Vacuum cleaners

Sue Klipsch, of the East Tennessee Historical Society, has written to me
asking for information on techniques and equipment used in cleaning of
books.  She says they are especially interested in the recommendation of
vacuum cleaners best suited for dusting. She has read about the kind
used by Nonna Rinck and her son at the New York Public Library and
mentioned in the April 1987 Abbey Newsletter.

When we vacuumed the books at the LC Law Library 12 years ago, we just
used a tank canister with a hand-held nozzle that had a brush at the
end, very low tech.  It picked up most of the larger particles but there
was plenty left over, floating around in the air, and the 3M masks we
wore couldn't keep us from breathing it in.  Since then, other dusters
like us must have found better answers, more effective and healthier for
both people and books. I know that there are vacuum cleaners with HEPA
filters for people with asthma and allergies, but doesn't dust escape
before it can get drawn into the hose?  What problems and solutions have
other people found for large-scale dusting, besides dust cloths?

By the way, I learned today that President Bush has ordered a large
number of Dust Bunnies, electrically charged dust cloths, to be used to
dust his library at the White House.  Although they ARE unusual dust
cloths and DID win a prize as a prepress supply, one has to bear in mind
that even presidents do not always make the best choice.  We will always
have to base preservation decisions on preservation judgment.

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 5:41
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 4, 1992
                        Message Id: cdl-5-41-001
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