Category: Collection Care

Posts related to AIC’s Collection Care Network

43rd Annual Meeting, Collection Care Session, May 14, “Pathways for Implementing a Successful Passive RH microclimate” by Steven Weintraub”

Relative being the key word in this talk, Steven Weintraub of Art Preservation Services, Inc., presented a checklist of critical thinking when making decisions about relative humidity (RH) microclimates for collections.
Question the accuracy of your RH measurement
Weintraub points out it’s really easy to be 5% off  on measuring RH for a myriad of reasons including sensor locations relative vent locations, drift in the measuring equipment. While 40% to 60% is the usual goal, a conservator has to ponder how comfortable are you with 35% to 65%?  Weintraub admitted those extremes make him less confident for preventive conservation; microclimates can be the answer when an object requires tighter control.
The talk ended on this accuracy theme as well. While technology has come to RH measuring systems such as blue tooth systems so the case no longer has to be opened, accuracy remains in issue. Before setting up an exhibit, compare all the meters so to have at least an internal standard for readings.  Calibrating the meters before exhibitions is ideal, of course but not always feasible.  If there is a large discrepancy in RH readings between the loaning institution and your institution, it might be worth having a conversation about calibration methods.
To seal or not to seal a case
Weintraub recounted the common reasons for not sealing a case: Avoid trapping off-gassing; gallery climate control is adequate; it’s harder and more expensive to construct an airtight case. However hindsight is harder to manage. It’s harder to retrofit a leaking case and make it air tight after the fact when too much dust is collecting on the objects or other problems occur. Thus it’s best to start with air tight cases and loosen if needed.  Hence whether intentional or not, sealed cases are microclimates.
Microclimates: Active control, Passive control, or Nothing
Weintraub recommend building all cases to have the provisions for at least a passive RH control system regardless. Again the theme of enabling flexibility and avoiding retrofitting later applies. Building space for silica gel trays and not using it is easier than retrofitting the case later.
What is the rate of leakage for the case is the most important question for microclimates. The leakage rate will determine if a passive control is adequate or active control system is needed. Weintraub noted, no silica gel system in the world is adequate for a highly leaky case. Nominal leaking from a tight system then begs the question about why an active system is needed.Leakage assessment can be easily accessible. Weintraub feels it’s important and empowering for institutions to be able to conduct their own leakage rate tests. It will enable identifying when repairs are needed under service contracts and also make more informed choices about the steps needed for microclimates. A caveat on interpreting leakage rates when you’re shopping for cases No standard protocol exists for determining leakage rates; so manufacturers reported values are hard to compare. Leakage rates change over time as materials age and warp
 Creating your own leak detector
Weintraub shared two easy ways to have your own leak detection system. Cans of dust-off contain small amounts of refrigerant.  A refrigerant detector can be easily purchased from HVAC suppliers for about $500; the detector is akin to a Geiger counter. It’s a qualitative tool that helps locate the leaks. The second leakage assessment choice is monitor carbon dioxide levels. The carbon dioxide level in the case increased above ambient levels (600 to 2500 ppm) and use a meter installed in the case to monitor the change in carbon dioxide levels.  Let the case reach equilibrium at before starting the leak test. Weintraub and students at the NYU conservation center are currently examining how long it typically takes to reach equilibrium. Weintraub likes to run his leak tests for 3 days. Basically it’s calculating the rate of loss of CO2 Thus the difference in CO2 measurements over the time period.  Close to 0 for the rate means success as there is minimal leakage. A large rate indicates an issue. At that point, consider looking at the half-time decay, how many days it takes for CO2 levels to drop 50% in the case.
How much silica gel?
  Answer: Leakage rate * number of exhibit days* buffering capacity of silica gel at your target humidity levels= weight of silica gel.
You can examine compare different silica gel types for your scenario as some silica gels perform better at high humidity and others at low humidity. For a maintenance-free case, Weintraub’s rule of thumb is double the exhibition quantity of silica gel.   Another silica gel tip is to mix silica gels at different humidities to get the target humidity such at mixing 55% and 40% RH gel systems to get a target of 50%.
Also, mind the air gap in the case. An air gap is needed to make sure air flow is adequate in the case to get the benefits of silica gel actually reaching the collection objects.
Lastly, we as conservators need to do a better job of sharing our learning and experience about microclimate to develop a collective pool of knowledge
Weintraub’s article on Demystifying Silica Gel is available on Art Preservation Services website along with some of his work on LED.

