presented by Fe Angela M. Verzosa at the Records Management Seminar-workshop, held at Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City, 15 August 2014

1. Conservation Program
by
Fe Angela M. Verzosa
Records Management Seminar-workshop,
Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City, 15 August 2014

2. Preservation vs Conservation –
ANY DIFFERENCE?

3. What’s the difference?
Preservation is a
branch of library and
information science
concerned with
maintaining or restoring
access to artifacts,
documents and records
through the study,
diagnosis, treatment
and prevention of decay
and damage.
Conservation
refers to the
treatment and repair
of individual items to
slow decay or
restore them to a
usable state.
(Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P
reservation_(library_and_arc
hival_science)

4. PRESERVATION
deals with the acquisition,
organization, and distribution of
resources (human, physical, monetary)
to ensure adequate protection and
access to historical and cultural
information of enduring value for
present and future generations of
users.
encompasses three aspects:
planning, implementation, prevention

5. Conservation
is the concentrated active
care of damaged or fragile
documents in any format.
It involves invasive
procedures, which alter
the state of documents in
order to stabilize or repair
them.

6. CONSERVATION
program that deals with the physical
or chemical treatment of documents
encompasses three functions:
examination
preservation
restoration

7. conservation functions
examination - procedure taken to determine
the original makeup of an item and extent of its
deterioration, alteration, and loss.
preservation - action taken to retard/prevent
deterioration or damage by control of their
environment and/or treatment to maintain their
original state, as far as possible.
restoration - action taken to return a deterio-
rated or damaged item to its original form.

8. Implementing a conservation program
Surveys
Management Support
directive
conservation committee
conservation policy
organizational structure
budget
Conservation Facilities
Conservation Staff

9. Conservation surveys
comprehensive - a recognized tool in
collection management; it evaluates the condition
of a collection as a whole and proposes solutions
to improve conditions.
environmental - assesses the suitablity of
the building and its facilities for storage.
condition - assesses the physical condition
and state of repair of the library’s holdings.

10. Comprehensive surveys
pre-survey planning - reviews a full
range of documentation, mission statement,
policies & procedures, construction records,
floor plans, existing preservation program,
insurance, etc.
on-site visit- a walk-through examination
of the building and its facilities.
the report- a technical report summarizing
all the findings and recommendations.
institutional actions- implementing
follow-up

11. Environmental Survey
the building itself: roof and walls -
leaks? insulation? dampness?
environment in the building:
temperature and humidity controls?
lighting conditions?
building security: locks? alarms?
extinguishers? sprinkler system?
storage areas and workrooms: pest
control? ventilation? types of shelves?

12. Condition Survey
best means of gathering data needed to
evaluate treatment priorities
survey instrument should be as
extensive as possible
survey form should be simple to fill out
survey data may include the following:

13. Collection Location
Date of survey Conducted by
Box and folder no. Type of material Inclusive dates
Format Media Type/Quality of storage containers
Condition of collection:
general appearance insect damage
tears/abrasions harmful means of
surface dirt/dust attachment (clips, pins)
water/other stains enclosures (flowers, clip-
discoloration pings, photos, etc)
embrittlement other observations:
evidence of mold/mildew __________________
Use of collection:
Priority ranking of collection for treatment: _________
Recommended treatment: _____________________

14. Conservation priorities
high-quality informational
content
significant current/projected use
physical condition of original
format
cost-effectiveness of treatment

15. Implementing a conservation program
Surveys
Management Support
directive
conservation committee
conservation policy
organizational structure
budget
Conservation Facilities
Conservation Staff

16. administrative order
outlines priorities and goals
short-term intermediate
long-term
provides a conservation policy
statement
designates responsibility for the
conservation effort

17. Preservation Policy
A policy for preservation cannot be
prepared in isolation; it must form an
integral part of the overall policy for
collection or repository management.
It must take full account of the aims and
objectives of the organization, the needs
of users and the place of the collection or
repository within a local, regional, national
or even international framework

18. Conservation Policy
Statement
must be written
approved by the Conservation Committee
adheres to basic principles in conservation
contains manual of procedures that should
serve as helpful guide and training aid
lists specific “do’s and dont’s”

19. Conservation Policy Statement
A document embracing a range of
programmes to be applied to materials as
appropriate. Includes:
preventive measures to minimize the rate of
deterioration
Housekeeping - best practices to extend the life
of the materials
Training programmes for staff and users on
correct handling of archival materials

