Literature--ANL Apr 1986

Museum No. 146, 1985. This whole issue is on showcases.

How to Make a Rotten Show-case - Gaël de Guichen. Eleven cartoons with captions clearly illustrate the principles of conservation in exhibitions.
The Egyptian Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art -Bill Barrette
Charters of Freedom of the United States - Alan Calmes a Cooled Display Case - Tin Padfield. Describes a case made for a vellum document on loan
Protection Against Theft and Willful Damage - Günter S. Hilbert
Protection Against Earthquakes in Japan - Hiromitsu Washizuka

"La Reliure," a collection of articles published as No. 36 and No. 37 of Revue française d'histoire du livre, Nouvelle série, 1982. Société des Bibliophiles de Guyenne, Bibliothéque municipale, 3 rue Mably, 33075 Bordeaux-Cedex, France.

Jane Greenfield sent the following description of this work:

Among the authors of the 43 articles on bookbinding are such well-known names as Jean Vezin, Jean Irigoin, Denise Gid, Mirjam Foot, Anthony Hobson and Giles Barber. The articles range from one on Carolingian binding to one on paperback mystery covers. All of them are in French.
There is not space to list all the titles here. A sampling is:
A XIIIth century stamped, limp leather binding
A group of Byzantine bindings with the monograms of the Paleologi
Bibliophily and binding in China
An aspect of Turkish binding: Marbled paper
Rose Adler: Letters to Etienne Cournault
The forming of a commercial bindery in the XIXth century

The plates, which are numerous, range from good to almost illegible.

Conferences & Professional publications

Papers from the Conference on Preservation Management for Performing Arts Collections (Washington, D.C., April 28-May 1, 1982), available for $25 from Theatre Library Association, 111 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10023. This conference, of high quality though poorly attended, was reported in depth in the Abbey Newsletter in November and December 1982.

"Mikroskopische Untersuchung der Papiere von El-Faijûm (Microscopic Exammination of the Faijûm Papers)," by Julius Wiesner. English translation by Gudrun Aurand. Edited, with an introduction by Jack C. Thompson. 1986. The Caber Press, Thompson Conservation Laboratory, 7549 N. Fenwick, Portland, OR, 97217 (503/248-0046). 14 pp. $8.50.

Originally published in 1886, this was one of the earliest scientific examinations of the history of making paper from rags.

Fausta Gallo, Biological Factors in the Deterioration of Library and Archive Materials. In January 1985, ICCROM expected to bring this out within the next 12 months. (For ICCROM' a address, and that of other organizations where needed, see the list of "Useful Addresses" sent to all subscribers in February 1986.)

Keith 0. Story, Approaches to Pest Management in Museums. Conservation Analytical Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, Maryland 20746. 1985. 165-p. typescript. Emphasizes low-toxicity and nonchemical methods; describes the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. This may be the best book on the subject. Well illustrated. Free.

"Mold. . . the Silent Enemy," by Sandra Turner. New Library Scene 4 (4), 1, 6-8, 21, Aug. 1985. An account of a mold invasion of the Denver Public Library in 1984 caused by a malfunctioning cooling system, and the steps taken to bring it under control. About 100,000 items had visible mold. The author gives the names of all the experts and contracting services consulted, and provides good detail for background facts, procedures, and postmortem evaluation. This article does a good job of demonstrating why the disaster team has to be prepared to combat mold as well as floods and fires.

The principal species involved was Aspergillus niger. The affected area was fogged with ortho-phenyl phenol in 1,1,1-trichloroethane by Professional Entomological Services Technology. As a result of the mold attack, a new environmental control system is being installed. It will have a dual filtration system that includes a 70% high efficiency bag filter and an automatic monitoring system.

"Mass Fumigation at the National Library of Wales," a Technical Note by Julian Thomas (Head of Binding and Conservation, University of Wales), Paper Conservation News, Sept. 1985. A mold outbreak involving about 20,000 items was discovered in November 1983 at the National Library of Wales, although the relative humidity was "well below 70%." (In a private communication, the author reports that it never rose above 60% although microclimates may exist on or near the affected items with an RH above that.) As in the Denver Public Library disaster, a mycologist was asked to identify the species involved (Cladosporium herbarium, in this case); only the outside of the items was affected; and mass sterilization or fumigation was carried out (with thymol, in this case, inside two rented portable chambers). Books that had been varnished or which contained materials soluble in thymol vapor had to be screened out beforehand.

"Fungus in the Library," by William Chamberlain, Library and Archival Security 4 (4), 35-55, 1982. This paper details the research and findings following a severe outbreak of fungus growth in the Virginia State Library, starting in July 1978 and continuing over subsequent years even though relative humidity was kept below 58% after the initial outbreak. Cultures were taken and 19 species of fungus were identified. More would have been identified, but some cultures taken from active growths on the books would not grow under laboratory conditions. A thorough, critical report, with a literature review, it challenges traditional beliefs about mold control.