43rd Annual Meeting- Heritage Health Information Survey Results Revealed, and The Past & Future of Conservation Funding Panel Discussion

I, like many others, had been looking forward to hearing the results of Heritage Preservation’s Heritage Health Information Survey, HHI 2014. Unfortunately, at the time of the meeting those results were not yet available for sharing. Despite my disappointment in not seeing those results the session was well conducted and highly informative.
Dr. Connie Bodner, Supervisory Grants Management Specialist, Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) discussed support for programs addressing collection care priorities identified in HHI 2004 over the past ten years as well as her Institute’s continuing commitment in those areas.
The major priorities identified in the HHI 2004 report were:
• Institutions must give priority to providing safe conditions for the collections they hold in trust.
• Every collecting institution must develop an emergency plan to protect its collections and train staff to carry it out.
• Every institution must assign responsibility for caring for collections to members of its staff.
• Individuals at all levels of government and in the private sector must assume responsibility for providing the support that will allow these collections to survive.
Substantive progress has been made in responding to those priorities over the past ten years. Connie put forward as one outstanding example the Connecting to Collections – A call to action program which over four years raised awareness of collection care in many small to medium museums. In addition to distributing collection care ‘bookshelves’ to 3000 institutions, it created the internet based discussion list and webinar series that has now been adopted by FAIC as Connecting to Collections Care where it will be maintained and further developed.
Heritage Preservation’s Acting President Thomas Clareson provided a recap on the process of dissolution of Heritage Preservation set to occur on June 30, 2015. Many programs have been transferred to FAIC as detailed in our Executive Director’s communication in the May 2015 edition of AIC News http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/periodicals/aic-news-vol-40-no-3-(may-2015).pdf?sfvrsn=2. In addition, Heritage Preservation business archives are being transferred to the Smithsonian Institution Archives and the Saving Outdoor Sculpture (SOS) archives are being transferred to the University of Maryland. Digital resources for Heritage Preservation programs will continue to be made available through CoOL (even more good reason for each of us to financially support CoOL!)
The disposition of several programs is still being worked out. These include the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, HHI 2014, and the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP). There will be announcements about homes for these programs in the near future. The IMLS reiterated its commitment to continuing support for the CAP program.
Regarding the Heritage Health Information Survey, HHI 2014, while much of the 2014 survey was kept consistent with the 2004 version to allow comparison of results over time, there were some changes such as more information gathered on digital resources. The survey was sent out in October 2014 and data collection ended in February 2015. The response rate was about 20% based on 1800 responses from an estimated universe of 50,000 institutions.
The complete HHI 2014 report is now expected to be published in the fall of 2015. In addition to the report, brochures will be produced and press conferences scheduled. This could be an ideal time for collection care staff in institutions large and small to bring preservation issues and priorities to the attention of senior management and governance. Interestingly, survey response data files will be available on the IMLS website for download and further analysis.
High-level and long-term perspectives on foundation-based support for conservation training and practice were then offered by officers from three of our long-term, committed supporters: the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Getty Foundation, and Kress Foundation. Each discussed the history and underlying philosophy behind their ongoing support for conservation.
First, Alison Gilchrest of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation outlined its 46 years of support for conservation beginning with a grant to support Dr. Robert Feller’s work on photochemistry and light damage at the Mellon Institute. Since then 310 grants with a conservation component have provided funding totalling $191,433,145 – an impressive investment indeed. These have been targeted through careful selection to support strength and potential, information sharing and networking. Alison has begun to explore how grant resources have been distributed over time and across the field with a view to ensuring there is collaboration across the Mellon foundation to fulfill its mission “to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies.”
Antoine Wilmering, Senior Program Officer then spoke of the Getty Foundation’s support for conservation which has included 1133 grants over the past 30 years and 287 grants over the past 10 years. The foundation is tending to support more broadly integrated projects which include research, development, training, capacity building, and dissemination. It is actively scanning the field for both what they read and hear and what they are not seeing and hearing to identify areas in which they can invest to best effect.
Max Max Marmor, President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation was pleased to report his Foundation has supported more than 4500 Kress Fellows since 1961 and currently supports nine conservation fellowships each year. This is in addition to the substantial support associated with the conservation of the Kress collection itself, primarily through Kress Program in Paintings Conservation at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts, and through such initiatives as the Summer Teachers Institute in Technical Art History (STITAH). Max believes that important priorities in the future will be sustaining the interest of young professionals in conservation and ensuring they will have adequate opportunities for development and employment, while also raising consciousness more generally in the importance of heritage preservation.
Numerous participants thanked the presenters and spoke to the benefits they had received through support from these foundations.
Robert Waller, Protect Heritage Corp.

Survey: "Know anyone using display cases or glazed frames?"

Survey logoUniversity of Warwick SURVEY INVITATION FOR:

“Users of display cases & glazed frames for local environmental control of indoor heritage collections”

This survey (closing July 1st) aims to capture the recent behaviours & opinions of enclosure users from around the world – at a time of changing environmental guidelines.

It takes 20 – 30 minutes depending on the respondent’s experience.

Heritage conservators, registrars, curators etc are encouraged to consider completing the survey and to forward this announcement to colleagues in their workplace, region & international networks.

The survey is looking for responses from people around the world working for heritage institutions of all sizes & types, and with any level of experience.

A conservator researching heritage microclimates at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom designed the survey.

It was tested with conservators & scientists working for metropolitan and regional institutions in the United Kingdom & France:

  • The British Museum
  • C2RMF, Louvre Museum
  • Museum of London
  • English Heritage
  • Birmingham Museums Trust
  • The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum

It is expected this research will guide the future manufacture, testing, use & maintenance of enclosures for more sustainable conservation of vulnerable exhibits.

The results will first be presented at the Science and Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology Conference taking place on Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 July 2015 at UCL, London. 

