ILS650 - Preservation of Library Materials

Special Workshops and Training Opportunities for Conservation and Preservation Librarians / Specialists

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Introduction

Other educational requirements include hands-on training, either through an internship or program of practical study, as well as adherence to the ethical standards established by American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

Program One 

An Introduction to Preservation Northeast Document Conservation Center (NDCC)

• Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and structure of library and archival materials.
  
• Identify agents of deterioration of library and archival materials (including multimedia collections), as well as accepted preservation functions that help mitigate deterioration.
  
• Explore treatment and reformatting options available to librarians and archivists.
  
• Identify the elements of an effective disaster plan, and be aware of methods for preventing, mitigating, and responding to disasters in libraries and archives.
  
• List the components of a preservation program and describe how they can be incorporated into an organization's policies.
  
• Identify basic issues and understand emerging trends in digital preservation
  
• Demonstrate awareness of the role of preservation in ensuring continued access to digital information.
  
• Recognize preservation as a central function that has implications throughout libraries and archives.
  

Analysis:

The stated outcomes are comprehensive and cover the range of issues that a Conservator and Field Consultant needs to know on the most basic level. At the end of this course, the student will have a working knowledge of the basic physical composition of materials as well as understanding issues ranging from disaster planning, reformatting, digital preservation, deterioration and accepted best practices for restoration.

Lesson 1 - Introduction

Overview:

• Part I: Overview
  
• Part II: Prolonging the Life of Cultural Heritage Collections
  
• Part III: The Challenges of Managing Analog and Digital Collections
  
• Part IV: Course Overview   
  

Analysis:

Here the pedagogy of the field of Conservation and Preservation is established, issues related to preservation of Cultural Heritage Collections are addressed, as well as how to manage digital and analog collections. The student is required to think about the meaning of conservation, preservation, and restoration and the difference between preserving the object and preserving the information. For Cultural Heritage Collections, such as the American Memory Project and the Veterans History Project through the Library of Congress, issues such as risk assessment, appraisal, collection development policies, and all aspects of developing a preservation plan are explored. After this lesson, the future conservator has seen 16 full color illustrations of collections, including bound and disbound manuscripts, tools of the conservation trade such as brushes, knives, bone folders, and binocular microscopes used for viewing materials close-up, and a photo of a Conservator preserving the Declaration of Independence in 1951. At the conclusion of this three-hour lesson, the foundation of how a conservator needs to view the task ahead is established.

Lesson 2 - Context for the Cultural Record

Overview:

The purpose of this class is to give students contextual and historical information on the cultural record and its relationship to preservation. Books and electronic formats will be discussed, as well as ethics and concepts of value. Throughout this class the emphasis will be on maintaining the original physical format of the cultural record as far as possible. “Reproductions cannot retain all evidence of the original text or of the form in which the text originally appeared. Further, the original form of the presentation of print is itself a cultural object and has scholarly merit and value in its own right” (McCorison, 85). Although the greater portion of this lesson is devoted to print materials, this description of the importance of the “original form of the presentation” also applies to nonprint formats.

• Part I: The Importance of Context
  
• Part II: Physical Aspects of Context
  
•  Part III: Preservation of Context

Analysis:

From this lesson, knowledge is gained in placing the work of the conservator into a historical context through the exploration of scholarly research in the field. The physical examination of bookbinding through the ages is explored as well as various treatment options. The student is educated on formats they will encounter such as manuscripts, silk, wood, parchment, metal and varying styles ranging from bound to slatted. The ethical issues relating to invasive vs. benign conservation and reconstructive vs. minimalist are covered, as is the handling of materials. The images for this lesson show a range of bindings from leather and brass to rebound leather books and scrapbooks which present their own set of conservation and preservation problems.

Lesson Three - Structure and Deterioration of Paper-based Materials

 

Overview:

This class introduces basic concepts about the physical nature of paper-based collections. Students will examine the variety of materials found in paper-based collections and consider how these materials are made, how their inherent characteristics contribute to their deterioration, and the role external factors such as environmental conditions play in the deterioration process. Students will be encouraged to view materials not individually, but as parts of composite objects, understanding that it is not only the nature of paper that needs to be examined, but the interaction with other materials such as colorants, leather, photographic imaging materials, and adhesives. The lesson draws parallels between different types of materials, allowing students to discover similarities and differences between various types of objects. By learning to recognize patterns of deterioration and relating damage to types of materials, students should develop a frame of reference to evaluate materials beyond the specific information covered in class.