20. Conservation Policy Statement
security measures and contingency plans for
disaster control and recovery
protective measures, such as boxing, binding,
and wrapping, to reduce wear and tear on
materials
a substitution programme for replacing valuable
or very brittle originals with surrogates
conservation treatments to repair damaged
originals

21. CONSERVATION: who is responsible?
library manager
archivist
conservator
personnel
users
Librarians/archivists:
•keep them under best conditions
•determine which require special
facilities or handling
•decide which merit conservation
Conservator:
advises the best treatment
undertakes the repair/conservation
Personnel:
Handle library materials gently.
Set a good example for users.
Users:
Handle materials gently.
Safeguard materials for future users.

22. Organizational Structure
C o n s e r v a t i o n C o n s u l t a n t ( s ) C o n s e r v a t i o n S c i e n t i s t ( s )
c o n s e r v a t i o n t e c h n i c i a n ( s )
P r e s e r v a t i o n O f f i c e r L i b r a r y D i r e c t o r / C u r a t o r
C o n s e r v a t i o n C o m m i t t e e

23. Conservation Committee
knowledge of nature of collections
knowledge of conservation, or
enthusiasm, interest, willingness to
learn conservation skills
formal appointment
authority to gather information, plan
the program, review facilities and
environment, execute the program

24. Preservation Officer/Conservator
Responsible for
formulation, implementation, and evaluation/review of
preservation/conservation program
monitoring the preservation and conservation needs of
new acquisitions to the archive, and conserving
damaged or fragile documents already in the collection
supervising preservation and conservation projects,
training new staff, and updating or refreshing the
preservation skills of existing staff.
implementation and review of disaster control plan

25. Conservation Staff
restoration work must be done only by
trained personnel
staff training is an ongoing responsibility
training and orientation must be directed
toward staff at all levels
the number of staff involved will depend on
the size and type of the institution, and on
the extent of conservation program

26. Budget
must be a line item in the institutional budget
at least 15-20 % of total budget
expenses should include
archival storage materials
extermination services
subscription to literature on conservation
expanded projects such as establishment
of conservation laboratory, microfilming,
etc.

27. Conservation Facilities
air conditioning
dehumidifier
fumigation chamber or vacuum
fumigators
vacuum / freeze-drying chamber

28. Conservation Supplies
Japanese tissue paper, matboard
Mylar polyester sheets
blotter paper
soft brushes
cleaning pads
hygrometer
(RH instrument tool)
polyethylene-lined
kraft paper

29. Principles in Conservation
rule of reversibility - no procedure or
treatment should be undertaken that cannot
later be undone.
compatibility of problem and solution -
the chosen treatment to be applied should not
be greater or weaker than the problem. It may
be best to do nothing at all if no acceptable
treatment solution is compatible to the
problem.

30. more principles ...
rule on restoration - how far reconstruc-
tion may be undertaken without losing or
diminishing the integrity of the item or
document.
documentation - maintaining a complete
and accurate record of all treatments.
Narrative description
checklist of work done
photographic record (before, during,
and after)

31. Do not use any measure,
treatment, or program that:
cannot be reversed if necessary
cannot be used properly
will not last a long time
is harmful to people
changes the physical property of
material
dissolves or damages any part of the
material

32. Causes of
Damage/Deterioration
acid – internal factors affecting quality of paper
light - ultraviolet rays in sunlight and fluorescent light
cause chemical changes in the paper and accelerate the
process of fading
temperature and humidity - accelerates the
growth of mold and the internal decomposition of paper
air pollution - causing discoloration, embrittlement
and disintegration of the paper fibers
Insects and rodents

33. Causes of
Damage/Deterioration
Water damage is a fairly common cause and one
that should be anticipated in most disaster prevention/
planning programs
Photocopying frequently damages bound volumes
Shelving - Leaning books cause undue strain on the
spine, and tightly packed books are harmed with
shelving and removal.
Book drops
Wear and tear from use

34. retarding deterioration
temperature and humidity control
filtration screens against dirt and air
pollutants
filters against ultraviolet and infrared rays
deacidification
acid-free/rust-free storage facilities
careful handling
good housekeeping (and pest control)

35. Conservation Guidelines
light control
pest control
temperature
and humidity
control
handling of
materials by staff
handling of
materials by users
acidity control

