NISO questionnaire

    **** Moderator's comments:   Please send your questionnaire
    responses to cathy.henderson [at] utxvm__cc__utexas__edu.  Do NOT
    send them to whenry/consdist/consdist-request.  I will not forward
    them for you.

Committee MM of the National Information Standards Organization is
formulating a standard for environmental and physical conditions for the
exhibition of library and archival materials including individual bound
volumes in various binding styles and composed of various materials,
flat paper and vellum items (manuscripts, art on paper, etc.), and
photographs.  The goal of the standard is to set parameters for exhibit
conditions that minimize the potential for damage that exists for
library and archival materials on display.  The standard will address
the microenvironment within the exhibit case (including temperature,
humidity, air-pollutants, and exposure to light); the method of physical
support of exhibitied items (including support structures and materials
used to construct the case, the case lining, and supports such as book
cradles); and the relationship between the macroenvironment and the
environment within new or existing exhibit cases.  Recommendations for
monitoring exhibits to ensure compliance with the standard will also be
covered.

The Committee wants to ensure as much as possible that the parameters of
standards it proposes can be met by libraries and archives.
Consequently, it has devised a questionnaire which asks about current
library and archival exhibition practices vis a vis environmental
concerns.  Please answer with reference to only your principal
exhibition space.

For your institution, please answer the following questions:

1)How are your collections best described?
____ General, circulating_____Museum
_____Rare, non-circulating _____Manuscript/Archival

2)Do you mount permanent exhibits?
____Yes____No

3)Do you mount temporary exhibits?
____Yes____No

If yes, how many per year?  _____

4)What kinds of materials does your institution display?
____ books  ____ manuscripts____ photographs
____ objects____ other

5)Do you set limits, based on preservation considerations,
for the length of time a temporary exhibit is up?
____Yes____No

6)What is the average length of a temporary exhibition?
_____1-3 months____3-6 months
_____6-12 months____more than 12 months

7)What classification of staff installs exhibitions?
____exhibits preparation staff____conservator
____preservation staff____curatorial staff
____general staff____outside contractors
____volunteers____students

8)Please describe the location of your principal
exhibition spaces (check all appropriate):

____lobbies____lounges____hallways
____reading rooms____classrooms
____space dedicated to exhibitions
____other (please describe)

9)Please indicate the type of your environmental control
systems (check all appropriate):

____ Centralized 24-hour temperature control system
____ Throughout building____ In exhibition space only

____ Centralized 24-hour humidity control system
____ Throughout building____ In exhibition space only

____ Centralized 24-hour filtered air
____ Throughout building____ In exhibition space only

____ Simple air conditioning (window unit)
____ Throughout building____ In exhibition space only


10)If any of your exhibition cases are individually climate
controlled, please describe with what:

_____Air conditioning and humidification equipment
_____Silica gel or other dessicants

11)  If you monitor changes in relative humidity (rh) levels,
please answer questions 11a - 11g below:

a)What instrument(s) do you use to measure changes in
rh? ____________________________________________

b)If you calibrate your equipment, how often?
_______________________________

c)Do you measure rh levels within exhibit cases?
____Yes____No

d)Do you measure rh levels outside exhibit cases?
____Yes____No

e)How often do you monitor changes in rh?
____Continuously____Weekly
____Monthly____Less frequently than monthly

f)What relative humidity range does the exhibit area
maintain over a 24-hour period?_____________%

g)What relative humidity range does the exhibit area
maintain seasonally?
In the summer _______%In the winter _______%

12)If you monitor changes in temperature levels, please
answer questions 12a - 12f below:

a)What instrument do you use to measure changes in
temperature? ________________________________________

b)Do you measure temperature levels within exhibit
cases?
____Yes____No

c)Do you measure temperature levels outside exhibit
 cases?
____Yes____No

d)How often do you monitor changes in temperature?
____Daily____Weekly____Monthly____Less frequently than monthly

e)What temperature range (F) does the exhibit area
maintain over a 24-hour period?  _____________

f)What temperature range (F) does the exhibit area
maintain seasonally?
In the summer _______In the winter _______

13) On average, how many hours per day are materials in an
exhibition illuminated?
____ 0-4 hours____5-8 hours____9-12 hours____13-24 hours
____ by demand only

14) Which of the following types of lighting are used to
illuminate your exhibitions?

a) ____ Direct sunlightb) ____ Filtered sunlight
__ UV filtered (has shades/drapes)

c) ____ Incandescent lightd) ____ Flourescent light
  __ Tungsten  __ UV filtered
  __ Quartz
  __ Other (specify) ___
  ______________________

15)  If you monitor light levels, please answer questions
15a-15c, below:

a) What instrument(s) do you use to measure light
levels?_______________________________________
(use brand names of equipment if possible)

b)Do you monitor visible light?
____Yes____No

c)Do you monitor ultraviolet light?
____Yes____No

16)  Do you have cases built according to your design or use
commercially available (or other pre-constructed) cases?
_____Custom_____Commercial

17)Do you know what materials were used in the construction
of your exhibition cases?
____Yes____No

18)What support materials do you use to display materials?
____Adjustable book cradles____Fixed book cradles
____Straps____Weights____Rubber bands

____Mats
  __archival (lignin-free)
  __non-archival
  __don't know____Polyester sleeves

____Encapsulation____Other plastic sleeves

____Pins____Velcro

____Frames with glazing (glass or acrylic)

____Frames without glazing (glass or acrylic)

____Other (please describe):


19)Do you rotate or otherwise change out items within
exhibits to minimize an item's exposure to light?
____Yes____No

20)What change in items have you observed as a result of
exhibiting them?
____Fading____Structural damage
____Other (please explain) __________________________


Name of respondent (optional) _____________________________
Name of institutuion (optional) ___________________________

Thank you very much for participating in this survey.

Cathy Henderson, Chair, Committee MM
hmab103 [at] utxvm__bitnet
cathy.henderson [at] utxvm__cc__utexas__edu
HRHRC, P.O. Drawer 7219, University of Texas, Austin, TX
78713-7219  Phone (512) 471-9119

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 6:15
                 Distributed: Saturday, August 22, 1992
                        Message Id: cdl-6-15-001
                                  ***