32, No. 15 April 16, 2021 GAZETTEOF CONGRESS A weekly publication for staff INSIDE

Calligraphy Released Online The African and Middle Eastern Divi- sion has made rare Arabic, Persian and Ottoman calligraphy available on the website. PAGE 3

Preservation Week Shawn Miller Miller Shawn The Preservation Directorate is host- Fenella France explains the work of the Preservation Research and Testing Division ing a webinar series during the week during a Feb. 18, 2020, event marking the division’s 50th anniversary. of April 25–May 1 to highlight the role of in preserving collections of all kinds. PAGE 4 Reopening Safely Based on Preservation Science Staff are participating in a study to determine best practices for handling collections.

BY WENDI A. MALONEY affected, too? It turns out they are — or at least some of them. For more than a year, hand sanitiz- ers have been big news. “The Best This month, the Preservation Research and Testing Division Q&A: Andrew Davis Hand Sanitizers to Buy Right Now,” “You Might Be Buying a Hand San- (PRTD) released preliminary The Preservation Research and Testing itizer That Won’t Work for Corona- results from its ongoing study on Division chemist discusses his scientific virus” and “11 Best Hand Sanitizer the effects of hand sanitizers on background and his projects outside Products” — these are just a few library papers and parchment. the lab during the pandemic. of the anxiety-producing head- After eight weeks of accelerated PAGE 5 lines touting sanitizers as a remedy aging, the study found, discolor- against the virus that causes ation and fluorescent residue were COVID-19. visible on papers and parchment On Tap touched using hand sanitizer. So, by now, we’re all well versed in View upcoming virtual lectures, con- their protective properties as well “Based on these initial findings, certs, classes and other events at the the use of hand sanitizers before Library of Congress. as their downside for our hands: dry, itchy skin. But what about handling materials does WWW.LOC.GOV/EVENTS all the things we touch? Are they PRESERVATION, CONTINUED ON 6 NOTICES

DONATED TIME LIBRARY The following employees have satisfied eligibility requirements to receive leave GAZETTEOF CONGRESS donations from other staff members. Contact Lisa Davis at [email protected]. loc.gov/staff/gazette

Lynette Brown William Mahannah APRIL SLAYTON Bailey Cahall Eric Wolfson Executive Editor MARK HARTSELL Publications Editor WENDI A. MALONEY COVID-19 UPDATE Writer-Editor The Health Services Division (HSD) recognizes that some employees have CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Deanna McCray-James, calendar received COVID-19 vaccines. However, the Library is not modifying its on-site Kia Campbell, Moving On health and safety protocols based on the vaccination status of employees. Lisa Davis, donated leave Library staff are required to wear masks when they are in shared workspaces PROOFREADER where at least six feet of distance cannot be maintained and in common George Thuronyi areas, hallways and restrooms. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Ashley Jones HSD continues to monitor Library staff members with symptoms, clinical diagnoses or positive test results associated with COVID-19. On April 8, HSD MISSION OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS announced that it had received eight new reports of symptoms of COVID-19 The Library’s central mission is to engage, or confirmed cases since its previous COVID-19 announcement on March 25. inspire and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of Most employees reporting symptoms are not diagnosed with COVID-19, but, knowledge and creativity. out of caution, the Library is monitoring all reports of symptoms. ABOUT THE GAZETTE More information on the Library’s pandemic response: https://go.usa.gov/ An official publication of the Library of Congress, xdtV5 (intranet) or https://go.usa.gov/xdtVQ (public-facing staff webpage) The Gazette encourages Library managers and staff to submit articles and photographs of general interest. Submissions will be edited to convey the most necessary information.

