Fire suppression systems

Like so many Prints and Drawings Departments throughout the country,
P&D at the Art Institute of Chicago is embarking on a major
renovation.  Much of the collection will be relocated into new
storage vaults, outfitted with a compact storage system.  The
remainder, mostly permanently framed objects, will be secured in an
existing vault.

The paper conservation staff has been asked to recommend a fire
suppression system.  A preliminary survey of the types of systems
that have been put in place (or planned) for institutions presently
undergoing renovation indicates a variety of fire suppression
choices--"wet-pipe" to no system at all (thereby avoiding the risk
of water damage).  We would be interested to know what fire
suppression system is in place in other works on paper storage
vaults, and what thinking went into the decision to adopt that
system.

    **** Moderator's comments: WAAC Newsletter has published some
    excellent material on this topic. See the archives in CoOL
    <URL:http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/waac/>

Margo R. McFarland
Paper Conservator
Department of Prints and Drawings
The Art Institute of Chicago
312-857-7665

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:77
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 31, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-12-77-015
                                  ***