The Powerpoint presentation for that conference will be emailed to survey respondents who choose to be contacted. It will also be publically available for download – with a link from LinkedIn’s “Exhibit Enclosure Environments” discussion group. An extended written analysis & discussion of the results, in the form of a paper, will be submitted for publication to open access and peer-reviewed international heritage conservation journals.

Survey closing date: Wednesday, 1 July 2015 

Survey is here: https://goo.gl/5OqbkA 

Alternatively the survey can be shared via social media:

— James Crawford, PhD student, Department of Physics, University of Warwick

43rd Annual Meeting – Collection Care Session: Beyond ‘No Food or Drink Allowed in the Gallery:’ Best Practices for Food in Cultural Institutions by Rebecca Newberry, Fran Ritchie, and Bethany Palumbo

Does the thought of blue martinis, smelly hot dogs, and live penguins in your exhibition space make you gag? The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections has sponsored a survey and development of best practices to help mitigate the risks posed by food service (and inebriated guests) in collections storage and display areas. This presentation summarized the survey responses, and illustrated them with a number of entertaining and apt case studies. The best practices document will be posted on the NHPRC website in the next few months.
The survey was initiated by Cathy Hawkes in 2011. In addition to answering questions, the survey also solicited written food policies from the respondents to reflect current practice. The top result of the survey was concern about not having a written policy; and 40% of respondents reported pest-related activity related to food in the building.
The best practices that came out of the survey have been well-proven through the experience of the survey respondents and the authors, and are generally agreed upon. The key is to develop a written policy on food management and get buy-in from all stakeholders to enforce it (e.g. administration, vendors, facilities, café/store staff, curators and collections management staff, security). The policy should address preparation, consumption, and disposal of food. It should explain the housekeeping and integrated pest management implications of food in collections areas. Staff should be well-trained in how to interact with the public to enforce the policy. And risk mitigation should be part of contracts signed with vendors; the contract can also reflect a “This event never happened” clause (i.e. leave no trace).
Some specific tips discussed include:

  • Clean up immediately after an event
  • Put out extra tables for dirty dishes (so they don’t go on top of exhibit cases)
  • Provide space for staff to eat with proper waste containers
  • Make clear signage for where to eat and not; include a simple educational message like “Food attracts pests which can damage our collections.”
  • Determine the path that food and waste will take in and out of the collections space.
  • Menu should consist of food that is tidy when eaten: no popcorn, red wine, ice cream, or round things that roll under exhibit cases like grapes
  • Ventilation and fire suppression need to be accounted for

Following these steps will help you to avoid getting ketchup on your dinosaur (yes, it really happened!).
SPNHC Food Survey Report 2014

43rd Annual Meeting – Sustainability Session, May 15, "An Investigation and Implementation of the Use of Sustainable and Reusable Materials to Replace Traditional Wood Crates" by kevin Gallup

Kevin Gallup showing crate design. Traveler, lid and exterior crate in foreground.
Kevin Gallup showing crate design. Traveler, lid and exterior crate in foreground.

This talk was of interest to me because I am a former member of the Sustainability Committee, and reusable crates were something that we received several inquiries about. As museums and other lending institutions look at ways to increase their sustainability, one thing they consider is finding an alternative to the typical wooden crate used to ship objects. The problems with wooden crates are: a) they are made to fit a specific sized object, and are difficult to retrofit for something else; b) extra room is necessary to store them until needed again; c) wood is attractive to a variety of pests; d) wood adsorbs and emits odors; and e) locally- and sustainably-sourced wood can be difficult and expensive to aquire. There are some European companies that rent resuable plastic crates, such as Turtlebox, but they are not yet available in the United States.
Yale University turned to Kevin Gallup when their Sustainability Strategic Plan compelled them to find a solution for this problem. They wanted a system of modular parts made of sustainable materials that could be taken apart, stored, and reused as necessary. As Mr. Gallup explains in his abstract: “There were many factors to take into account to obtain an acceptable system. Availability and price of materials, construction techniques, compatibility of materials, and the unique archival material requirements [of] the museum industry…are some of the features of the crating system that had to work together to produce a crate design. The fabrication and creation of the parts withing the design would need to be obtainable either by utilizing their own facility…or by having the parts…made locally. The system would need to be easily put together utilizing as many common parts as possible.”
After 10 years of trial and error, Mr. Gallup is satisfied with his current design. The crate is made with an aluminum frame and Dibond sides. Dibond is a composite sandwich of two thin sheets of aluminum with a white polyester coating bonded to a polyethylene core. There is an outer box with a smaller inner traveler or tray of the same materials to contain the object(s). Various foams or Sorbothane can be used to surround the traveler. Sorbothane feet are attached to the bottom to mitigate the effects of vibration.
He is currently working about a business model to make this available to other institutions. Parts can be cut out in various sizes with a CNC machine, but the system still requires a high skill level to assemble. If you are interested in learning more about  these crates, Mr. Gallup suggests that you contact him in about 6 months, and he will be able to provide more information.
 
Audience members check out the crate materials: aluminum frame, Dibond, and Sorbothane
Audience members check out the crate materials: aluminum frame, Dibond, and Sorbothane

 
 

British Museum, 20-21st April 2015. Symposium on the care and conservation of human remains with a focus on natural mummies.