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Component Materials.
  
•  Part III: Composite Structures.
  
• Part IV: External Factors.
  

Analysis:

Following an introductory lesson on organic and inorganic materials used in collections, issues such as the stability of each is covered as well as the deterioration of inorganic materials (especially metals) when they come into contact with organic materials such as paper. Students will become conversant in chemical deterioration of cellulose with the problems associated with iron gall, acid and silver nitrate used in photographs as a few examples. The “current state of knowledge” regarding papers and inks is explored as is the effects of adhesives and skin materials such as parchment, vellum and leather. The future conservator will come away from this lesson with a working knowledge of how the interaction of all these materials presents conservation and preservation issues that will need to be addressed if deterioration is to be mitigated. Issues related to photographic materials is covered in this lesson as is bookbinding and various reproductive processes. Finally, external factors such as climate, light, pollutants and storage practices will give the student additional knowledge required when presented with preservation issues. Here, images as varied as the boiling of inocho fibers for paper repair, to a Hollander beater and water damaged parchment leaves in a leather bound journal help to inform.

Lesson Four - Structure and Deterioration of Multimedia Materials

Overview:

This lesson plan presents the basic structure and composition of photographic media, sound recordings, audio and video magnetic tape media, and optical media. The goal of the lesson is for students to achieve familiarity with component parts of these non-paper materials and appreciate their special preservation needs. Preventive and remedial preservation decisions for these materials should be rooted in an understanding of the production processes that produced them, as well as the stability of their component parts and how they deteriorate with use and age.

• Part I: Overview of Non-paper Formats
  
• Part II: Photographic Film — Still and Motion Picture
  
• Part III: Sound Recordings
  
• Part IV: Audio and Video Magnetic Media
  
• Part V: Optical Media
  

Analysis:

This lesson will give the future archivist a solid foundation in multimedia materials and specific preservation issues. Still and motion picture images present their own unique set of issues for preservation. Conservations need to understand the different chemical and mechanical properties that effect film, in addition to storage and reformatting specifications. Two case studies are presented; The Medial Resources Center of Dellinger Community College has over 12,000 films on 16mm, VHS, and DVD. Students are able to look at the process conservationists follow when accessing and prioritizing films for preservation. The second case study is the Flagstaff 16mm Film Collection, most produced by NASA and the USGS. Students have the opportunity to develop preservation recommendations to preserve films that contain information available nowhere else. Sound recordings and how to preserve vinyl records and their paper slipcovers, which face a different set of deterioration issues such as water damage and mold are explored. AV magnetic media and optical media units address various properties affecting their condition and efforts that can be taken to ensure items are stabilized.

Lesson 5 - Building-wide Concerns

Overview:

This module introduces students to ways in which environmental factors (including temperature, humidity, light, and air quality) contribute to material deterioration. Methods and best practices for monitoring these environmental factors will be reviewed, and problems caused by pests and mold will be highlighted. Finally, the relationship between good building design and preservation of materials will be discussed.

• Part I: Environmental Effects on Cultural Heritage Collections

• Part II: Monitoring the Environment

• Part III: Building Design and Environmental Systems

Analysis:

In their work, conservations will encounter building wide conditions that contribute to the deterioration of Cultural Heritage Collections. By reviewing best practices established under the NISO Environmental Guidelines for the Storage of Paper Records and the IPI’s Preservation Index (PI) and Time-Weighted Preservation Index (TWPI), students can begin to develop an understanding of best practices and the harmful effects adverse environmental conditions can have on collections. In addition to these environmental factors, damage from pests as varied as bedbugs, bookworms, mice, is included as is the speed with which mold can grow and damage a collection beyond salvage. Knowledge gained in this unit covers how to monitor and mitigate this type of damage. Finally, conservationists should be aware of the importance of properly designing buildings, which house valuable and often irreplaceable collections. This included HVAC systems, lighting considerations, fire prevention and security and renovation projects to promote collection preservation. In the case studies previously submitted, it was shocking how few libraries that suffered extensive fire and smoke damage employed sprinkler systems. The knowledge gained from this unit will aid the future conservationist in issues related to structural design elements. Images from this unit show a typical HVAC system as well as a large air handling system to acquaint students with their basic functions.

