A Roundtable on Mass Deacidification. Report on a Meeting (Andover, Massachusetts, September 12-13, 1991)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 369 401 IR 054 968 AUTHOR Sparks, Peter G., Ed. TITLE A Roundtable on Mass Deacidification. Report on a Meeting (Andover, Massachusetts, September 12-13, 1991). INSTITUTION Association of Research Libraries, Washington, D.C.; Northeast Document Conservation Center. SPONS AGENCY Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, New York, N.Y. REPORT NO ISBN-0-918006-21-X PUB DATE 92 NOTE 139p. AVAILABLE FROMAssociation of Research Libraries, 1527 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036 ($20). PUB TYPE Collected Works Conference Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Administration; *Books; Cost Effectiveness; Economic Factors; Evaluation Methods; Financial Support; Higher Education; Library Materials; *Library Planning; Library Technical Procesi'es; Pilot Projects; *Preservation; *Program Development; Program Evaluation; Records Management; Repair; Selection; Workshops IDENTIFIERS Library Funding; *Library Materials Conservation; *Paper Deacidification; Paper Deterioration ABSTRACT In September 1991 an invitational roundtable met to discuss issues in mass deacidification of books. The meeting was prompted by the significant increase in mass deacidification activities in recent years and libraries' interest in applying these processes. Contributions included:(1) "Opening Statement" (Duane Webster);(2) "The Institutional Context for Mass Deacidification" (Richard De Gennaro);(3) "Management Issues: The Director's Perspective" (Scott Bennett);(4) "Recent Developments at the Library of Congress" (Gerald Garvey);(5) "Institutional and Management Issues" (a panel session);(6) "Selection for Mass Deacidification: The Collection Development View" (Eugene L. Wiemers, Jr.); (7) "Institutional Selection Strategies: Case Studies" (Ed Rosenfeld, Jan Merrill-Oldham, and Carolyn Clark Morrow);(8) "Funding Strategies and Public Relations" (William J. Studer);(9) "Funding Strategies" (panel session);(10) "Cooperative Approaches to Mass Deacidification": (Carole Moore, Scott Bennett, and Richard Frieder); (11) "Special Collections, Special Challenges" (James Stroud); (12) "Toxicological Issues Related to Treatment Processes" (Michael Placke);(13) "Toxicological Issues and the Institution's Responsibility" (James Bukowski); (14) "Results of Independent Laboratory Testing of Deacidified Books" (Donald K. Sebera);(15) "Evaluation of Mass Deacidification Processes" (Helen D. Burgess); (16) "Experiences with Trial Treatments" (Carolyn Clark Morrow, Sue Himelick Nutty, Robert Milevski, Ed Rosenfeld, Jan Merrill-Oldham, and James Stroud); and (17) "Conclusion" (Jutta Reed-Scott). (SLD) , , . -7S:".--03 t U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION o:, Office of Educational Research and Improvement ' -> ' I EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) : Thrs document has been reproauced as received from the person or organuation originating it Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction nmattly Points of crew Or opinions stated in this docu- ment do not necessarily fepfebent officiai OERI positron or policy f=1 , , .. i. Report oh a meetMg held ,September12-13, 1991`'in Andover, Massachusetts ' Edited by Peter G. Sparks Sponsored by the 0 Association of kesearch Libraries and the Northeast Document Conservation Center PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY C.A. MANDEL TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERICI" A Roundtable on Mass Deacidification Report on a meeting held September 12 13, 1991 in Andover, Massachusetts Edited by Peter G. Sparks Co-sponsored by Association of Research Libraries Northeast Document Conservation Center Association of Research Libraries Washington, DC 1992 3 The Asssociation of Research Libraries 1527 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC20036 The paper used in this publication meets the minimumrequirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanenceof Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984 @ Publication of this report was supported by the AndrewW. Mellon Foundation ISBN 0-918006-21-X Price: $20.00 Contents Foreword 1 Acknowledgements 2 Conference Program 3 List of Participants, Speakers and Observers 6 Opening Statement Duane E. Webster 8 The Institutional Context for Mass Deacidification Richard De Gennaro 10 Management Issues: The Director's Perspective Scott Bennett 15 Recent Developments at the Library of Congress Gerald Garvey 19 Panel Session: Institutional and Management Issues Paul Fasana 22 Gerald Munoff 23 Daniel Richards 25 Selection for Mass Deacidification: The Collection Development View Eugene L. Wiemers, Jr. 28 Institutional Selection Strategies: Case Studies The Johns Hopkins University: Ed Rosenfeld 