How comfortable do you feel surrounded by skeletal remains and natural mummies? The symposium hosted by the British Museum left no areas unturned, from the excavation, conservation and curation of natural mummies, and allowed participants of the day access to natural mummies from their extensive collection.
Daniel Antoine, curator of physical anthropology at the British museum, kicked the day off by considering the legal aspects and ethics in the curation of human remains. A huge 91% of the British population appears to be on side with the display and retention of human remains by museums for research purposes, but there are obligations. The display of human remains less than 100 years old does not sit well on some peoples’ shoulders and named remains attract a similar apprehension. This seems at odds with the display of Egyptian mummies that often have their names inscribed on their cartonnages, but maybe the longevity of these mummies makes their display more palatable.
Derek Welsby, assistant keeper in archaeology of Sudan and Egyptian Nubia, and Daniel Antoine followed with a description of the problems involved in the excavation of skeletal remains and natural mummies from their resting places, in this instance, the fourth cataract of the Nile Valley, Sudan. Skeletal remains dating back to the Neolithic period were uncovered from various burial sites and natural mummified bodies from the medieval period were excavated from this previously understudied region of The Sudan. Over a 1000 skeletal remains and naturally mummified bodies were donated to the British Museum by SARS, the Sudan Archaeological Research Society via the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums of Sudan. For the past two years the British Museum have been undertaking research into population genetics and the pathology of these Nilotic human remains. A human remains database has been created by the museum that will open up the research potential of these people, negating the need for physical interaction and reducing the risk of damage to the bodies.
Barbara Wills, conservator of organic artifacts at the British museum had the job of surveying the mummies. She examined, photographed, assessed the needs of each individual and established a strategy for stabilization. Barbara was in the wonderful position of receiving a Clothworkers Conservation Fellowship that allowed her to put all of her time and effort into the development of a passive method of stabilization and display. Barbara has a wonderfully calm demeanor that exudes respect for humanity. I don’t know whether she had this disposition before she started work on the mummies or whether the mummies taught her this respect on her travels with them. A workshop on the second day of the symposium allowed for the exploration of these stabilization and display methods that Barbara developed during her fellowship and shall be discussed later.
The life of the Nilotic people is unraveled not only from research into the human remains but also by analyzing the textiles and leather excavated along side the bodies. Caroline Cartwright, from the department of conservation and scientific research at the British Museum, gave an excellent talk about the problems and pitfalls of trying to identify materials that may have been in close proximity to soft tissues and Anna Harrison, a senior conservator of organic materials at the British Museum, followed with the issues surrounding the conservation of archaeological textiles. Of particular fascination was the discovery of human hair mats that were treated like dry archaeological wool and the revelation that an imprint of a textile may be present on a skin sample even if the textile no longer remains.
 
A lunch break allowed time for a visit to the temporary exhibition: Ancient Lives, New Discoveries, where a number of the curatorial issues discussed in the morning session could be seen in practice. The use of explanatory and contextual information was well presented and tasteful lighting within display cases offered respect to the mummies.
 
Nancy Odegaard from the University of Arizona and Arizona State Museum resumed proceedings by discussing the post-excavation deterioration of the Chinchorro mummies of Arica, Northern Chile. The storage facility for the mummies is far too hot and humid and the mummies are acting as the environmental buffer. Deterioration was manifesting itself in the form of a ‘black ooze’ emanating from the bodies. A quick, easy and inexpensive solution to this problem was the introduction of some locally sourced hygroscopic wall coverings that took over the work of attempting to stabilize the environment.
A Sudanese mummy offered Joanna Russell, from the department of conservation and scientific research at the British Museum, the opportunity to use HPLC to investigate the dyes present in colourful textiles adorning the body. All dyes identified, Pseudopurpurin, Purpurin, Alazarin and Indigotin were used in Egyptian dying.
Marie Vandenbeusch, a project curator in the department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum, used infrared reflectography on a tattoo found on the upper leg of a naturally preserved female mummy from medieval Sudan. The tattoo represents one of the earliest known surviving examples of a tattoo from this period and region and represents a Christian monogram of the Archangel Michael. (images found at: http://blog.britishmuseum.org/2014/06/26/tattoos-in-ancient-egypt-and-sudan/) Of particular interest was the fact that it was mainly women that were tattooed and this particular tattoo was hoped to provide protection under Michael, the patron saint of Nubia.
Heather Bonney, a collections manager for human remains and repatriation at the British Museum, discussed the general curation and digitization of the human remains collection at the British Museum. Human remains can be acquired via three different routes. They may have been purchased anatomical specimens, ethnographic collected remains or they may be from an archaeological context and each requires different legal documentation for their storage and display. Osteoware software and the Oracle Word database were then discussed for the digitization of the collection. (The Oracle Word database is really tailored towards a British archaeological context).
Finally but certainly not least Emily Taylor and Simon Prentice, museums assistants at the British Museum, gave a superb talk about the safe packing and transportation of human remains. It is essential that all remains are carefully photographed before travelling so they can be referred to after unpacking and the person unpacking the remains must be able to deconstruct and replicate the packing easily so it must be simple but effective. Cellite honeycomb boards were used instead of the old-fashioned mummy boards but beware, do not use the Aluminium version of the boards if the mummy is to be sent for a CT scan as the Aluminium interferes with the scan.
 