Lesson 6 – Collections Care

Overview:

This lesson plan explores collections care and investigates the impact of preservation programming in prolonging the life of library and archival collections. Integrating and implementing reasonable and fundamental preservation principles across an entire library or archival institution may significantly extend the lifespan of a collection. Outlining the features of a collection care program, this lesson plan will focus on staff and user education, holdings and stacks maintenance, preservation housing and storage, and proper exhibition practices. These programs together contribute to an overall comprehensive preservation stratagem aimed at safeguarding library and archival materials and providing access to these resources. This lesson plan utilizes a series of lectures, discussions, and group work to introduce concepts of staff and user education, holdings maintenance, and exhibit work. By incorporating practical experiences through demonstrating care and handling techniques, sharing examples of protective enclosures, and encouraging students to embrace the preservation cause through group activities that focus on planning, promulgating policies, and implementing best practices, students will explore the field with a better understanding that preservation awareness goes a long way in safeguarding collections.

• Part I: Housing Collections — Boxes and Enclosures

• Part II: Holdings and Stacks Maintenance

• Part III: Storage Furniture and Facilities

• Part IV: Staff and User Education

• Part V: Exhibits

Analysis:

This unit gives the future conservator an opportunity to consider issues such as acid-free, lignin-free, buffered and “ph” when placing materials in enclosed boxes for storage. The nuts and bolts aspects of purchasing proper archival storage materials vs. standard enclosures gives the student an awareness of the importance of proper storage in the preservation of materials. Seemingly mundane topics such as proper shelving and book placement, and the importance of cleaning collections and stacks is made more relevant when accompanied by the images of disorganized shelves, slumped manuscripts, and precariously shelved oversized books. The conservator is able to see how patron education in book care and common sense prevention can help a library maintain a relatively damage-free circulating collection. Students will learn how establishing policies and educating patrons and staff as to proper handling and storage of materials will save many a collection from damage. Finally, the care and handling of materials that are part of an exhibit are discussed in depth. 

Lesson Seven - Surveys and Assessments

Overview:

This class module, which builds on material from Class 5: Building-wide Concerns, focuses specifically on preservation surveys as a tool for determining preservation program needs and planning to meet those needs. The session serves three functions: to introduce the concept of surveying collections, to provide a context for why surveys are useful and how they are used, and to give examples of types of survey instruments and designs.

• Part I: Introduction to Surveys

• Part II: The General Preservation Survey

• Part III: The Collection-level Survey

• Part IV: The Survey Process

Analysis:

This unit provides information on the purpose and usefulness of preservation surveys. It looks at three model surveys - NEDCC’s Assessing Preservation Needs: A Self-Survey Guide, SOLINET Disaster Prevention and Protection Checklist, and the California Preservation Program’s CALIPR. The unique instruments of each survey are explored as well as collection level surveys. This lesson will provide the future conservationist with a clear understand of why surveys are an important part of preservation practices as well as familiarity with three different models. All eight images with this lesson demonstrate incorrect storage practices that would be identified during a survey.

Lesson Eight – Treatment Options

Overview:

This class introduces students to conservation strategies appropriate for general collections performed by in-house collection care units and contract library binders, as well as a range of conservation treatments for special collection materials performed by professional conservators. Requirements and decision-making processes for the three approaches will be considered. Principles of conservation will be outlined and illustrated. The need for conservation to function as an integral part of institutional activities is emphasized throughout the class. Because issues and information surrounding conservation are complex, they cannot be fully explored in one class. The goal instead is to provide students with a basic understanding of issues and available approaches.