36. Conservation Guidelines
store materials in acid-free
containers
remove paper clips, staple wires,
pins, string, tape, etc. while
processing (use plastic clips,
fasteners, etc instead)
use metal shelving at least 4- 5
inches above floor level
Acid:

37. Conservation Guidelines
store materials away from light
keep lights off or low
install ultraviolet filters
avoid using original items in displays
and exhibits
monitor light levels regularly (50 to
150 lux)
Light control:

38. Conservation guidelines
temperature of 20 to 25 0
C or 60-65 0
F
wide fluctuations should be avoided
low RH (below 20%) leads to dessication
and embrittlement of paper
high RH (over 60%) accelerates chemical
and biological deterioration
recommended level is 50 %
temperature & humidity:

39. Conservation guidelines
check incoming materials for signs of
infestation
separate infested materials for treatment
never eat/drink in storage/research
areas
keep archives/library clean and
uncluttered
set traps/poison baits to catch rodents
contact services of an exterminator
insects and rodents:

40. Conservation Guidelines
handle materials as little as possible
never use ink or adhesive tape
do not write on any part of the material
except to make notations using soft
pencil
substitute copies for originals
do not overpack in boxes or in shelves
handling of materials:

41. Conservation Treatments
Fumigation
Dry cleaning, washing and
bleaching
Deacidification
Mending, reinforcement,
and support using
Japanese paper
lamination
encapsulation

42. Deacidification Treatment
Mass deacidification – along with micro-
film and lamination - was developed during
the early- and mid-20th century to retard
deterioration of paper due to acidity.
William J. Barrow invented an aqueous
process to neutralize acid in paper while
depositing an alkaline buffer that would
retard the rate of decay.

43. Deacidification Methods
BookKeeper process is a non-aqueous, liquid phase
process that uses magnesium oxide.
CSC Book Saver uses carbonated magnesium
propylate
Papersave process uses magnesium titanium
alkoxide (available in Swiss, Leipzig models)
Wei T'o process uses methoxy magnesium methyl
carbonate (for single item deacidification)
ALL available as hand-held sprays

44. Deacidification Methods
Barrow’s method

46. BCP - Bückeburg Conservation Procedure
Deacidification Methods

48. Deacidification Methods
PaperSave Swiss

49. CBCL: 2 (Leipzig, Germany)
Deacidification Methods

50. Deacidification process…
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_lLPVqiUZg
ZFB:2
Mass Deacidification
ZFB 2 mass deacidification process using
calcium carbonate

51. When to deacidify? Which method
select paper in relatively good condition, usually with
solid bindings and text blocks (when dealing with
bound materials).
use is crucial. Items that are heavily used are
excellent candidates for deacidification.
importance—if an item is a crucial part of an important
collection, deacidifcation is the best choice even if the
item is not in pristine condition. Again, the long-term
importance of the item and its potential use to
scholars in the future are significant considerations.

52. Pressing mended documents using
flat iron…

53. Book-binding process

54. Reinforcing / binding process

55. Lamination process…

56. Lamination was popular from the 1930s
through the 1970s, but has since fallen out of
favor.
Lamination changes the appearance of the
document, causing damage and irreparable
distortions.
The current equivalent of (or alternative to)
lamination is encapsulation, which protects
deacidified papers within a sealed plastic
sleeve.
Lamination process…

57. Encapsulation
Unlike lamination, encapsulation is completely and easily
reversible. Encapsulated pages can be bound without
significant damage to individual pages and can be a
viable alternative for valuable and delicate materials.

58. Mending with Japanese
tissue

59. Basic Repair Procedures
relaxing and flattening documents
removal of paper fasteners (pins,
clips) / adhesives
appropriate means of attachment
surface cleaning of paper records
testing for ink solubility
ph-testing for acidity
mending with Japanese paper

60. Treatment options
conditions actions
damagedfragile and endangered
fragile and endangeredfrequently used
pest-infested
• in-house treatment
• deacidification
• lab conservation
• encapsulation
• lamination
• digitization
• microfilming
• photocopying
• fumigation

61. Surrogating or Reformatting
Surrogating is the creation of copies of original
documents in various forms, to be used in place of
damaged or fragile originals, or originals which may
become damaged or fragile through frequent use, and
which continue to be preserved under the appropriate
storage conditions. Ex: facsimile , photocopy,
scanned images
Reformatting is the creation of new formats of the
original documents to assure their continued access
and preservation. Ex: microfilming and digitization

