First Aid for Art. Jane K. Hutchins

safety gear, including respirators, if mold or contamination is present

      • Sheets of absorbent paper (e.g., paper toweling or unprinted newsprint) to absorb water

      • Sheets of water-resistant paper (e.g., freezer paper or waxed paper) to prevent adhesion

      • Sturdy boxes for packing books, ideally about one cubic foot (approx. 12” x 15” x 10”), waterproof if possible (such as milk crates)

      • Permanent markers for labeling boxes

      • A large, dedicated space for drying books or packing them for off-site treatment

      If Freezing Books

      • Cold storage (freezer) facilities, either available nearby or brought to the location

      If Air-Drying Books

      • Props of some sort to hold books upright

      • Fans to keep air circulating

      • A dehumidifier or other means of reducing relative humidity

      Triage

      How to Decide What to Treat First

      • Determine whether you can treat the books within 48 hours. If not, freeze them if at all possible. This will prevent mold growth, stabilize the books, and allow them to be dried at a more convenient time.

      • Some books may be sacred or have other special value and require prompt and special attention. Seek local advice.

      • Set aside books that are replaceable or expendable, if you can identify them. Deal with these last.

      • Determine which books contain coated paper. These should be frozen if at all possible, before the paper starts to stick together. If freezing them is not an option, carefully try to separate the pages before drying, as this will be impossible later without damage.

      • Identify pages that have inks or colors that are smearing or blurring, and freeze or dry these as soon as possible.

      • Separate moldy and contaminated books and move them to an isolated area. Wear protective gloves and other safety gear.

      What to Do

      • Keep records—of conditions at the time of the emergency, and of your actions and when you take them. Use both words (a diary or log) and photographs. This information may be vital in discussions with an insurance company or lender, or to document when damage occurred (e.g., in the disaster vs. during handling).

      • Establish a system for handling the books before you start. If ­possible, appoint a recorder to ­ensure that individual books can be located during treatment and that the collection’s organization is preserved. Keep identifiers (labels, box or shelf numbers, etc.) with books; if necessary, transcribe identifying information onto clean paper kept with the books.

      • Wet books swell and may become wedged on the shelf. You may need to disassemble the shelving itself to remove the books without damaging them.

      • Sort books according to wet, dry, and damp. This will make packing and subsequent drying easier. For example, using the shelves of your book truck, put dry material on one shelf, damp on the next, and very wet on the last.

      • Do not:

       + squeeze water-soaked volumes (this can damage the binding)

       + touch or rub inks

       + force books closed

      • If books bound in leather or coated paper are stuck firmly to one another, do not attempt to force them apart. Keep such books together as a unit.

      • If rinsing is necessary, hold the book closed.

      • If conditions preclude a staging area, books must be packed into boxes directly from the shelves. Using two boxes per person, it’s still possible to sort wet from dry.

      Drying

      • For uncoated-paper books that are damp but not saturated, stand them on end, fan them open, and prop them up so they won’t fall over. Shift pages periodically so that all damp areas are exposed.

      • For uncoated-paper books that are too wet to stand up, interleave 20% or less of the book with an absorbent, unprinted material (such as paper toweling or blank newsprint). Too much interleaving will distort the book. Replace the interleaving material as soon as it gets damp. When the pages are dry enough for the book to stand on end, prop it up with the pages fanned open.

      • For coated-paper books, separate the pages so that they won’t stick together by interleaving waxed paper or freezer paper.

      • Direct fans over the books so the pages are exposed to circulating air.

      • When books are dry but still cool to the touch, close them, gently push them into their previous shape, and lay them flat under a light weight. Dampness can remain in books for some time, so check for mold growth periodically and maintain good air circulation.

      Packing

      • If possible, wrap or interleave books with a nonstick material such as freezer or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking to one another. If time or supplies are short, wrap every other book.

      • Do not place books in the box flat. Place them with the spine or bound end down.

      • Wet books are heavy, and water weakens cardboard boxes. Don’t place more books in a box than it can handle or than a person can safely lift.

      • Don’t pack boxes too tightly or stack books in layers. This can result in distortion, since the books may continue to swell until they are frozen or dried.

      • Clearly mark several sides of the box with information about its contents, including whether they are wet or dry.

      Botany Specimens

      Properties

      • Most botanical specimens are dry, pressed plants attached to paper sheets using adhesives, straps, sewing, or some combination of these. Often a sheet also has a small packet attached, designed to hold fragments that have become detached from the plant specimen. Other preparations of dry botanical material include small specimens, such as lichens, that have simply been placed in labeled packets and stored in small drawers or boxes.

      • Specimens and mounting sheets may have been treated with toxic chemicals such as mercuric chloride to make them resistant to mold and pests. Mercury-treated specimens will off-gas mercury vapor continuously over time and may have gray-black stains that are often mistaken for mold.

      • Herbarium sheets and packets dating from about 1840 to the early 20th century may have been made of very acidic papers and can be extremely fragile when damp or wet.

      • Adhesives used to mount plants or attach labels and fragment packets may soften or dissolve when exposed to moisture or high humidity.

      Common Types of Damage

      • Immersion in water may result in degradation of the mounting sheets or paperboard boxes that house specimens.

      • Past treatment with mercuric chloride makes paper sheets ­brittle; exposure to water increases their fragility.

      • Specimens housed in boxes are sometimes enclosed in ziplock plastic bags, which can protect them from water or moisture but may melt in a fire.

      • Inks may run when wet, affecting legibility.

      • Water or moisture can soften or dissolve adhesives. When this occurs:

       + specimens may become dissociated from sheets and data

       + paper packets containing specimen fragments may become dissociated from sheets

       + data labels may become detached, destroying the ­specimens’ scientific value

      Supplies

      What You May Need and Why

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