Barbara Wills lead the second day of the symposium. She gave us an insight into the development of an inexpensive, simple, reversible, reliable and relatively quick way of displaying human remains for display or research using Plastazote LD33 and LD45 (polyethylene foam), PTFE tape and sheets (polytetrafluoroethylene, plumbers tape) and Polyester wadding.
Plastazote LD45 covered in Tyvek (a spun bonded olefin material that is inert and gas permeable) can be placed on a cellite board onto which the mummy can be displayed. Plastazote LD33 can be cut into shape and pinned to the board, offering support or preventing movement.
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Fig. 1 Artificial bones being supported or held in place by Plastazote LD33.
There should be at least a 10cm boarder to the outside of the human remains to prevent damage to any delicate parts when being transported. Barbara demonstrated a quick and easy way of cutting the plastazote into shape using only a big sharp knife. (Figure 2)
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Fig. 2. Fold the strip of Plastazote LD33 and cut on the outside of the fold. Cut as deeply or as shallow as needed to create the supporting structure.
The wonderful thing about PTFE is that it adheres to itself through static attraction only. There is no adhesive involved! PTFE sheet can be wrapped around Polyester wadding that has been fluffed, to create really soft ‘pillows’. Really soft ‘pillows’! ‘Pillows’ of the size and shape you require. (Figures 3 and 4)
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Fig. 3. Barbara Wills demonstrating the construction of a small PTFE and Polyester wadding ‘pillow’ used for the support of a very fragile part of a body.
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The PTFE polyester wadding ‘pillow can be pinned directly to the board or supported in a cut piece of Plastazote LD33 to give extra support. This was named ‘The Mushroom’.
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Fig 4. Barbara Wills demonstrating the construction of a skull mount using fluffed Polyester wadding wrapped in PTFE sheet. Barbara made a sausage shape that she then curved round and pinned in place. Plastazote LD33 cut into wedge shapes can be pinned at each pole position to offer additional support.
A sheet of PTFE could be pinned to a Plastazote LD33 surround creating a hammock like structure. This could support very fragile parts of a body that would not survive using a conventional support.
PTFE tape can be wrapped directly around a fragile part of a body that needs to be held together and, as there is no adhesive involved it is completely reversible. When the static property of PTFE could potentially be damaging to a fragmented part of a body or where hair is present then the static can be eliminated quickly by shooting a beam of electrons at the material from an antistatic gun. Conventional tying can then be used to hold the PTFE in place.
Barbara Wills was apologetic to those attending the workshop as she considered her ideas simple. However, the simple ideas are sometimes the ones that are overlooked and missed. Barbara has developed a system that can stabilize and display any human remains without the need for chemicals and consolidants. The mummies we observed had been displayed in a manner that negated the need to move them for research purposes. However, if a research project did come along that required the movement of any of the bodies then this could be easily achieved without too much intervention, minimizing any damage that might occur to these priceless human remains.
Author: Julie McBain, MSc student at Cardiff University.
Photographs: Renata Peters, Lecturer, University College London
 

Preview of STASH Storage Tips session in Miami

STASH_logoSafe storage for collections is one of the primary goals of preventive care for collecting institutions, and individuals charged with collections care and cultural institutions often face challenges in designing storage and support systems for individual items or collections. There are few tasks more concrete and practical than devising a storage mount that preserves an object while making efficient use of an institution’s human, financial and material resources. Constructing a successful storage solution requires numerous choices regarding materials, techniques, time and skill.
In May 2014, FAIC, with funding from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, launched STASH (Storage Techniques for Art, Science and History collections), a web-based resource to share well-designed storage solutions. The site contains the original entries from the printed text, Storage of Natural History Collections: Ideas and Practical Solutions, originally published by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), and has begun receiving new submissions, including storage projects that were presented last year at the first STASH Flash session as part of AIC’s 42nd Annual Meeting. The website project is interdisciplinary and the site’s editorial board is composed of representatives from a range of allied organizations
The 2015 STASH Flash session to be held at the Miami meeting on May 13, 4:30 – has an exciting lightening round of tips lined up.  Tips presented at the session will be formatted and appear on the www.stashc.com website after the meeting.  We hope that you will join us to kick of the meeting with a practical take on storage and rehousing.  Read on to see what is in store….
OVERSIZE OBJECTS
Contributor(s): Angela Andres & Laura McCann
Institution: New York University Libraries, Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department
Collection Type: Rolled Archival Materials
This hanging housing system is designed for oversize low-use rolled items. Objects too large for flat files or unlikely to be accessed often can be rolled around an archival tube and suspended with S-hooks from cage in stack areas (or eye-hooks may be secured into wall if cage is not available). Pressure-mounted Ethafoam bumpers support the tubes and protect the rolled objects from pressure against wall or cage. S-hooks and bumpers can be easily shifted or removed as necessary.
 
