Workshop on Conservation and preservation of archival materials and

manuscripts 24th & 25th august 2010

Mumbai UniversityReport by

 Anjali Londhe

Conservation and preservation of archival materials and manuscripts

Day1 -.24th august 2010 1.Manuscript Preservation Concept –Dr.Sushma Paudwal,SNDT univeristy Librarian,Mumbai2.Microfilming as a method of preservation – Dr.Vivekanand Gopal,curator, saraswati mahal Library3.Factors leading to manuscript deterioration –Ms.Amruta Natu –Bhandarkar Orientalresearch Centre Day 2-25th August 2010 1.Preservation of archival Records-Dr.Arun Divekar2.Descriptive cataloguing of manuscripts-Sampada jadhav3.Digitization of manuscripts as a preservation technique-Dr.Vivek patkar.

Inauguaration The function was formally inaugurated by A.C.Tikekar,former university librarian,mumbai

A.C.Tikekar – Former mumbai university librarianIn his lecture sir has emphasized on following points

• Types of Writing materials • Types of Base-Palm Leaf, Parchment • Accession register for manuscripts • Catalogingof manuscripts & broad classification of materials • Preservation Techniques 1. Copying 2. Xerox 3. microfilming 4. Scanning   •  National Mission of Manuscripts

Preservation of manuscripts :Conceptual framework

Sushma Paudwal SNDT University Librarian, Mumbai

Manuscripts Manus +Hand script = WrittenManuscript -DefinitionAntiquities & Art treasure Act 1972  Handwritten Documents Scientific, Literary, Artistic, Historic Value 75 year oldImportance of manuscripts• Historical • Literary • National Heritage

Rich Tradition of manuscripts For identification of age and value of manuscripts following points are considered.• Variety of Subjects • variety of Formats- Stone, Cloth, Metal, leaves, Paper • variety of Languages- Sanskrit, Prakrit, Marathi, Tamil, Pali • variety of Scripts - Devanagri, Brahmi, Modi, Ardhamagdhi• Use of Illustrations, Colours

Location of Indian Manuscripts• Temples • Monasteries • Dormitories • Homes of Scholars • Royal Palaces • Libraries

Problem With Manuscripts • Uncertain authorship • Proliferation of Different Versions of the Text • Enormity of anonymous words • Lingual & scriptoral Variations • Loose Leaf Practice of Maintenance

Preservation and conservation of library materials preservation and conservation includes following issues• Preservation • Conservation • Restoration • Dilemma of Preservation Vs Access • Multi pronged Approach- artifact, Surrogate, Digitization• Archives & manuscript Management

Archives -Old RecordsGovt Archives - Govt RecordsCommon Concerns• Environmental monitoring • Condition assessment • Format specific Care • Disaster Preparedness • handling & use • Security & conservative Treatment

 Palm Leaf BoxesThere are 2 techniques of preservation 1) 2 boxes for palm leaf- Thermal Insulated  material - Japanese2) Paper With Arsenic, Sulpher, -Binding Manuscripts - Chinese

Manuscriptology It includes acquisition, Processing, repair & care, transcription, transliteration, Identifying age & value of manuscripts C.C.Morrow  Preservation is taken to prevent, stop or retard deterioration of materials Parts of Preservation • Biological Agents- Fumigation • Storage Conditions -Air Conditioning • Climate Control -Temperature & humidity Control • Disaster preparedness• Staff Training • Training Users  

Conservation• Stabilization & maintenance of Existing materials • Physical or chemical Intervention to ensure Survival of manuscripts & other documents

 RestorationReturning Deteriorated Item to its original Condition Specific techniques of mending  & repair

Projects • Unesco memory of asia project -1992 • Intach -lucknow Conservation Status of manuscripts, Banaras Hindu University

1990 • Asiatic Society Library • Library of Congress Microfilming Project 1990 • Down Memory Lane Project 1991 • Archives -Department of India Grant • National Mission of Archives Project 2003 -IGNCA

