Moldy collections, coast to coast!, fwd

[Richard Boyden <richard.boyden@sanbruno.nara.gov>]

From ARCHIVES, FYI 

Date:    Tue, 23 Feb 1999 09:22:45 -0500
From:    "Tina V. Furtado" <tfurtado@SAILSINC.ORG>
Subject: Moldy collection
Hello all!
A local office wants to donate material to our library that was recently 
(about a month ago) exposed to a steam pipe burst inside the vault in 
which the items were stored. Needless to say the bindings, in some 
cases, seem to be cooked onto the text blocks but the books can be 
opened. Much of the collection is duplicate material; State and City 
documents, which are available elsewhere and thus not in question. 
However, some are manuscript material which provides unique
genealogical information and significantly adds to the history of our
schools. Dates run about 1880-1920.

Now the problem, some are moldy which I know means all must be
treated prior to our accepting any. The fungicides that used to be quite 
effective, have in recent years been discontinued due to the danger to
humans as well as fungi.

Have any of you had experience with wanting moldy collections and if
so, what can you advise?  I know about brushing off the mold with
brushes and using a HEPA vac. out in the sunshine, but I understand that
is not guaranteed to eliminate the possibility of mold transfer to our other
material once it's in our Archives.

We have Civil War correspondence and 500 whaling logs among other 
things, so you understand my concern.   Any and all thoughts would be
very much appreciated.

Tina V. Furtado, archivist
New Bedford Free Public Library - Special Collections - Archives Room
New Bedford MA 02740    Tel: (508) 961-3104
                        e-mail: tfurtado@sailsinc.org
A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

 
Date:    Tue, 23 Feb 1999 10:27:48 -0800
From:    robert marshall <hfoao030@CSUN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Moldy collection
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

>>Dear Tina, et al.

        You may want to contact - BMS CATASTROPHE, INC. out of Fort
Worth, Texas.  They should have material on the do's and don'ts of moldy
collections.  Our Library has recently - last week - contracted with the
company to handle a massive mold problem we are experiencing
because of a water leak that has plagued us during reconstruction of
one of the Library's wings.

        For now, our deep storage facilitiy is closed as they begin their
work.  Access to the area is with respirator only.  The project will take
about six to eight weeks to kill the mold, clean the air, and clean the
books, etc.

>>Good luck on your problem - R. Marshall, Urban Archives Center,
California State University, Northridge.


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