[PADG:1246] Re: Food and Drinks in Library stacks

[Gary Frost <gary-frost@xxxxxxxxx>]

Perhaps to get some traction on food and drink restraint in libraries we 
should mention risks posed to hardware reliability with contamination of 
keyboards and drives and exposed computer ports. Ask the Director about 
trends in reduced connectivity. Then convey that metaphor to books and 
documents.


At 04:36 PM 3/8/2001 -0600, you wrote:
>An archives within a university library has asked me to post this enquiry:
>The library director has claimed that there is a trend in libraries toward
>allowing food and drinks in stack areas.  This seems so contrary to most
>preservation thinking that it's hard to believe.  The archives continues to
>prohibit food and drinks, but is naturally concerned about the increased
>risk of pest infestation (it doesn't sound like pest management has been
>increased in conjunction with the change in policy) from the surrounding
>stacks.  Is this a trend in fact? Has anyone else run into this?
>Please feel free to respond to me off the List.  Thank you
>
>Ala Rekrut
>Head, Preservation Services
>Provincial Archives of Manitoba
>200 Vaughan Street
>Winnipeg, MB  R3C 1T5
>(204) 945-1265
>(204) 948-2008 fax
>arekrut@xxxxxxxxx

Gary Frost, Conservator
University of Iowa Libraries
100 Main Library
Iowa City   IA   52242-1420
319 335-5908  FAX 319 335-5900
<gary-frost@xxxxxxxxx>