• Part I: Introduction to Book Construction and Common Types of Damage

• Part II: Elements of a Conservation Program

• Part III: Treatment Options for Circulating Collections

• Part IV: Special Collections Conservation

• Part V: Treatment Options for Special Collection Materials

Analysis:

In this lesson, book construction is examined in detail with damage commonly found in a book with a typical cloth case binding. This lesson explains the steps that go into developing a conservation program that will be administered in-house or by an outside contractor. Creating a policy that is collaborative in nature, establishing a written policy for the selection of items to be repaired, how to make certain that you have properly trained staff and proper facilities to carry out the repairs, and documentation for all steps of the process will give the student a better understanding of the importance of creating such a policy. Also covered in this unit are the treatment options for materials that circulate and the conservation issues that come into play when accessing special collections. With special collections, saving the integrity of the item is stressed, as is following a more conservative approach so that more harm will not come to the item being treated. Factors a conservator needs to take into consideration when contemplating any repair are listed thoroughly.  If it is determined that an outside conservator should be contracted, this lesson gives tips on how to find one and determine if s/he is right for the job. At the end of this lesson, the student should be aware of in-house and contractual treatment options for circulating and special collections. The images with this lesson show remarkable photos demonstrating preservation and mitigation to remove adhesive in a series of solvent baths from a legal document dated 1727. A reconstructed crayon portrait, a decorative fan and restored oil painting of Abraham Lincoln demonstrate the amazing results of restoration by a skilled conservator.

Lesson Nine - Preservation Reformatting

Overview:

The purpose of this class is to provide an overview of the reformatting technologies used in libraries and archives for preservation purposes. The class focuses on the historical, organizational, and technical aspects of reformatting, emphasizing reformatting principles and the role of reformatting as a preservation option for paper and non-paper analog source collection materials.

The technical components of preservation reformatting are complex and cannot be fully explored in this three-hour class. The objective is to make students aware of issues and topics and provide them with resources for further exploration. The suggested amount of time indicated for each lesson section can be adjusted as necessary. Preservation “photocopying” should be covered both as a paper-to-paper analog process and as a product of a digital process.

• Part I: Introduction to Reformatting

• Part II: Preservation Microfilming

• Part III: Digitization

• Part IV: Standards, Guidelines, and Best Practices for Digitization

• Part V: Hybrid Options
  

Analysis:

In this unit, the issue of two different types of reformatting, microfilm and digitization are covered. The student will gain a thorough understanding of the history of microfilm, its historical uses, and the situations where reformatting to microfilm is appropriate. Digitization reformatting is also discussed within the context of the ARL “Recognizing Digitization as a Preservation Reformatting Method” published in 2004. Best practices in regard to digitization are covered including lossy vs. lossless compression, enriching with metadata, creating an interface that is appropriate to the collection, and archiving of the digital files as well as the originals.  With the creation of digital collections, today’s conservationist will be prepared with a basic understanding of the process required to reformat a collection to digital format. 

Lesson Ten: Creating Sustainable Digital Collections

Part 1: Digital Issues

Overview:

This lesson plan explores digitization and its impact on preservation and introduces the core issues involved in creating, maintaining, and preserving objects in digital environments. Students will consider the definitions of digital objects as well as address and analyze the various elements that must be considered in both digitization and digital preservation.

• Part I: Defining Digital Objects

• Part II: Criteria for Selection of Digitized Objects

• Part III: Copyright

• Part IV: Metadata — Standards and Best Practices

• Part V: Sustainable Resources.

Analysis:

This unit on digital collections has been broken into two classes spanning six hours. The first unit defines the difference between items that have been digitized and those that were “born digital”. This unit raises interesting questions about artifact vs. content. A few are “How do the digital images relate to the original artifacts? For use? For preservation? Does digitization bring added value to the content? Is some content dependent on the Web site? Why?” Students also evaluate selection criteria documents from the Library of Congress, the University of California and the Libraries of the Claremont Colleges. Because the class will evaluate the Hoagy Carmichael Web site and The Atkins Family in Cuba: A Photograph Exhibit applying the criteria for selection and digitized or born digital format, they will complete this course with a greater understanding of what comprises a digital collection and should be in a better position to determine selection criteria for future collections. Another complex issue addressed is that of copyright, author’s rights and fair use as they relate to digital resources. The concept of Creative Commons is also explored. Once a selection criterion has been established and items digitized or created digitally, metadata is added to enrich the image and best practices are examined in this unit. The Text Encoding Initiative, Encoded Archival Description, Dublin Core, METS and the Open Archives Initiative are explored to gain a greater understanding of metadata. In closing, the unit has students consider preservation of digital resources.