Back issues of The Gazette in print are available UPDATED EMERGENCY GUIDANCE in the Communications Office, LM 143. Electronic archived issues and a color PDF file of the current With enhanced security measures still in place on Capitol Hill, the Security issue are available online at loc.gov/staff/gazette. and Emergency Preparedness Directorate has made available phase 2.2 of GAZETTE WELCOMES LETTERS FROM STAFF its protective action guidance for responding to building emergencies. Now Staff members are invited to use the Gazette for that perimeter fencing around the Library has been removed, the updated lively and thoughtful debate relevant to Library guidance includes detailed information about social distancing during emer- issues. Letters must be signed by the author, whose place of work and telephone extension gencies, evacuation assembly areas and best ways to contact emergency should be included so we can verify authorship. services. If a letter calls for management response, an explanation of a policy or actions or clarification Staff are encouraged to download the Joint Emergency Mass Notification of fact, we will ask for management response.— System (JEMNS) mobile app on their personal devices and register to receive Ed. text alerts. For instructions and more information, go to https://go.usa.gov/ Library of Congress Gazette xs5mR. Learn more about the Library’s emergency guidance: https://go.usa. Washington, DC 20540-1620 gov/xs5mQ. Editorial: Mark Hartsell, 7-9194, [email protected], or Wendi Maloney, 7-0979, [email protected] Questions? Call (202) 707-8708 or send an email message to [email protected]. Design and production: Ashley Jones, 7-9193, [email protected] ISSN 1049-8184

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2 APRIL 16, 2021 NEWS Centuries-Old Calligraphy Added to Digital Collections Scholars everywhere can now study one-of- a-kind resources from the Library.

BY ANCHI HOH

The African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED) has released rare handwritten treasures from its collections online. “Selections of Arabic, Persian and Ottoman Cal- ligraphy” (https://go.usa.gov/xszPE) launched on the Library’s website in February. African and Middle Eastern Division and Middle Eastern African

Calligraphy is both an exqui- These Qur’anic verses created between the 11th and 13th centuries are a highlight site art and a practical skill that of the newly launched collection. requires years of training. Closely associated with the Islamic faith belonging to a Pakistani citizen. legacy Global Gateway portal, an and used heavily in Qur’an man- Other disparate pieces came to initiative to present international uscripts, calligraphy is a tradition the Library from various sources cultures and civilizations digi- in Arabic-, Persian- and Turk- throughout the 20th century. tally. The newly launched collec- ish-speaking lands, where a vari- Written in Arabic, Persian and tion is part of the Library’s effort ety of writing styles developed and Ottoman Turkish on parchment, to extract contents from legacy evolved over centuries. It is also an paper and papyri, AMED’s Ara- portals for use in a modern digital integral part of the Arab, Persian bic-script calligraphy consists environment that promotes broad and Turkish cultures and civiliza- of approximately 355 items, the content sharing. tions and is manifested through oldest dating back to the 9th and In collaboration with the Digital art, architecture, literature, culture 10th centuries. The digital collec- Content Management and Services and education. tion highlights 273 items, most of Division, which is charged with this “Through exquisitely illuminated which were executed on paper endeavor, AMED’s Near East Sec- panels, albums and poems, this with some Qur’anic fragments on tion worked on metadata and con- collection speaks to a thousand parchment. version issues, enhanced images years of the Arabic-script cal- The collection reflects a number of the calligraphy sheets, edited ligraphic tradition,” Lanisa Kitch- of unique calligraphic traditions, the essays and improved subject iner, AMED’s chief, said. “We invite including Safavid (1501–1722) headings and language coding for everyone to come and discover, practices of divination by the items, said Joan Weeks, the sec- study and understand more about Qur’an, calligraphic gifts related tion’s head. this unique collection and use it in to the Persian New Year and Qajar With these enhancements, the creative ways to bring to life this (1785–1925) monochromatic fin- new presentation enables displays precious art form.” gernail calligraphy. These traditions of items by location of origina- The Library’s calligraphy collec- remain poorly understood accord- tion, name of calligrapher, year tion was developed through two ing to Islamic art professor Chris- and other filters. Expert resources sources. The vast majority of tiane Gruber, who researched and and essays explore Ottoman and sheets were acquired during the wrote the essays and entries for Persian calligraphic styles, Qur’anic late 1920s and early 1930s, mainly the online collection. calligraphic fragments and some of from Kirkor Minassian, a renowned “I am excited that this rich reposi- the Library's notable Arabic script dealer in fine Islamic and Near tory of calligraphy is now available calligraphy sheets and illumina- Eastern art and manuscripts. A for researchers from all over the tions. A video on calligraphy, “A second group of items was pur- world to access, to study and to Scribe with a View: The Construc- chased in the 1990s through the contribute to knowledge about tion of Knowledge in the Ancient Library’s Islamabad office, which them,” Kitchiner said. and Islamic Medieval Periods” received permission from the (https://go.usa.gov/xszyN), also government of Pakistan to acquire A selection from the collection accompanies the presentation. ▪ and export calligraphic materials debuted in 2006 on the Library’s

