[ARSCLIST] Cleaning Home Recording disks

[Christine de Catanzaro <christinedecatanzaro@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am processing a collection with a large number of Wilcox Gay and Silvertone home recording disks, most of which appear to be fibre-based with a waxy coating (Wilcox-Gay) or acetate (Silvertone).  I have searched the archives of arsclist, and I've received some good advice about attempting to play these disks as well as some help in trying to flatten warped ones. Unfortunately, these issues are not the only ones--Many of the disks are quite dirty, some are obviously moldy, and some have stuck together. Worse still, some have adhered to the sleeves or whatever was next to them, so there are some with cardboard or paper stuck on the playing surface.

 

Has anyone good advice about how we could go about cleaning these disks? Each issue probably brings with it special concerns, and any specific information about any or all of them would be very much appreciated. Some of the content will be quite significant to our collections, if we can possibly salvage them.

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer,

 

Christine

 

Christine de Catanzaro

Special Collections Department

Georgia State University Library

100 Decatur St. SE

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

404-651-3957

Fax: 404-651-4314  

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