E. Lingle Craig Preservation Lab
Quarterly Report
January – March 2010
During the first quarter of 2010, the Craig Preservation Lab processed 3,929 items. Various types of enclosures were, as usual, the bulk of our treatment with 2,921 items receiving an enclosure. Of these 1,341 were made using the Kasemake and most the remainder were done by the staff in the General Conservation section of the Lab. During this same period, Bindery Prep completed treatment on 2,528 items of which 1,655 were serials.
Special projects and activities for the period included:
Doug Sanders was contacted by the office of the President and asked to coordinate the design of a series of albums and housing that are being used to preserve the most significant accomplishments of the University during President McRobbie’s tenure. The first of these projects was the completion of a custom scrap book and enclosure that houses the President’s office materials related to the awarding of the Noble Prize in Economics which was presented to Dr. Elinor Ostrom. Several staff members of the Lab worked on this project. Photos documenting the final product as well as a short description can be found elsewhere on this blog.
Garry Harrison was called on to advise the staff at the Cook Music Library on a mold remediation issue of materials and artifacts from the Leonard Bernstein Estate. After discussing the issue with the Music Library staff, the Preservation Lab provided the Music Library with a HEPA vacuum, dry cleaning sponges, and personal protective equipment for use in the cleaning of the affected items. Garry also responded to a mold question that came from the IUL Technical Services department.
Harrison gave advice to Allison Stankrauff of IU South Bend regarding locating a conservator for a grant-funded project to preserve a gift collection at IUSB.
Sanders worked with the Institute for American Thought at IUPUI on a NEH Preservation Grant application. His work included visiting the institute, devising a list of storage materials that would need to be purchased to preserve the materials should the grant be forthcoming, and writing a letter of support for the application.
Mary Graham Uthuppuru has been heavily involved in exhibition preparation in the Lilly Library due to the various Lilly 50th Anniversary exhibits. The most significant exhibition to date this year has been the exhibition in the Main Gallery Treasures of the Lilly. In addition the Lincoln room contains the exhibition materials related to One Book, One Bloomington – The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.
Beginning in March, Mary has been working with students from SLIS who are enrolled in a course that requires that they install an exhibition. Every Monday this has meant that two students install, while two other students take down, an exhibition. This assignment provides the students with in-depth, hands-on experience in the exhibition process.
Mary completed the writing of a training manual for students on the housing and computer procedures used by her in Lilly Conservation. This manual provides a cohesive, and thorough, reference for students to consult as needed.
Mary also announced that she would be resigning her position at Indiana University effective April 15 in order to pursue personal projects. She will be greatly missed.
Miriam Nelson, Anitta Salkola-White, and Nicole Wolfersberger submitted a joint proposal for the Herbert and Virginia White Award to fund professional development opportunities. In addition to working on a proposal that would benefit them, they also considered their colleagues elsewhere in IUL and added an open presentation to be held at the Lilly Library as a part of their application.
There were a number of short-term items that involved various members of the Preservation Lab staff including: guest lecture for SLIS course being taught by Cherry Williams, tours of the Lab, and offering advice to the GIKCS, Kinsey Library and IUAM on preservation issues.
The Preservation Advisory Committee was reconstituted and held it first meeting. Two topics for further investigation were discussed: (1) large-scale, on-going deacidification with a possible emphasis on materials that come from Latin or South America, Tibet, Eastern Europe or China; and, (2) brittle books.
Upcoming Projects
Doug Sanders is working to put the Leafcaster machine in operation. This device has been in the Lab for a number of years but has apparently never been used. Sanders is familiar with its basic operation and hopes to have it operational in the near term.
Sanders and Wolfersberger have had an article accepted for publication in the Spring 2010 issue of Guild of Bookworkers Journal. The title of the article is: Ergonomics and injury prevention in the book and paper lab.
Two long-term projects, the rehousing of several hundred medieval illuminated manuscript fragments and a stabilization effort for several hundred severely damaged manuscript leaves from the Thiebault collection, for Lilly Library are underway.
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