Types of Preservation • Archives • Diaries • Photographs • Memorial Lectures

Courses Conducted By• Intach- Lucknow • Asiatic Library • National manuscript Mission • Bhandarkar Orientle Research

Conservation Guidelineshttp://www.namami.org

Microfilming as a method of preservation  Dr.Vivekanand Gopal

 Saraswati mahal Library, Tanjavur Basic Considerations for microfilm system design1. Archival Material Description2. Physical Characteristics3. Handling and maintenance procedure4. Privacy and confidentiality5. Problem statement & needs assessment

MicrographicsReproducing information on microformsMicro recordMicro filmProcess of micro record System1. Preparing records for filming2. Coding & indexing of records3. Micro photographing records4. Processing the film

Factors leading to manuscript deterioration

 Ms. Amruta NatuManuscriptA document having cultural importance

Materials of ManuscriptsPalm Leaf - Incised -southern, Painted-Gujrat • bhurja patra • Paper -A)Handmade Paper-cellulose-Multi directional B)Machine made Paper-

Bi Directional

Types of conservation1. Preventive -Indirect Actions2. Curative -Direct Actions Are Involved

Factors of Deterioration

1.Human Being  • Touching • Lifting • Moving • Placing

 2.Dust & atmospheric Pollution  3.Temperature & relative Humidity  4.Light  5.Insects & Fungus

   

Dust• Germs-Fungus Spores• Metal Particles• Soot –Kajali• Moisture

Atmospheric Pollution• Nitrogen• Oxygen• Sulpher Di oxide• Carbon Di oxide• Hydrocarbons• Hydrogen Sulphide

*H2s -Sulphuric Salt*So2-H2So4*NH3 - Hygroscopic*CI- HCL Acid*Soot -Absorbs Acid

Dust Prevention• Dusting & cleaning • Air Conditioning • Minimum no.of Visitors • Using & cleaning Doormats • Using Curtains • Placing in Cupboards • maintaining Lawns Near Collection

Temperature1. Rise & fall of Temperatures 2. Effects of Fluctuations in Temperature 3. Monitoring of Temperature 4. Idea Condition - 20-25 degree Celsius

Solutions• Plantation of Trees • Fans • Valyache padade

Relative HumidityPresent Water Vapor/Maximum Water Vapor *100Fluctuations in Relative humidityIdeal Condition for Relative Humidity for manuscripts is 45-55%Solutions• Dehumidifier - Continuous Monitoring • Silika Gel - Absorbs Humidity - Reusable • Baffles/Hurdles to change the directions of wind

LightsalphabetagamaInfraredLuxmeter-measure lights

requirements for manuscript collection is 40 lux meter.Solutions• Lampshades • Reading Hall should be separate • switching of lights • Filters • Monitoring -On off light    

 HumiditySolutions• Controlling Of humidity • Leakage of Water • Decompose the Book -Breaks the Cellulose Leakage • Use Thimol Chemical For treatment

Insects1.  Cockroach2. Silverfish3. Termites

Solution• No Eatables • Cleaning • Mesh on Windows • use Ripelents-Napthalene balls,  paradycorabenzin • Natural hurbs -kapoor, neem • use stones • Examine new collection- before adding

Pest Control Management• Deny Entry• Deny Shelter • Deny Food • Destroy• Fumigation Chamber -air tight - Temperature -35 degree Celcius• Before fumigation brushing is done

Disasters1. water- Flood2. Fire3. Earthquake4. Plastic lamination

2 Efforts for manuscript resource centre

• Preparation of national Register of manuscript

• Manuscript conservation centrue

Preservation of archival records  Dr.Arun Divekar

niteeka Preservation ProcedureIt includes follwing steps• PH Test• Aqueous Bath Solution Japanese Tissue Lamination or Banana Tissue