"A Current Status Report on Fumigation in Museums and Historical Agencies," by Robert F. McGiffin, Jr. Technical Report 4. Technical Information Service, AASLH. 15 pp. Contains much useful information for libraries and archives too. Advocates improved housekeeping and collection maintenance over use of fumigants whenever possible. Suppliers list and bibliography. $7.50 to members, $10.00 to nonmembers, from AASLH Technical Information Service, 172 Second Ave. North, Suite 102, Nashville, TN 37201.

The Biodeterioration & Biodegradation of Plastics & Polymers (Proceedings of the autumn meeting of the Biodeterioration Society held at Cranfield Institute of Technology, Sept. 12-13 1985). Edited by K. J. Seal. £15 (£10 to participants), payable to "The Biodeterioration Society" and mailed to Dr. K.

J. Seal, the Biotechnology Centre, Cranfield Institute of Technology, Cranfield, Bedford, UK MK43 0AL. Covers rubber, polyurethanes, biodegradable polymers of biological origin; but not paper or common conservation materials, as such.

The papers of the 1984 meeting of the same society are more general and cover more topics of interest to conservators, but are available only as abstracts, in the Program and Abstract Booklet, v.6, 1984. The authors' addresses are included, so papers may be requested from them. For a copy of the booklet, write Charles E. O'Rear, Department of Forensic Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052.

Second International Symposium: the Stability and Preservation of Photographic Images, August 25-28, 1985. Proceedings. S.P.S.E., Publications, 7003 Kilworth Lane, Springfield, VA 22151. $70. There is a two-page summary of this volume in the ACA Bulletin 10 (3), Jan. 1986. aca=Association of Canadian Archivists (Shelley Sweeney, Editor, c/n University of Regina Archives, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada S4S 0A2).

Guy Petherbridge, Conservation of Library and Archive Materials and Graphic Arts. 1986. Butterworth Publishers, 80 Montvale Ave., Stoneham, MA 02180. $129.95. 296 pp. Contents:

Paper: Scientific Developments; Conservation Treatments; Alkaline Buffering; Mounting and Storage; Leaf Casting
Vellum and Parchment: Repair, and Relaxation; Binding, handling and Display
Books and Bindings: Book Conservation; Book Bindings Modern Records: Photographic; Library and Archival

Although the publisher does not tell us, this must be the proceedings of the 1980 Cambridge conference of the same name, briefly reported in the December 1980 AN.

Getty Conservation Institute Newsletter, Vol. 1 No. 1, Winter 1986. Published three times a year, from Getty Conservation Institute, 4503-B Glencoe Ave., Marina del Rey, California 90292 (213/822-2299). This issue, eight pages long, contains articles on GCI itself, a meeting on the effect of natural disasters on historic structures, museum and archaeological conservation, an international meeting on scientific research (reported elsewhere in this issue), effect of ozone on art, two projects at the Mellon Institute, the Conservation Information Network, and the J. Paul Getty Trust Grant Program.

One of the two research projects at the Mellon Institute will examine the use of cellulose ethers (e.g. methyl cellulose) and water-soluble polymers (gelatine? Not PVA--it a not water-soluble) as coatings, consolidants, and adhesives in conservation. Their thermal and photochemical stability will be evaluated. Both projects began in June 1985 and will go on for three years, under GCI sponsorship. For more information, write James Druzik, Associate Scientist, Research Contracts, CCI Scientific Research Program.

The Grant Program supports training, surveys, treatment, conservation libraries, and publications in conservation. Write Grant Program, J. Paul Getty Trust, 1875 Century Park East, Suite 2300, Los Angeles, CA 90067 (213/277-9188).

The CCI Newsletter is printed on alkaline paper that is very pleasing to the touch, and reproduces halftones very clearly.

Les encres noires au Moyen Age (jusqu'en 1600), by Monique Zerdoun Bat-Yehouda. Paris, Editions du Centre national de la recherche scientifique, 1983. xiv, 429 pp. Covers Far East, Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe; from archival sources. A recent acquisition of the ICCROM library.

Bookbinding in Early America, Seven Essays on Masters and Methods, by Hannah D. French. With catalogues of bookbinding tools prepared by Willman Spawn. Worcester: American Antiquarian Society, 1986. 230 pp. $49.95. A review copy has been received from the University Press of Virginia (!), Box 3608, University Station, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (804/924-3468). Suggestions for reviewers who can do this book justice are welcome.

A similar book, Bookbinding in America 1680-1910, was reviewed by Hannah French in 1984. Her review was summarized in the July 1985 issue of this Newsletter.

