1. Special Collections and Preservation Jeanann Haas LIS2214 Introduction to Library and Archival Preservation

2. Agenda Background on Special Collections Ongoing Preservation Efforts Newer Options and Initiatives Conservation Case-Studies

3. Special Collections Department 363 Hillman Library Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (412) 648-8190 (412) 648-8192 fax

4. Past Practices Unusual Formats Controversial Materials Desirable Popular Culture Extremely Fragile Material Expensive Items Bibliographer’s Directives

5. Library Collections Storage Unit 16,600 Square Foot - High-Density Storage Environmentally controlled Stored by size in acid-free cardboard trays Hydraulic lift retrieval PittCat+

6. Preservation Department Book Repair on Circulating Collections Protective Enclosures Disaster Planning Physical Object Preparation for Digitization

7. Digital Projects Barry Rosensteel Japanese Prints Audubon’s Bird of America George Washington Manuscripts Archives of Scientific Philosophy Darlington Library

8. Collections Conservation Groups of Materials Standardized Treatments Efficiency and Functionality Integrated Preservation Effort Compromise

9. Single-Item Treatment Reversible Limitations Non-Damaging Evidential Value Historical Value Research / Experimentation

10. Discussion Consult with Curator, Bibliographer, Archivist or Librarian. Identify what the repair is trying to achieve. Treatment Options? In-House verses Outsourced Services

11. CONSOL Energy Mine Map Preservation Project Source: http://www.pitt.edu/~aeb59/index.html

12. CONSOL Energy Mining Map Collection Approximately 700 hardback maps 8000+ map sheets Survey books Photographs Published materials

13. Hardback Mine Maps 1870 - 1940s Heavyweight paper backed with canvas Master copy Drafted by hand in graphite, later “inked in” Oversized

14. Partnerships Survey and stabilize maps for scanning Catalog and scan maps Geo-reference digital images of maps

15. Project Staffing

16. Challenges with the Hardback Maps

17. Collaborative Database Condition Tab

18. Dry Cleaning 3”x 9” Soot Sponges - Paper front Nilfisk Back Vacuum - Canvas back All Maps Require Dry Cleaning

19. Humidification & Flattening 5’ x 8’ Museum Services Humidity Dome Avg. 5 hrs/map 25% of maps need humidified

20. Project Statistics: Cumulative Treatments June 2007 to December 2010 Treatment TypeTotal Treatments Dry Clean376 Humidify and Flatten 110 Mend125 Tape Removal67 Partial Re-line19

21. Scanning Specifications Cruse Table Scanner CS 285/1100 ST/FA – 58” x 90” vacuum table – 8 or 16 bit grayscale – 12 or 24 bit true color – 220 – 630 dpi – File size approx 1.1 GB Image Format – Uncompressed TIFF – 24-bit True Color

22. Rewards of Project

23. THE BIRDS OF AMERICA A Conservation and Exhibition Challenge

24. Deteriorated cords and sewing Degraded leather The Condition of Pitt’s Binding Broken spine Missing head caps and end bands Loosely attached boards

25. Condition of Birds of America - Continued

26. Binding edge Grain direction Distortion from Exposure to High Humidity

27. Severe cockling from large mends applied to the reverse

28. Conservation Treatment

29. After treatment

30. BeforeAfter

31. The conservation effort has facilitated …

32. The End! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Questions? Jeanann Haas Head, Special Collections and Preservation 363 Hillman Library 412-648-8190 jeanann@pitt.edu