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GAZETTE 3 Newspaper Navigator Wins Digital Humanities Award Newspaper Navigator (https:// visual imagery from more than of the largest datasets the Library go.usa.gov/xsfpV), an application 16 million newspaper pages in has ever made available online for created by Ben Lee during his the Library’s Chronicling America public use. time as a 2020 Library innova- collection. Newspaper Navigator Over the past year, Lee and LC tor-in-residence, has received a includes photographs, illustrations, Labs have shared the code and Digital Humanities Award in the comics, maps and advertisements methodology behind Newspaper “Best DH Dataset” category. Over- along with corresponding head- Navigator with the digital human- seen by an international commit- lines and captions. LC Labs, the ities community in the hope that tee of volunteers from the world of Office of the Chief Information Offi- Lee’s technology can be repur- digital humanities and voted on by cer and Library Services facilitated posed for other digitized news- the public, the awards recognize the project. paper datasets or visually diverse outstanding new contributions to Newspaper Navigator is available digital collections, especially by the field. to download both in bulk form and institutions without extensive Lee applied a machine-learning in smaller, prepackaged image experience in machine learning. ▪ algorithm to extract a dataset of collections sorted by year. It is one

Webinar Series Planned for Preservation Week Preservation Week runs from April Focus on Scientific Reference Peek Inside the Lab 25 to May 1 this year. The annual Samples April 30, 11 a.m. nationwide observance promotes April 28, 11 a.m. In the first of two presentations, the role of libraries in preserv- Fenella France, chief of the Pres- Alan Haley, a senior preservation ing valuable collections — man- ervation Research and Testing specialist, and Dan Paterson, a uscripts, photographs, maps, Division, will discuss how having senior conservator, will discuss film, audio recordings and more. physical reference samples that the conservation treatment and Because Library of Congress build- replicate materials in the Library’s digitization of the “Yongle Dadian,” ings are now closed to the public, collections allows staff to conduct a 16th-century manuscript ency- all Preservation Week events will destructive testing and acceler- clopedia comprising 11,095 vol- be held online this year. Register ated aging, assess treatments and umes that record Chinese life and here to attend any of the events use the results to correlate physi- culture. below. cal and noninvasive test methods. In the second presentation, Leslie Preservation Meets Public Health Training the Next Generation Long, a senior preservation spe- April 26, 11 a.m. April 29, 11 a.m. cialist in the Conservation Division, Jacob Nadal, director for pres- Adrija Henley, chief of the Pres- will focus on three important fig- ervation, will explain how Library ervation Services Division, will ures from the so-called golden age staff used information from the talk about her division’s hosting of American design — John REALM project (see the story on of three librarians-in-residence Feely, Sarah Wyman Whitman and page 1 of this Gazette issue) in since 2018 and introduce librari- Margaret Armstrong. They worked conjunction with public health ans-in-residence, who will share between 1870 and 1920, during guidance to develop safe oper- their experiences. a period characterized by ations for activities involving the published with beautiful covers for Library’s collections. everyday buyers. ▪ Restarting Operations During the Pandemic April 27, 11 a.m. YOUR HELP IS NEEDED: COPYRIGHT PUBLIC RECORDS SYSTEM Matthew Martin, director of the The Office of the Chief Information Officer is conducting a usability study of Operations Division, will speak the new Copyright Public Records System and needs help from staff. Inter- about how the Preservation Direc- ested employees are invited to explore the system and give feedback on its torate’s Collections Management capabilities and functionality to inform ongoing improvements and user-ex- Division prioritized its workload perience enhancements. The study takes about 20 minutes to complete during the pandemic in light of and is available until April 23. It uses screen and audio recording functions to capture reactions. To learn more and sign up, go to Copyright Public Records limited on-site staff and the need System Usability Study. to re-evaluate processes and procedures to ensure safety and efficiency.

