Mold

I have recently become chief librarian of a medical college library
in Pakistan. All the time here people have had a quite casual
attitude towards conservation and preservation of books.  A result
is that books have been kept in totally improper conditions--in some
storage area where they had direct impact of rains and heat, in
rooms without any kind of ventilation--so you can imagine what has
happened with those books.

Now the administration of college has gave me an order to clean
those storage areas and to decide what to do with those books. The
problem is that there are many books that are not totally destroyed
but which still they have some mold and fungus spots on them (and of
course also very bad smell). I want to ask your opinion and maybe
advice, as in this region I can't find a conservator. What should we
do with those books?

I have already received advice about cleaning books with ethyl
alcohol to dry them and about  preferred future storage conditions
of books.

Maybe you have some other advice or experience? Or maybe you know
person in this region who could help me with this problem.

Baiba Awan
Chief Librarian
College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan
7th Central Street, Phase II, D.H.A Karachi.
+91 21 9207100 10
UAN: +91 21 111 606 606
Main Library
276, LRC: 309
Diagnostic Radiology: 317


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:4
                   Distributed: Monday, June 27, 2011
                        Message Id: cdl-25-4-023
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