Lessen Eleven: Creating Sustainable Digital Collections,

Part 2: Digital Preservation

Overview:

This class follows up Class 10: Creating Sustainable Digital Collections, Part 1: Digital Issues by providing more in-depth coverage of digital preservation as it relates to the sustainability of library and archival collections. The class will consider foundational work, current research and development, technical strategies for digital objects, and a discussion of standards and tools to help students better understand the development of trusted registries and repositories.

• Part I: Foundational Work

• Part II: Research and Development

• Part III: Understanding Digital Objects

• Part IV: Technical Strategies

• Part V: Digital Repositories

• Part VI: Digital Registries
  

Analysis:

The issues surrounding digital resources and managing them over time are addressed in this unit. Attention is paid to the CPA-RGL Task Force on Archiving Digital Information, OAIS or Open Archival Information System, and InterPARES. International programs, from the Joint Information Systems to the Digital Curation Center, both in the UK, are examined and the fact that with outside funding, the UK may be a forerunner in digital preservation. Finally, preserving digital objects and digital repositories, institutional repositories and their unique characteristics are examined. Again, understanding best practices and the issue of metadata harvesting through the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting will give future archivists a foundation upon which they can build a career.

Lesson Twelve: Disaster Planning

Overview:

This lesson explores disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Students will be introduced to the basics of each of these topics, and they will learn how to prepare an institutional disaster plan. Brief discussions of the challenges of planning for local and regional disasters are incorporated into each section, and the importance of interacting with emergency responders before a disaster hits is emphasized.

• Part I: Introduction

• Part II: Prevention

• Part III: Preparedness

• Part IV: Response

• Part V: Recovery

• Part VI: Writing a Disaster Plan

Analysis:

As we saw in the case study unit on library disasters, this unit on disaster planning takes on a greater urgency. Six disasters are looked at, with water, fire, earthquake, theft/vandalism and other disasters like power outages, terrorist attacks, etc. the focus of additional units. Students are instructed that prevention should focus on risk assessment. 

Prevention, from building systems to security procedures, training and maintenance are covered. Students are educated as to establishing local and regional preparedness, disaster response and recovery plans that include clear, specific instructions so that if a disaster strikes, response and recovery efforts run as smoothly as possible.

Lesson Thirteen: Building a Preservation Program

Overview:

This module discusses basic management activities needed to establish a preservation program, including planning, budgeting, and personnel issues. Collaborative models and advocacy activities in preservation and digitization are also highlighted. To put U.S. preservation activities in context with other developments worldwide, information about preservation research and key international preservation issues and resources are discussed, and some comparison is made to preservation efforts in other fields and in times of great change.

In the first portion of the class, students review basic information on determining institutional needs, which was covered in detail in Class 7: Surveys and Assessments. An overview of the components of short- and long-term preservation planning is also given in this introductory section.

Information on budgeting for preservation — the components of a preservation program budget and the methods of securing institutional funding, grant funding, or monies through fund-raising — are discussed, including a list of top funding organizations. Because personnel costs have traditionally been a large part of expenditures, staffing, organization, and management models for preservation programs will be reviewed. The option to use outsourced services in many areas of preservation management will also be explored, to let students know this is a growing option.

The importance of collaboration in preservation and digital activity has grown considerably in the last 25 years; that trend will be recognized by discussions of key collaborative programs in the field.

Advocacy for preservation — within one’s library, parent institution, local area, or regionally — has been an important force in the growth of preservation awareness and in the trend toward collaborative activities in preservation. To give students an overview of the global interest in and advocacy for preservation, key international issues and resources will be highlighted, as well as critical current topics in preservation and conservation research and the organizations that are studying them.

Finally, advocacy, on all levels including national and international, is discussed, and preservation advocacy and activity are compared to advocacy in ecology and environmentalism, especially in times of great changes, such as digitization and great disasters such as the hurricanes of 2005.