Contributor(s):Andrew Hare
Institution: Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Collection type: East Asian Paintings/Scrolls
Of great concern for the preservation of East Asian paintings is the damage caused by rolling scrolls around small diameter roller rods, a problem that typically results in severe creasing and pigment loss. This inherent vice in the design of Chinese and Japanese hanging and handscrolls can be greatly alleviated with the addition of a roller clamp, known in Japanese as a futomaki soejiku or simply futomaki. This roller clamp is closed around the roller rod of the scroll to at least double the diameter of the scroll when rolled. This simple and functional solution has the disadvantages of being made from an acidic, off-gassing l wood, can be quite heavy and is usually difficult and expensive to obtain in the West. Two alternative options are preservation rollers, developed within the Freer and Sackler Galleries’ East Asian Painting Conservation Studio. They are made from folded Mylar (polyester sheeting) or Ethafoam tubing covered with Stockinet. The Mylar preservation roller is best for handscrolls and smaller hanging scrolls. The Ethafoam preservation roller works best for larger scrolls. Both preservation rollers are made from inert, lightweight materials that are readily available in the West. With the instructions provided, conservators, volunteers, interns and fellows can easily produce these preservation rollers at a relatively low cost and greatly improve storage conditions for East Asian scrolls.
 
Contributor(s): William Bennett
Institution: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Conservation Specialist
Collection type: rolled oversize graphic recordings placed in a custom housing
Items of an unusual shape or size perpetually pose problems of storage and access for archives. One recent example from the Smithsonian Institution Archives is a collection of six rolls of oversize drawings—a set of graphic recordings of planning sessions, which ultimately resulted in the formation of the current strategic vision of the Smithsonian. Neither flat nor offsite storage was possible due to the unusual dimensions, necessitating a custom housing that would remain in the Archives’ onsite storage. The drawings were wrapped around archival cores fitted with corrugated board feet to increase stability and protect the bottom edges; these rolls were placed into a custom two-piece box, made from more corrugated board. Both the lower portion and the lid are composed of two pieces attached with mitered flaps, with each piece pre-scored to ensure clean folds. Time will tell whether this housing solution functions as well as hoped. While this solution was not ideal, it is effective and was an excellent opportunity to experiment with custom enclosures.


BOXES & SHELVES
Contributor(s):Jennifer Lewis & Nancy Lev-Alexander
Institution: Library of Congress/ Conservation Division / Head, Collections Stabilization Section
Collection type: Pre-Columbian inorganic ethnographic items
The Library of Congress holds relatively small but highly significant collections of 3-dimensional artifacts from the J.I. Kislak Collection that present challenges for storage and research use. Unlike museums which often have customized furnishings and specialized staff required for safe storage and handling, the Library must accommodate these objects among its standard shelving and provide housings that protect the object when handled by curators or researchers with a wide range of object-handling experience and skill. Staff from the Collection Stabilization Section have designed a storage solution based on customized inner fittings applied within paperboard boxes that were made either by hand or on automated equipment depending on size. The inner fittings created of safe materials such as alkaline board, polyester batting, Ethafoam planking, polypropylene fabric, and Tyvek, provide support and cushioning around the object while creating malleable cavities or drop or removable walls that allow easy viewing and access to the object. This presentation will demonstrate how this housing solution has been customized to provide protection for a wide range of Library objects. Additional information will demonstrate strategies for protecting larger pre-Columbian ceramic objects without full boxing within gasketed cabinets. The same housing solution has also been applied to artifacts from the Alan Lomax collection including sound recording equipment and other tools of his ethnographic sound recording work.
 
Contributor(s): Stephanie Gowler & Susan Russick
Institution: Northwestern University Library
Collection Type: Housing objects on library shelving
As a purpose-built library, Northwestern’s shelves are integrated into the structure of the building.  This means we can never adjust the position of the shelving units. Irregularly sized or shaped materials still need to fit in sequence in the collection. Examples include letters written on petri dishes which must fit into a document box with other correspondence, a scroll that needs to be stored vertically on the bookshelf, and puppets from a 1960s television show.  Our protocol begins with compiling a reference sheet of shelf sizes and the maximum sizes of boxes that can fit on those shelves. Labeling preferences for each curator are also recorded.   The exterior of boxes are standardized while the interior is customized. Curatorial and use patterns also influence housing decisions.  This presentation will show housings used for books, papers and objects at Northwestern.
Contributor(s):Angela Yvarra McGrew
Institution: Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Contract Conservator
Collection type: Archaeological and ethnographic art, from Africa and the Americas
The goal of the project is to re-house all of the African and Ancient American Collection to create layers of visibility with researchers in mind so that direct handling is only necessary in special cases. Open shelving requires that each box will have a lid. A window is provided to prevent packing being taken apart to confirm the contents. The boxes take into account the potential for earthquakes in this region but are not meant for travel/shipping.
 
Contributor(s): Rebecca Newberry
Institution: Science Museum of Minnesota
Collection type: Drop-front boxes for Natural History objects and specimens
Custom made drop front boxes are ideal for housing fragile objects stored on open shelves. The front of the box is designed to fold open from the bottom, allowing free access to the object stored within. The drop front has flaps which are fastened to the side of the box with envelope-style string and button closures. This system is more reliable than adhesive hook and loop (Velcro) fasteners commonly used. The boxes can be made from either corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastic.
 