4 APRIL 16, 2021 QUESTION & ANSWER

sives. It turns out that there’s a lot resistance change as a function of of overlap between that kind of lots of variables combined — age, chemistry and the chemistry of print location, pH, discoloration? preservation science, especially at The real world is complex, so I’ve the Library. After a while in Minne- been applying more complicated sota, my wife and I were looking to multivariate models to better move back closer to our families, capture those complexities. Fortu- and the time and place lined up nately, we have plenty of historical perfectly as the Library was hiring and current data to explore. another chemist. But I do miss working in the labs. I typically work in the Preservation I recently worked with colleagues Research and Testing Division’s at the National Audio-Visual Con- (PRTD) labs in the Madison Build- servation Center to understand ing. I run physical and chemical the chemical properties of new experiments to determine things lubrication treatments to enable like the tensile strength of reels of the playback of squealing audio- audiotape or the size of cellulose tapes in the collection that were molecules in paper, particularly as challenging to play. I was doing they relate to preservation needs some careful accelerated aging or treatment efforts. Those tests studies of other audiotapes before usually rely on PRTD’s collection of the pandemic necessitated leaving reference materials acquired for those on the bench last year. the purpose of destructive testing, I also really enjoy working with because we obviously don’t want interns in our labs. I’ve regularly to be dissolving collection objects. mentored high school students Since those materials are repre- through an American Chemical sentative of Library’s collection, we

Andrew Davis Andrew Society program that provides sci- can then use the experiments to entific internships for economically inform the preservation of physical disadvantaged students, who are collections. typically also from groups under- Andrew Davis My background in light and oxygen represented in the sciences. It lets chemistry has also led me to them draw real-world connections Andrew Davis is a chemist in the work a lot with the anoxic display between science and the Preservation Research and Testing encasements for the 1507 Wald- practical science at the Library. Division. seemüller world map and the 1783 The publication Chemical & Engi- Abel Buell U.S. map in the Jeffer- neering News created a video of Tell us a little about your son Building. I keep a daily eye on some of those projects. background. sensor data for things like oxygen What do you enjoy doing outside and pressure levels to ensure the I grew up in Virginia Beach, where work? I sold snow cones on the board- documents are protected during walk in the summer and enjoyed display. I also analyze the interplay We had a daughter recently — all the excellent benefits of living between environmental conditions she’s 10 months old now! So, my in a tourist town during the off- of the building and the display time these days involves trying season. I studied chemistry and cases to understand how external to keep up with her increasingly materials science at the University conditions affect the sealed dis- Mad Max-style of rollicking around, of Virginia, then spent five years in play enclosures. The encasement which is fun and exhausting. Amherst, Massachusetts, getting technology is nearly as interesting When it’s not a pandemic, I’m a my Ph.D. in polymer science and as the maps themselves! big fan of flat-track roller derby engineering from the University of What are some of your standout (cheering, not playing). I would Massachusetts Amherst. After that, projects? regularly go to watch Charm City I moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota, Roller Derby. My wife and I and our and worked in the central research This last year is obviously note- friends have attended four of the labs at 3M. worthy, since I’ve been working last five international mostly from home. I’ve been doing championships. What brought you to the Library, a lot of statistical analyses of our and what do you do? lab’s technical data sets. Finding What is something your co- My work during my Ph.D. and at correlations between two vari- workers may not know about you? 3M focused on using light to cause ables isn’t hard — for example, how I’m a bit of a tea snob, with a par- chemical change in different paper’s tear resistance is affected ticular soft spot for Fujian province materials, coatings and adhe- by acidity (pH). But how does tear oolongs, especially Shui Xian. ▪