ReinforcementPreservation is slow , tedious  & laborious Process. it requires minimum Intervention preservation will be better with thymol Coated Paper Japanese Tissue Paper• Japanese Tissue Paper is Pasted On paper with Maida• Tissue Paper can be taken out if required

De lamination of Plastics is possible but its costly and technology is unavailable in India  Manuscript preservation cost depends on size of the book it  can be 6000-12000 It is mainly per folio Cost  

Digitization Vs Microform

Both have its advantages & disadvantages

Descriptive Cataloguing for manuscriptssampada jadhav

ALA Glossary of termsDescriptive Cataloguing"That Place of the process of cataloguing which concerns itself with the identification & description of book." C.D.Needham"Descriptive Cataloguing is concerned with the information given in the body of entry as distinct from heading“ Purpose To Assist in the choice of document by providing subject level of the contents FactorsSubject of Description and their order1. Title 2. Author 3. Date 4. Publication 5. Physical Description 6. Notes 7. Extent of Description

AACR II RulesMetadata• Types1. Technical meta data2. Preservation3. Rights Management4. Structural

 DCMI ElementsTitle Creator Subject Description Publisher Source Language Relation Coverage RightsDublin Core Standards

• Content• IP• Instantion

Digitization of manuscripts as a preservation technique 

Vivek PatkarManuscriptsIt includes handwritten Composition on Paper,bark, Cloth, Metal, Palm Leaf or anyother dating back 75 years  Preservation Process preservation of manuscripts, books, maps,periodicals,photographs,newspaper register is in the format of• Restoration -Paper Form• Microfilming - Microfilm• Digitization-  CD/DVD Rom

Purpose

1.Making Copy of original in different medium 2.Digitization for discovery -scanning &OCR for keyword search  creating an index of terms for displaying the corresponding pages  3.Digitization for delivery- Print on demand  4.For reading-Pleasant format, numbered pages, navigation to individual pages or chapters.

For ResearchDigitization of documents helps in enhancing research.some of these tools can be useful for the same.• Indexing• Dictionary Support• Comprehensive search Schemes• Machine Manipulation• Survey Data files• Census Records• Maps• Satellite Imageries

Advantages of digital material1.Storage Economy

2.Simultaneous Multiple Accessiblity 3.Wider Dissemination 4.Hyper linking to the related material

5.Scaled up Security 6.Archival Facilitation 7.Full text search facility 

 

Digitization Plan1. Material Selection & purpose (relevance, Physical Condition, Copyright

Clearance) 2. Volume & processing work estimation (paper size distribution,unbinding,

Cleaning) 3. Technical Specifications 4. Execution Options Evaluation ( in house Efforts Outsourcing) 5. Integration with existing software 6. new services & practices 7. sustainability (life Cycle modeling) 8. material selection digitization• Age • Size • Condition • Importance • Uniqueness

digitization requirements Infrastructure computer  scanner Scanning Provides raster imageRaster image can be converted to vector form Digitization process elementsPhysical Supervision1. Scanning2. resolution3. Capturing4. Image cleaning & processing5. Indexing6. retrieval Scheme

scanning process• adjust the light meter • place on photographic copy bed • take same shots • check the color,clarity &sharpness • if required edit an image • tagging & numbering  of images • Store it in desired computer file format • embedding related technical subject metadata • collecting all images composing & saving (cd/DVD,Hard Disk,e book reader)

Standards1. Medium of the original2. View Characteristics of the original3. Resolution

 Use of OCR• converting printed or handwritten Characters to aacr II• Image Enhancement -DE securing• Desk pecking

 Digital Preservation issue•  Non Availability of Compatible Technology• Scrambling Data• Inter relations are Disrupted

Conclusion    workshop was concluded by Mr.B.V.Naik, ex hod of history department Mr Naik shared his experience with librarians and his affiliations with raja ram mohan roy library foundation. According to him, librarian should be always ready to help the users in finding out the information & they should use  new technologies to help the users.

Thank You