To add some more cautions to the excellent information provided by
Joy Kingsolver, Marcia Goldberg and others on this topic, one must
beware of so-cqalled "musty" smelling books because that is a clue to
mould spores having come into contact with enough moisture that they
have begun forming actual mould. When this happens, the material should
be placed in a dessicant freezer - which will dry out the material
(ie. really lower the moisture content of the paper and other materials
in the book, such as the covers) and maintain a temp. low enough and
for *long* enough to kill the active mould. The dead residue can then be
brushed or vacuumed off, as has been described, however the inactive
spores are much harder to remove, as they are usually very spiney and
spikey in shape and cling to the paper (and other) fibres.
Most libraries must have the damp/wet or mildewed books picked up by a
company for the freeze-drying process, as Joy Kingsolver notes, since
they do not have access to the necessary equipment themselves and also
don't have staff who are trained in the procedures. Many also do not have
the right equipment (HEPA filter vaccums, ventilated hoods, proper masks
and disposable overalls, etc.) to do the cleaning of the dead mould and
spores, so contract this out too, as noted in the earlier replies. Health
hazards are considerable due to the toxic materials released by the
moulds, and breathing spores into one's lungs will provide them with an
incredibly hospitable environment to grow and multiply. So it is a very
good idea to check the availability of companies nearby who do this kind
of work - talk to their staff and find out what protocols you should
follow to get them involved in case you have a real disaster (floods,
leaks) and in case you have more minor problems (eg. mildewed books - see
also below. Make sure that your library committee chair (school, shule,
and community centre libraries), or whoever it is that you report to has
an idea of what's involved and the potential costs.
Having said all that, one must also realize that the actual spores (as
opposed to the active mould) are everywhere (air, earth, water) and are
almost indestructible. The key is the intensity of concentration and an
environment that is dry-dry-dry. Humidity should be kept down to 40% if
possible and certainly no higher than 55-60% RH (relative humidity).
Temperature is also important, but not as critical. Keeping it below 70
degrees F. is highly recommended. Most book papers love water and can
absorb a great deal, so high levels of humidity followed by low ones do
not immediately result in improvement, as the paper acts as a kind of
moisture 'sink' and holds on to its moisture, giving it up quite slowly.
The paper fibres themselves will also benefit from low temps and low
humidity, but if the humidity is too low, it will adversely affect the
structure of the books, such as drying out the glues and any leather used
in the bindings. What's needed is a reasonable balance, say 50% RH and
68dF. One must also remember that libraries have people in them, and a
balance is critical from that p.o.v. as well. it is not a good idea to
keep stack and storage areas very cold and dry, as moving books into a
more humid and warmer environment puts stress on all the components that
go to make up the book, including the small amount of ink on the paper!
Book(s) that smell musty, should *NOT* be accepted into your collection
uless you have them treated. They will have a far higher concentration
of mould and hence spores than are commonly found "in nature", and these
will spread to other nearby materials. If the environmental conditions
are poor, the spores will eventually result in mould growth at a level
potentially *far* more destructive than if none of your books were next
to books that were "musty".
B'shalom,
Bernard Katz, former Head, Special Collections and Library Development
McLaughlin Library, University of Guelph
& Treasurer, AJL - Ontario Chapter (shortly to pass this task on after
10 years :-)
===========================================================
Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