Contributor(s): Rebecca Newberry
Institution: Science Museum of Minnesota/Conservator
Collection type: boxes for natural history
Double scored folds in corrugated plastic boxes with attached lids: Corrugated plastic boxes with attached lids are useful for frequently accessed objects. Since the lid cannot be separated from the box, it cannot be misplaced. It is important to allow the attached lid to fold back completely for best access. The lid fold is scored along the interior and the exterior flutes. This double scored fold allows the lid to fold back, leaving the top of the box clear for object access.
 
Contributor(s):Gretchen E. Anderson & Deborah G. Harding
Institution: Carnegie Museum of Natural
Collection type: Microclimate storage for archaeological metals
The CMNH Anthropology Department is in the beginning phase of a major NEH funded reorganization of collections storage. One of the first projects is to improve storage conditions for small archaeological metals. Thirty years ago these had been placed in plastic bags and Rubbermaid™ containers with silica gel (which had not been reconditioned since the original storage was developed). Plastic bags and polyethylene foam padding were all that protected these fragile objects. Some were stored in Masonite™ and wood drawers, with only a thin layer of foam between them and the wood. The new storage project was the perfect opportunity to apply new methods. The new system had to provide better physical support and organization for the collection, as well as buffering fluctuating relative humidity and protecting the sensitive collection from contamination. The new storage solution is compact, simple and cost effective.
 
DRAWER SOLUTIONS
Contributor(s): Alison Reppert Gerber
Institution: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture
Collection type: 16” lacquer transcription audio discs
In the fall of 2014, the National Museum of African American History and Culture prepared 24 audio discs of varying formats for travel in order to digitize their rare audio content. Five of these discs exhibited varying degrees of delamination and required innovative packing and long-term storage solutions. First, we created a simple clamshell-style box from archival blue board. Using Volara® polyethylene foam cut into circles (6” in diameter) and wooden dowels wrapped in Teflon® tape, we were able to secure the disc in the box while suspending the grooved portion of the disc, which was the primary area suffering from delamination of the nitrocellulose lacquer coating. By adding Velcro® closures to the exterior of the box, it could safely be transported vertically to reduce surface tension on the disc. All five discs were given their own enclosure and then placed into one large box for stability and transport.
 
Contributor(s): Angela Andres & Laura McCann
Institution: New York University Libraries, Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department
Collection Type: Panorama photographs and/or maps
A simple-to-construct modular system for dividing flat file drawers to house panorama photographs (or other long/narrow items such as maps or broadsides). Dividers of E-flute board or 20-point board are held in place by panels of the same type of board and can be fitted to either x or y orientation. Easy to remove, add, and alter divider sections, this is an easy and low-cost solution to the difficulty of housing these odd-shaped items.
 
Contributor(s): Angela Andres & Laura McCann
Institution: New York University Libraries, Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department
Collection Type: ephemera
Housing for a collection of political buttons using stacked placards of Volara-lined B-flute board. B-flute board is lined on both sides with thin Volara (tacked at corners with linen thread, eliminating the need for) and buttons are affixed to the placards with their own fasteners or, when fasteners are missing or damaged, placed in small poly zipper bags and tacked to placards with linen thread. Placards are stacked inside standard archival document boxes that integrate well in existing shelf space.
 
Contributor(s): Allison Rabent & Jane Klinger
Institution: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Collection Type: Drawer Grid, textiles
As in many other museums, much of the textile collection at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is stored in flat-file drawers. In preparation for moving the collection to a new facility in 2017, current storage methods are being re-evaluated.  A new housing system was needed to organize and provide stability and protection for armbands and badges of various shapes and sizes. Part of the challenge was to ensure the artifacts could also be housed and organized by accession number. In order to address these issues, an adjustable grid system was created. Dividers made of corrugated blue board were cut to size and modified to create a stable grid that could be placed within the drawer, allowing the textiles to rest safely within individual squares. By adjusting the size and number of dividers, this system can be easily modified to accommodate for storage of a variety of flat media.
 
DOCUMENTATION
Contributor(s): Stephanie Gowler & Susan Russick
Institution: Northwestern University Library
Collection Type: Library and Archival Materials
This presentation will describe the use of the smartphone/tablet app Notability to facilitate documentation and labeling during a large-scale paintings collection survey. Each painting was photographed with the smartphone/tablet camera, imported into Notability, and annotated with a color-coded key to indicate major types and levels of damage. These annotated images were then incorporated into an existing documentation database. Print-outs of the annotated images were attached to wrapped paintings as caution labels, alerting anyone handling the paintings to the most vulnerable areas. This proved to be an efficient way to create on-the-fly condition notes and produce a quick visual reference for future conservators. This method could easily be adapted for triage in disaster response situations, large-scale surveys across multiple storage locations, or anytime there is a need for labels cautioning handlers about an object’s condition.