(NDCC 2009)

Analysis:

This final unit of the course is designed to give students an understanding of the management issues confronting the field of conservation. A closer look at surveys and determining an institution’s needs is discussed as is developing a budget that supports preservation and conservation efforts and identifying various funding sources. The importance of continuing development of collaborative efforts for digitization trends is stressed, as is the need for local and global advocacy for a continued commitment to preservation and conservation of all materials.

Program Two

Attack of the Giant Mold Spore: Simple, Safe Techniques to Recover from a Mold Outbreak

Seminar Overview:

This is a general introduction to the biology of mold, the environmental conditions that encourage it, and how institutions can best protect themselves. Included in the workshop are general instructions for mold clean-up, including appropriate safety precautions, the equipment your institution will need to have on hand, and the training that you'll need. The workshop is designed for those responsible for collections, physical plant or housekeeping staffs, and commercial firms that are interested in working with museums, libraries, and archives in mold clean-up.

Agenda:

This workshop offers an overview of mold biology and those types most commonly encountered in a museum, library, or archives situation – helping you to recognize mold early. It will review the four basic life stages of mold and explore where molds typically come from. Critical HVAC issues will be addressed and a brief overview of appropriate dehumidification will be included. Issues of building maintenance and housekeeping will be discussed and their relationship to mold problems explored. We will briefly examine some of the known health consequences of mold, examine best practices, and discuss the requirements of OSHA’s respiratory protection plan as it applies to museums, libraries, and archives. The workshop will outline how to determine if mold is a problem and how to begin a recovery or remediation program.  We will discuss different techniques to dry the collection, as well as the equipment necessary to monitor drying. Also discussed are approaches to cleaning mold from collections (primarily books, but other museum materials can be included if appropriate).  We will also discuss the NY City Mold Remediation Protocols. 

Topics Covered:

What is mold and where does it come from?

How much is too much and what are the health consequences?

How do you prevent mold?

How does an institution recover from mold?

What are the critical steps in contracting for mold recovery?

What does your institution need to know about OSHA and respiratory protection?

(Chicora 2008)

Analysis:

This one day intensive workshop on recovery from a mold outbreak will give the Conservator and Consultant a thorough understanding of how mold affects collections, people, and institutions. Participants will learn how to indentify all stages of mold growth, building-wide HVAC issues that might contribute to the growth of mold, OSHA standards and what safety precautions institutions need to take when remediating a mold outbreak as well as best practices for remediation protocols. 

Conclusion:

At the completion of this thirteen week course and workshop on mold remediation, a future Conservation Librarian and Preservation Field Services / Consultant will have a solid working knowledge upon which to establish a career in conservation and preservation. There have been many advances in the past quarter century in regard to conservation and preservation of objects and digital resources. Today’s Conservation Librarian and Preservation Field Services Consultant needs to be knowledgeable in all facets of this field, from understanding about materials and how they deteriorate over time and when exposed to varying elements, to building wide and environmental issues, to best practices remediation, to understanding digital formatting, and also have the ability to devise surveys that identify areas that need attention, to the ability to create plans to prepare for and recover from any number of natural and intentional disasters. While the course designed by the Northeast Document Conservation Center provides an intensive curriculum, a mentorship, internship, or on-the-job training will further prepare the Conservation Librarian and Field Consultant for a career in this field.

Works Cited

Chicora Foundation, Inc. “Preservation Workshops.” Chicora Foundation : SC Archaeology Consultants. Chicora Foundation, Inc., 2008. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. <http://chicora.org/‌preservation-workshops.html>.

Doyle, Beth. “Careers in Preservation Librarianship.” Career Strategies for Librarians.  Ed. Priscilla K. Shontz. LIScareen.com, 2005. Web. 6 Oct. 2009. <http://www.liscareer.com/‌doyle_preservation.htm>.

Northeast Document Conservation Center. “An Introduction to Preservation.” Northeast Document Conservation Center. Northeast Document Conservation Center, 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. <http://www.nedcc.org/‌curriculum/‌lesson.introduction.php>.