Standards & Practical Guides

Library Binding Institute. Standard for Library Binding. 8th ed. 1986. $5.00 from Library Binding Institute, 150 Allens Creek Road, Rochester, New York, 14618 (716/461-4380). This edition of the Standard incorporates preservation considerations, is clearly written in meaningful terms, and was put together by a joint binder/librarian task force.

N. Irving Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, now bigger and more expensive than ever, has spawned two smaller publications, a "rapid guide" and a periodical. Sax, together with Richard J. Lewis, Sr., is responsible for Rapid Guide to Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace, which is pocket-sized and lists nearly 700 hazardous chemicals found in the workplace, with acute and long-term effects and other information. It costs $19.95, from Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 115 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003.

Sax, as Editor-in-Chief, is also behind Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials Report, a bimonthly. Subscriptions are $135 prepaid from VNR Information Services, same address as above.

NEDCC has put together a "Basic Preservation Packet" of 20 recent articles and pamphlets on preservation of books and paper, which they are asking only $8.00 for. Some of the topics covered: framing, boxes, disasters, library binding, environment, microfilming, storage, surface cleaning and surveys. Address: 24 School St., Andover, MA 01810.

Model Zoning Ordinance for Homebased Business, issued by the National Alliance of Homebased Businesswomen (NAHB, P0 Box 306, Midland PARK, NJ 07432). $2. Comes with a pamphlet explaining the ordinance to local planning and zoning commissions and showing how people can operate a business at home and still protect the residential character of the neighborhood.

Traditional Marbling, by Iris Nevins. 1985. Published by the author, Rural Route 3, Box 613, Sussex, NJ 07461 (201/875- 4950). 44 pages with 14 specimens. Available from the Colophon Hand Bookbindery, 1902 North 44th St., Seattle, WA 98103 for $47.50 postpaid.

Bookbindings

Twelve Bindings by Michael Wilcox, printed by Wind River Press for W. Thomas Taylor, Bookseller (708 Colorado, Suite 704, Austin, TX 78701, 512/478-7628). Tipped-in color plates of each binding accompanied by descriptions of the binding, graphics, typography of each book. 225 copies bound by Craig Jensen in Japanese cloth, $275. Ten copies, bound by Michael Wilcox, include Cibachrome prints of the bindings, and sell for $1,950.

Early American Bookbindings from the Collection of Michael Papantonio. 2nd ed., enlarged with a list of the Papantonio Collection now at the American Antiquarian Society. Worcester: American Antiquarian Society, 1985. 120 pp. Softcover $22.50. A reviewer is sought for this book; suggestions welcome.

Bibliographies & Other Lists

Museum & Archival Supplies Handbook. (2nd ed.) Issued by the Ontario Museum Association and Toronto Area Archivists Group. 1985. Distributed by AASLH for $19.95. 174 pages. Softcover. Lists over 600 North American suppliers of conservation and archival materials, nearly half of which are in the U.S., as well as sources of information, and advice on the use of the materials described. [This was announced in the May 1985 issue, with Canadian prices and no U.S. distributor.]

Computers & Software

Computer Technology for Conservators: the Proceedings of the 11th Annual IIC-CG Conference Workshop will be available after May 1, 1986. Send check for $20 in Canadian dollars (which includes postage and handling) to: ARG Proceedings, P0 Box 8773 St. A, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3K 5M4. (This is about $14 US.)

This publication--with contributions from Canada, U.S. and Great Britain--covers systems analysis and design, database management systems for conservators, information and program listings for creating computerized condition and treatment report file systems, examples of computer applications in the lab, microprocessor assisted environmental monitoring, telecommunications, finite element analysis, an introduction to CAD/CAM and online database use. Also included is a description of the Getty Conservation Institute-sponsored Conservation Information Network, which includes AATA and the ICCROM Bibliographic Database online as well as components of the Canadian Conservation Institute's ICARUS database management system. Transcripts of online demonstrations, discussions of the issues surrounding controlled vocabulary, and speculations on future directions are also included.

"Pro-Cite" is an enhanced version of the Professional Bibliographic System, a complete aid to compilation and searching of bibliographies in any format. $345. Available for IBMs and IBM compatibles. (The PBS could also be used on Macintoshes.) Contact Personal Bibliographic Software, Inc., P0 Box 4250, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 (313) 996-1580.

Desktop Publishing, by Ken Ritvo and Greg Kearsley. [1986?] Park Row Press, 1418 Park Row, La Jolla, CA 92037. $16.95. Covers cost/benefits, hardware and software, applications, system design, implementation, document design, publication process, electronic distribution.

Museum Services International (1716 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009, 202/462-2380) has a software program which, unfortunately, is not available to libraries and archives. Their nonprofit status depends on their exclusive service to museums. At any rate, this program offers most of the off-the-shelf commercial software to museums and museum staff members at a discount (e.g. Lotus 1-2-3, which normally sells for $495, is offered for $353). Essentially, it is a group purchase program.