62. Surrogating/Reformatting
•Provision of surrogates - microfilm,
microfiche, photocopy, digital copy
•Where surrogating is required, both the
original document and the surrogate copy
must be preserved
•Where surrogates are available, original
documents will only be produced in cases
where researchers can prove a genuine need
to consult the originals

63. where the copying process is deemed
to pose a risk of harm to the originals,
no photocopying will be allowed.
Reprographics will also be restricted to
the staff only – users are not allowed
to perform this function.
Flash photography will not be allowed.
Only surrogate copies will be allowed
for loan/exhibition.
Surrogating/Reformatting

64. Digitization
usually refers to the conversion of
printed text or images into binary signals
using some kind of scanning device that
enables the result to be displayed on a
computer screen.
has been endorsed as an accepted
preservation reformatting option for a
range of materials.

65. Digitization
The inherent tension between the nature
of digital information and preservation
Digitization creates new resources that
need to be preserved
Long-term maintenance is needed to
ensure that digital master files remain
accessible, authentic, and intact

66. Issues and Concerns
Can digitization be considered a preservation
strategy?
“Digitization is not preservation – at least not
yet”(Smith, 1999)
“Digitization is NOT preservation”(Gertz, 2007)•
“Digitization can provide a form of insurance for
preserving content, even though digital
surrogates cannot replace physical originals”
(Lynch, 2006)

67. Digital media is not as durable as paper and
other analog materials
Uncertainty about long-term access and retrieval
of digitized data
Integrity and authenticity of digital objects
Loss of data and data corruption
Stability of digital format, digital storage
Technological obsolescence
Systems for access and retrieval of digital
collections
Issues and Concerns

68. Digitization for preservation
Digitization can be considered a viable
preservation strategy if:
Original materials are fragile, damaged,
or recorded on unstable analog media
There is no other preservation method
available
It is part of a comprehensive approach
to access and preservation

69. Digital Preservation
Digital preservation is the series of actions
and interventions required to ensure
continued and reliable access to authentic
digital objects for as long as they are deemed
to be of value.
This encompasses not just technical activities,
but also all of the strategic and
organizational considerations that relate to
the survival and management of digital
material.

70. Preservation
Strategies
for Libraries and Archival
Resources

71. How to handle
archival materials ?

72. Handling of archival materials
do not leave users unattended
only issue a limited number of docu-
ments or folders, or one box at a time
do not allow material to be taken out
from reading room
do not allow materials to be rearranged
only staff should take charge of
photocopying
examine materials after use

73. Keep manuscripts/records in
acid-free folders and boxes.
Remove only one folder at a time.

74. Maintain the order or arrangement
of documents in each folder.

75. Never remove manuscript
pages from folders.

76. Wear gloves when handling
photographs.

77. Always use a pencil,
never a pen or marker.

78. Do not rest your hand, arm,
or place any object
on a book or manuscript.

79. Keep folders and pages flat on
table, do not hold in hands.

80. Keep volumes flat on table,
do not hold in hands.

81. Use a book cradle and special
weights, if they are provided.

82. When leaving for a short time,
close the volume, folder or box.

83. Notify staff if any materials are damaged
or out of sequence. Do not attempt to re-
arrange them yourself.

84. Food and drink are not permitted
because they can damage
collections and attract vermin and
insects.

85. Tips in implementing conservation program...
examine the environment
improve the environment
examine the materials / establish priorities
for treatment
separate materials for in-house treatment
from those requiring professional care
establish a work room for remedial
treatment
supervise in-house repairs and restoration
work with a professional conservator
keep informed

86. Legal and ethical Issues
•Intellectual Property Rights
•Reproduction rights of Libraries
and Archives in Copyright laws
•Legal constraints in use of
reprographic and digital copies
• Access and security issues
•Privacy and Confidentiality issues
•Keeping the integrity of originals

87. Conservation videos
Conservation of Jefferson
Papers at U. of Virginia
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=CArraKc81Kw
Basics of Paper Conservation
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=dcb3JwPjDjA

88. Acknowledgement/Credits
and references:
Library Preservation at Harvard
http://preserve.harvard.edu/care/index.html
Library of Congress Preservation
http://www.loc.gov/preserv/
New York University Libraries
http://library.nyu.edu/preservation/
Preservation History
http://preservationhistory.wikispaces.com/Brit

89. Contact famverzosa@yahoo.com
Questions?