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GAZETTE 5 NEWS

PRESERVATION, CONTINUED FROM 1 decide on safe practices for their butions to REALM include raising communities. Additional labora- one-of-a-kind questions. As an introduce a measurable risk of tory testing is taking place during example, he pointed to testing transferring residue that fluo- a third phase of the project, as of materials distributed by the resces and often seems to dis- REALM explores other COVID-re- National Library Service for the color with age,” Fenella France, lated public health topics that Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) — PRTD’s chief said. affect libraries, such as vaccina- braille books and USB cartridges The hand sanitizer study connects tion and virus variants. containing . to a larger endeavor the Library For the hand sanitizer study, PRTD “That was a community that would and PRTD have been participating staff scientists applied three not probably have had an advo- in since last spring. The REopening common sanitizers to their hands, cate for it if the Library had not Archives, Libraries and Museums let them dry as recommended been there specifically,” Nadal (REALM) project brings together and pressed their thumbs on test said. cultural heritage institutions with materials. They did the same after NLS staff forwarded samples to scientists at Battelle Memo- washing their hands with soap REALM, including of the containers rial Institute to determine best and water. Then, they conducted used to mail books and cartridges. practices to protect people from accelerated aging of the materials NLS materials are circulated COVID-19 as institutions reopen to replicate what might happen through a network of cooperating doors they closed during the over time. libraries across the country. pandemic. While discoloration and fluorescent “The network library staff was Mark Sweeney, principal deputy residue appeared on materials rightly apprehensive in handling Librarian of Congress, is on affected by hand sanitizers, no material returned from patrons REALM’s executive steering com- such effects were present from at the onset of the pandemic,” mittee, and France and Jacob washed hands. Although further Michael Katzmann of NLS said. Nadal, director of preservation at testing will occur after 16 weeks the Library, are members of the of aging, these preliminary results Initially, NLS shared estimates from project’s scientific working group. suggest that “freshly washed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the viability REALM started in May 2020 and is hands are preferable,” France said. of the virus on surfaces. But as set to conclude this September. In Nadal said the Library’s contri- the first phase, participants began testing how long SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, survives on library materials that circulate to patrons — hard and REMEMBERING PRINCE PHILIP soft book covers, pages within books, DVD and CD covers. Testing involved applying tiny amounts of a virulent form of the virus to mate- rials as they lay flat, keeping them at standard room temperature and humidity and counting the days and hours until the virus was no longer detectable. In the second phase of the project, testing expanded to more mate- rials and workflows across insti- tutions large and small, including public libraries. How long does the virus survive on stacked books as opposed to single sample pages, project participants asked? How long does it last on stor- age containers or acrylic display cases? Library Archive Congress of

While participants pursued these Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United and other questions, REALM Kingdom, died on April 9 at Windsor Castle in England. In this photograph from Nov. 5, released findings on its website 1951, Philip (center) views the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, (www.oclc.org/realm), along with displayed in the Jefferson Building’s Great Hall, during a visit to the U.S. with his wife, resources to help institutions who at the time was Princess Elizabeth. She became queen in 1953 following the death of her father, King George VI.

