Volume 8, Number 2, May 1986, pp.10-11

Technical Exchange

Dust Masks

It is often thought that particulate dust masks protect against any art material which leaves a residue, such as dust or mist, in the air. One assumes that the wearing of such a mask will filter out these residues so that they will not be breathed in. However, dust masks not only do not filter out organic vapors but may in fact gather these vapors and hold them in the mask, causing the wearer to inhale them in concentrated amounts.

Research is currently being done by toxicologist WOODHALL STOPFORD, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center, for the Art and Craft Materials Institute (ACMI) in Boston. If you have questions about the appropriate use of a dust mask, contact ACMI, 715 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, (617)266-6800, or the Center for Occupational Hazards, 5 Beekman St., New York, NY 10038, (212) 227-6220.

Hot Table for Sale or Lease Assumption

Computerized vacuum hot table, model VHT 101-8-CH, manufactured by Nasoor, Inc. in Dec. 1984. Teflon coated aluminum 9' X 12', capable of heating in sections of 1/3 and 2/3 with humidification chamber, including 2 probes for humidity and temperature. It is also equipped to accept a computerized control board. Transport and set up is available. Contact Bill Metzler at (213) 945-6411.

Supply Source

Buffered and acid-free tissue, unbuffered acid-free tissue, textile and costume storage boxes, reusable desiccant, reweaving kits, lavender moth sachets, cedar moth sachets and other products for the conservation and storage of fabrics are available from Faye W. Walcher and Associates, Conservators of Fine Fabrics, La Habra, CA (213) 694-5213.

LACMA/Getty Joint Project

The Conservation Center of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is collaborating with the J. Paul Getty Conservation Institute on a one year research project entitled "Statistical Analysis in Conservation Science and Archeometry: A Critical Review of Current Practices and Demonstration of Alternative Methods". The Co-principal and Investigators are Dr. Chandra Reedy, Mellon Fellow in Conservation Research at L.A.C.M.A.; and Dr. Terry Reedy, Statistical Consultant for Creative Research, Inc., and Senior Statistician at the CURE Biomathematic Unit of U.C.L.A. Medical School.

Consultant Service Offered by SAA

Consultant services in archival conservation and the administration of photographic collections are now available from The Society of American Archivists through the Basic Archival Conservation Program. The primary goal is to assist archival institutions in developing an overall conservation program and/or improving the preservation and management of photographic collections based on the unique needs and resources of each repository.

To qualify for a consultant visit, institutions must have at least one full-time paid staff member working in an archival capacity and the director of the institution must be willing to submit a letter in support of the site visit. The cost of the consultant's time and the preparation of a report are paid for by SAA with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The institution is responsible only for travel and lodging expenses of the consultant.

SAA Consultant Services can help to integrate preservation into long-range planning efforts, obtain additional funding for preservation, avoid the need for expensive conservation treatments, increase the use of collections and mobilize support for the preservation of historical records. Contact: Patricia Palmer (312) 922-0140.