33 University of Connecticut: Jan Merrill-Oldham 36 Harvard University: Carolyn Clark Morrow 38 Funding Strategies and Public Relations William J. Studer 41 Panel Session on Funding Strategies Richard De Gennaro 46 Donald E. Riggs 47 Paul H. Mosher 48 Joseph A. Rosenthal 50 5 Contents Cooperative Approaches to Mass Deacidification Toronto Area Libraries: Carole Moore 52 Mid-Atlantic Region: Scott Bennett 54 CIC Libraries: Richard Frieder 56 Special Collections, Special Challenges James Stroud 58 Toxicological Issues and Testing Related to Treatment Processes Michael Placke 61 Toxicological Issues and the Institution's Responsibility James Bukowski 65 Results of Independent Laboratory Testing of Deacidified Books Donald K. Sebera 67 Evaluation of Mass Deacidification Processes Helen D. Burgess 87 Experiences With Trial Treatments Harvard University: Carolyn Clark Morrow 92 CIC Libraries: Sue Himelick Nutty 94 The Johns Hopkins University: Robert Milevski and Ed Rosenfeld 96 University of Connecticut: Jan Merrill-Oldham 110 University of Texas, Austin: James Stroud 112 Conclusion Jutta Reed-Scott 115 iv 6 Foreword Peter Sparks Preservation Consultant On September 12-13, 1991, an invitational might be a good approach for libraries that are roundtable met in Andover, Massachusetts, to dis- developing mass deacidification programs to cuss developments in mass deacidification that had consider. Further discussion led to enough consen- taken place over the past year. The driving force for sus on the cooperative idea that Duane Webster this meeting was both the significant increase in agreed to put it on the agenda of the Association of mass deacidification activity among research li- Research Libraries' Committee on the Preservation braries, and interest by other libraries in how these of Research Library Materials, and to work towards "leading" institutions managed the decision to be- setting up a formal group of eight to ten institutions gin treatments and the outcome of their work to date. that want to move forward in 1992 with their own The goal of this meeting was to stimulate institu- treatment programs and to share their own experi- tions that had shown an interest in mass deacidifica- ences with the others in the group. As of this Lion to consider moving forward with limited pro- writing, ARL has moved positively to set up a mass duction treatment. There were many common con- deacidification development group. cerns, and it was a time and opportunity to come together and share experiences and information. Invitations went out to ten institutions, asking each to send a three-person management team consisting of the Director, the Head of Collections Develop- ment, and the Preservation Officer. Observers were invited from the Commission on Preservation and Access; the National Endowment for the Humani- ties, Division of Preservation and Access; the Na- tional Archives; and the Connecticut State Library. The invitees' response to the invitation was excel- lent, with 21 library and archive institutions repre- sented by either their management teams, speakers, or observers. We were lucky indeed to have staff from the Library of Congress participate at the very last minute, to tell us firsthand why they could not bring their procure- ment effort to a successful contract to buy deacidi- fication services. Gerald Garvey's remarks clari- fied the situation, and Donald Sebera's technical discussion presented some very useful technical evaluation data. A very important event, which was not part of the official program, should be mentioned here. On the first day Michael Placke, Vice President of Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus Division, pointed out that in the industrial research world, when there is a significant developmental challenge similar to the adoption of mass deacidification, companies form a development group that works as a team to solve pressing problems. He suggested that this Foreword-1 Acknowledgements Many persons and organizations contributed to the The publication of the roundtable proceedings was also success of this roundtable. The Northeast Document a team effort. A great deal of credit goes to our speakers, Conservation Center (NEDCC) and the Association of who made the extra effort to get their papers to the editor Research Libraries (ARL) agreed wholeheartedly to on time. These papers welt organized and edited by the co-sponsor the event. Ann Russell, Director of the roundtable coordinator, Peter G. Sparks, former Director NEDCC, and Duane Webster, Executive Director of of Preservation at the Library of Congress andnow an the ARL, contributed generously of their own time and active consultant in the library preservation field. Jutta also of staff time and resources from both organizations Reed-Scott of the ARL played a key role in getting the that allowed the event to run smoothly.