Threats to Preservation in Libraries and Archives

1
Threats to Preservation in Libraries and Archives

• Collections at Risk

2
Heritage Preservation

• In 2005 the Heritage Preservation organization
  released the results of a study which sought to
  discover the current state of library and
  archival collections nation-wide.
• The resulting report, the Heritage Health Index,
  provides striking data about the environmental
  and storage conditions, emergency planning,
  staffing and funding.

3
Statistical Summary

• More than 30,000 institutions were surveyed
• In total, it was found that these institutions
  hold in trust more than 4.8 billion artifacts
  such as rare books and monographs, photographs,
  sound recordings, moving images, and art.

4
Environment

• Environment plays a crucial part in collection
  preservation
• Uncontrolled humidity and temperature creates an
  environment ripe for mold growth, corrosion, and
  overall degradation of materials.
• Fluctuation between extremes causes warping,
  buckling, and flaking

5
Environmental Survey Results

• The HHI found that the most urgent need in U.S.
  institutions is for environmental controls

6
Environment and Light

• Controlling the environment also includes the
  control of light sources. UV rays from both the
  sun and indoor light fixtures can fade and damage
  books and documents
• A prime example of this is the much valued
  Declaration of Independence

7
Declaration of Independence

• Although the original copy in now housed in very
  specific environmental conditions, this wasnt
  always the case
• The Declaration became very badly faded after
  spending nearly 40 years hanging on a wall
  exposed to very strong sunlight in the U.S.
  Patent office.

8
Copy Comparison
Picture of 1823 Engraving
Original Copy as it looks today
9
Disaster Planning

• Preparing for emergencies is another must for
  collecting institutions in all regions of the
  country.
• Whether the greatest threat to the institution is
  flooding, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, or
  other natural and man-made disasters, an
  emergency response plan must be in place to
  minimize damage.
• Unfortunately, the HHI found that 80 of
  collecting institutions do not have an emergency
  plan in place. This can lead to the devastation
  of collections.

10
Collection Damage

• In March 2004 a broken hot water pipe flooded
  this offsite storage facility in New Mexico
• Undiscovered for 24 hours, everything on the
  bottom shelves nearly 1,400 boxes of materials
  was soaked in water.

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Water Damage

• Emergencies like that which involve water are
  particularly time sensitive. If books or
  documents cannot be treated within 48 hours then
  they must be frozen in order to prevent mold
  growth.
• It is in cases like this were the value of an
  emergency response plan is priceless.

12
Preventative Preservation

• The most important steps in preservation are
  preventative - such as emergency plans and staff
  training.
• Such steps seek to minimize the potential for
  collection pieces to become so damaged that they
  need to be treated by a professional conservator
  or are simply lost completely.

13
For Future Use

• Taking care of environmental controls, storage
  spaces and disaster planning will greatly improve
  the life and longevity of historical artifacts,
  allowing them to be viewed and used by
  generations to come.

14
Sources of Information

• Heritage Health Index
• http//www.heritagepreservation.org/HHI/summary.ht
  ml
• Declaration of Independence Preservation
• http//www.archives.gov/national-archives-experien
  ce/charters/declaration.html
• http//www.history.com/minisite.do?content_typeMi
  nisite_Genericcontent_type_id275display_order2
  mini_id1056