Heritage Preservation Programs Transition to FAIC

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Washington, DC — April 27, 2015 — Throughout its 33-year history, first as the National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property and then under its current name, Heritage Preservation has fulfilled its mission to preserve the nation’s heritage for future generations through innovative leadership and educational agendas. It has steadily advocated for the protection of cultural heritage by creating programs, publications, and easily accessed products that advance the field of conservation and serve the needs of allied preservation professions.
Heritage Preservation’s programs have been tested and proven. Hence, they are trusted and highly valued. Their loss would be severely felt throughout the cultural heritage community. Research undertaken over the past six months indicates that several synergies exist between the programs of the DC-based Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC) and Heritage Preservation. For this reason, following the recent vote by Heritage Preservation members approving its dissolution as of June 30, 2015, several popular Heritage Preservation programs will transition to FAIC, thus ensuring their continuation.
Programs That Will Move to FAIC
FAIC will administer and lead three primary emergency planning, preparedness, and response programs currently offered by Heritage Preservation: Alliance for Response (AFR), State Heritage Emergency Partnership (SHEP), and Risk Evaluation and Planning Program (REPP). FAIC will also promote the annual MayDay campaign in 2015 and into the future. Heritage Preservation’s plan to develop an app called the Disaster Assessment Reporting Tool (DART) is on hold until funding is obtained to develop a prototype.
Transfer of the Connecting to Collections (C2C) Online Community program, and other activities related to the statewide preservation planning and implementation program developed and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with programmatic assistance from Heritage Preservation, began in December 2014, and has been fully implemented as C2C Care.
FAIC is in the process of hiring additional programmatic and support staff, as well as part-time contractors, to ensure that former Heritage Preservation activities will thrive. Four key Heritage Preservation staff members will be retained, allowing uninterrupted access to their expertise.
Heritage Preservation’s joint award with the College Art Association was presented in February 2015 in New York City. The College Art Association and the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) have agreed to form a partnership in time for the 2016 award. It is hoped that a new organizational arrangement for the joint Heritage Preservation/AIC Ross Merrill Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections can be announced prior to the 2016 award cycle.
Although FAIC will not directly oversee Heritage Preservation’s Save Outdoor Sculpture! and Rescue Public Murals programs, existing digital materials from these and other initiatives will be hosted on FAIC’s Conservation OnLine (CoOL) website to ensure continued access.
The Smithsonian Institution Archives, the Campbell Center, the National Park Service, the Library of Congress, the Washington Conservation Guild, the University of Maryland Archives, Conservation Resources Management, and the George Washington University Libraries graciously agreed to accept library and archival materials so that they may continue to be put to good use.
After April 30, 2015, the Heritage Preservation Board of Directors will:

  • donate the intellectual property rights for the name and logo of Heritage Preservation to FAIC;
  • transfer copyrights and inventory of all Heritage Preservation publications and products to FAIC so that these important resources can continue to be distributed;
  • work with FAIC to arrange for mail, product sales, and the website URLs to be redirected to FAIC;
  • and allocate all unencumbered monies and transfer unspent funds, as appropriate, to FAIC when the closure of Heritage Preservation is completed.

Other Key Heritage Preservation Programs
The completion and successful delivery of Heritage Health Information 2014, funded by an IMLS grant award with additional support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Getty Foundation, and others, will continue to be Heritage Preservation’s principal activity for the first half of 2015, with results tabulated and disseminated to the cultural heritage community by summer 2015.
The IMLS Conservation Assessment Program (CAP), managed by Heritage Preservation, will close on April 30, 2015. Further information about this program can be found at www.imls.gov.
Plans are underway to place the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, of which FAIC is an active member, under the jurisdiction of a federal agency.
Additional Information
Questions or comments regarding the status of Heritage Preservation programs may be directed to Tom Clareson, Acting President, Heritage Preservation (tclareson@heritagepreservation.org), or Eryl Wentworth, Executive Director, Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (ewentworth@conservation-us.org).
 
To download the announcement, please go to http://www.conservation-us.org/about-us/press-room/hp-release

Connecting to Collections Care MayDay Webinar, May 1

Sign up for the next Connecting to Collections Care webinar on disaster recovery.  It’s free!
“After Disasters: Salvage and Recovery in Small to Mid-Sized Museums and Libraries”
May 1, 2015, 2:00 – 3:30, EDT, with Susan Duhl.
Understanding the components of disaster response is key in successful recovery of collections of any type, size, and budget.  This webinar will show professionals and volunteers the steps needed to effectively save collections, including:
       + What happens to collections after fires, floods, mechanical failures, and other events
       + Recovery logistics, team building, and securing supplies
       + Safety and health practices
       + Working with first responders, engineers, contractors and conservators, and local resources
       + Collections triage, handling practices, drying options, soot and mud cleaning techniques, and mold control
       + Long-term recovery: conservation treatment and funding
Susan Duhl is an Art Conservator and Collections Consultant, providing assessments, consultations, and conservation treatment for institutions and individuals throughout the United States and internationally. She specializes in disaster prevention and strategic recovery of art, archival, and historic collections from natural, mechanical, accidental, and man-made disasters. Capabilities include assessments, pre-incident planning, prevention, emergency response, strategic planning for recovery, and conservation treatment. Clients include private collectors, historic houses and societies, and institutional collections of all types and sizes.
Check the Calendar for more upcoming events.
This webinar is part of the MayDay Initiative. All activities hosted by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation for MayDay 2015 are sponsored by Polygon Group, offering document recovery, emergency planning services, property damage restoration, and temporary humidity control across the globe.
Connecting to Collections Care is sponsored by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.