Conservation and Preservation Resources 

This video was shown at Disaster Planning for High Density Repositoriespresented by Jennifer Hain Teper of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The conservation department is conducting sprinkler testing on shelving and boxes for high density storage to determine how disaster plans need to be adjusted from standard. Sprinkler tests showed areas of pooling from run-off and pressure from the sprinklers. It also showed that the special collections boxes made for high density storage essentially go to pulp with the volume of water. Jennifer is working with a vendor to develop a better box for special collections in high density storage. Research continues...

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Available from the University of Utah and originally produced by the Royal College of Art, London, 1968. In this 40 minute video book conservators begin to restore the many books damaged by the devastating flood in Florence, Italy in 1966. Peter Waters covers a book in leather. Christopher Clarkson makes a vellum binding.

This guides are currently in use at Syracuse University Library for staff training and will be revised during the first half of 2009.

Images from recent disaster training workshop

Paperback swollen and misshapen due to water damage

Disaster Plan for Print, Non-Print, and Audio Materials:

This plan is designed to help staff cope with 99.9% of all water related emergencies, and gives step by step instructions for drying books and other paper based materials.Also included are sections on audio and non-print materials (photographs, negatives, microfilm, paintings) from water related damage. Because of the very delicate nature of these materials it is highly advisable to contact a conservator as soon as possible. The Preservation Department will be happy to assist with recommendations.

Resources Elsewhere

• Conservation OnLine (CoOL):Disaster planning and recovery links. 
• National Park System Museum Handbook: This document provides guidance on, and outlines procedures for, museum record keeping, including accessioning, cataloging, loans, daccessioning, photography, and reporting annual collection management data. Direct link to chapter 10 on disaster recovery.
  • This primer discusses how to plan for, salvage, and care for paper objects in emergencies, such as fire, flood, and earthquake.
• Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) Emergency Management Preservation Leaflets
• Preservation Beat: The University of Iowa Libraries blog describing their recovery efforts from the floods of 2008.
• Disaster preparedness documents prepared by the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and the National Institute for Conservation (NIC)