly, with the busiest season coming just after the end of the spring semester, when it is not unusual for the staff to treat more than 300 items. While the conservation staff is responsible for repairs, the total output of all preservation activities at Morris Library numbers in the thousands. ? Among the restorative measures used by the preservation staff members are photocopying, tipping-in and hinging, sewing, binding, board replacement and the use of protective enclosures such as phase boxes (usually cardboard-type boxes) and plastic covers. Once these measures are applied, the items are labeled and placed back into circulation. Because there are more than 150 treatment options possible, staff assistants in the preservation department must undergo various stages of restoration training. Conservation specialists have designed training procedures from UD and other libraries and can be found in manuals that serve as training guides. "New members work at tip-ins, which involves pasting pages into books," Silberg said. "This is used in the replacement of lost pages, and everybody starts training here." Other techniques include erasing pencil marks and removing adhesive tape that some library users wrap around a group of pages to serve as a makeshift bookmarker. When pages become separated, preservation staff members use Irish linen to sew signatures (a collection of pages) together. "This is a more involved process, and you can sew an entire book," Silberg said. "We do quite a bit of signature repair, although full resewing is not very common." The exhibit, which highlights these major preservation techniques, had its first showing in 1993, with an encore performance in 1996. "The idea is to make the exhibit available at least once during each student's stay at UD," Silberg said. "This lets people see what is involved and gives them a sense of appreciation for what we do here." Silberg, a former photography major from Hazelton, Pa., who graduated from UD in 1997 with a bachelor of fine arts degree, became interested in preservation while employed as a staff assistant at Morris Library. "I applied as a student assistant, and was trained by Yana Van Dyke, who had the knowledge and experience in the field," Silberg said. "Now, I like training new assistants and working with them to get the works back into circulation." –Jerry Rhodes Photo by Jack Buxbaum