Special Collections and Preservation

Jeanann HaasLIS2214 Introduction to Library and

Archival Preservation

Agenda

• Background on Special Collections

• Ongoing Preservation Efforts

• Newer Options and Initiatives

• Conservation Case-Studies

Special Collections Department363 Hillman LibraryPittsburgh, PA 15260

(412) 648-8190(412) 648-8192 fax

Past Practices

• Unusual Formats• Controversial Materials• Desirable Popular

Culture• Extremely Fragile

Material• Expensive Items• Bibliographer’s

Directives

Library Collections Storage Unit• 16,600 Square Foot - High-Density Storage

• Environmentally controlled

• Stored by size in acid-free cardboard trays

• Hydraulic lift retrieval

• PittCat+

Preservation DepartmentBook Repair on Circulating Collections

Protective Enclosures

Disaster Planning

Physical Object Preparation for Digitization

Digital Projects

• Barry Rosensteel Japanese Prints• Audubon’s Bird of America• George Washington Manuscripts• Archives of Scientific Philosophy• Darlington Library

Collections Conservation

• Groups of Materials• Standardized

Treatments• Efficiency and

Functionality• Integrated Preservation

Effort• Compromise

Single-Item Treatment

• Reversible • Limitations• Non-Damaging• Evidential Value•Historical Value•Research / Experimentation

Discussion

• Consult with Curator, Bibliographer, Archivist or Librarian.• Identify what the repair is trying to achieve.• Treatment Options? • In-House verses Outsourced Services

CONSOL Energy Mine Map Preservation Project

Source: http://www.pitt.edu/~aeb59/index.html

CONSOL Energy Mining Map Collection

• Approximately 700 hardback maps• 8000+ map sheets• Survey books• Photographs• Published materials

Hardback Mine Maps1870 - 1940s

• Heavyweight paper backed with canvas

• Master copy• Drafted by hand in graphite, later

“inked in”• Oversized

Partnerships

Survey and stabilize maps for scanning

Catalog and scan maps

Geo-reference digital images of maps

Project Staffing

Challenges with the Hardback

Maps

Collaborative DatabaseCondition Tab

Dry Cleaning

• 3”x 9” Soot Sponges - Paper front• Nilfisk Back Vacuum - Canvas back• All Maps Require Dry Cleaning

Humidification & Flattening

• 5’ x 8’ Museum Services Humidity Dome

• Avg. 5 hrs/map

• 25% of maps need humidified

Project Statistics: Cumulative Treatments June 2007 to

December 2010 Treatment

Type Total Treatments

Dry Clean 376

Humidify and Flatten

110

Mend 125

Tape Removal 67

Partial Re-line 19

Scanning Specifications

• Cruse Table Scanner CS 285/1100 ST/FA– 58” x 90” vacuum table– 8 or 16 bit grayscale– 12 or 24 bit true color– 220 – 630 dpi– File size approx 1.1 GB

• Image Format– Uncompressed TIFF– 24-bit True Color

Rewards of Project

THE BIRDS OF AMERICAA Conservation and Exhibition

Challenge

• Deteriorated cords and sewing

• Degraded leather

The Condition of Pitt’s Binding

• Broken spine• Missing head caps and end bands• Loosely attached boards

Condition of Birds of America - Continued

Binding edge

Grain direction

Distortion from Exposure to High Humidity

Severe cockling from large mends applied to the reverse

Conservation Treatment

After treatment

Before After

The conservation effort has facilitated…

The End!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Questions?

Jeanann HaasHead, Special Collections and Preservation

363 Hillman Library412-648-8190

jeanann@pitt.edu