6 APRIL 16, 2021 REALM findings became available, the effects of hand sanitizers, for For example, during expanded NLS passed along more precise example, required damaging actual telework, the Collections Man- guidance — and ease of mind. papers and parchment — although agement Division has prepared “The short answer is that the virus not any from the Library’s holdings. thousands of new books for cat- can survive around three to five The Preservation Directorate alogers to work on from home. days on common library materi- acquired the William J. Barrow col- They schedule a time to pick them als,” Nadal said. NLS materials are lection in the 1970s. A self-trained up and return them to minimize typically in transit for that amount chemist, Barrow built up a library contact with others. And, after of time, alleviating concerns about of more than 1,000 books dating they drop books off, no one else safe handling. from 1507 to 1899, all for one pur- touches them for 72 hours. Nadal said the Library is especially pose: to conduct studies on them “Although different materials may well positioned to support REALM using destructive techniques. have different decay curves, by 72 because of the diverse scientific France has expanded this scien- hours, the major risk is substan- expertise France has built up in tific reference sample collection to tially alleviated for everything. We PRTD since she joined the Library include CDs, DVDs, glass, magnetic see a huge drop-off in the pres- 15 years ago. The division has six tape, fibers, fabrics and other ence of the virus,” Nadal said. Ph.D. scientists, including France, materials present in the Library’s “The Library has a lot to be proud whose background is in textile sci- holdings. The hand sanitizer study of in its response to COVID,” he ence. Others have backgrounds in used papers and parchments from concluded. “Our staff’s incredible chemistry, engineering, physics or among the reference samples. knowledge coupled with our dis- forensics. Coincidentally, one staff The Preservation Directorate is tinctive collections, like our scien- member in PRTD also has experi- sharing findings from REALM and tific reference samples and mate- ence in virology. its own studies within the Library rials from the NLS network, came “It’s been really successful bringing and, in consultation with the together to help us achieve a year in people who have a background Health Services Division, recom- of remarkably safe operations.” ▪ in science,” France said. “Then, we mendations have already been start to add the layers of under- implemented. standing of different materials and treatments and the impact of the environment.” WOMEN WHO LEAD AT THE LIBRARY Andrew Forsberg is a preserva- April 22, 1 to 2 p.m. tion researcher working in PRTD through a grant from the Andrew “Women Who Lead at the Library: A Conversation with Lanisa Kitchiner and W. Mellon Foundation. For REALM, Kate Zwaard” will take place online on April 22 from 1 to 2 p.m. It is the first he analyzed found on the event of the Library of Congress Professional Association’s new Women’s Forum for Growth and Networking (https://go.usa.gov/xHcq4), launched to covers of children’s board books. support women’s careers and foster a sense of community. The forum holds Using a noninvasive method that monthly planning meetings at 2 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every relies on infrared spectroscopy, he month. All are welcome. tested more than 60 books from the Library’s collections and found Click to participate in the April 22 event. Click to participate in monthly plan- that cover coatings were mainly ning meetings. acrylic mixed with other plastics, Questions? Contact Jocelyn McNamara, [email protected] or Stacey such as polypropylene and Devine, [email protected]. polyester. “It was important to know because plastic surfaces are one of the types of materials on which the HOME EQUITY virus stays viable for longer,” France said. “If anything is going to OPTIONS THAT go in someone’s mouth, it’s going to be a children’s .” $AVE YOU MONEY! Contact us As it turns out, the virus is no Home Equity Line of Credit with fixed 202-707-5852 longer detectable on board book 2.75%APR* for first 6 months & revolving term covers after four days, REALM or visit determined. Home Equity Loan with low, fixed rates LCFCU.org & terms up to 15 years Like Forsberg’s study of book covers, much research carried out WE’LL MAKE IT EASY TO GET YOUR BEST EQUITY OPTION by PRTD is noninvasive or minimally *APR = Annual Percentage Rate, limited time and subject to change without notice. Contact us or visit LCFCU.org for restrictions. invasive, but not all of it is. Testing

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GAZETTE 7