Don’t panic! Dealing with wet records

Don’t panic! Dealing with wet records

Elizabeth HadlowSenior Conservator

Records Manager’s Forum24 July 2007

Introduction

• Resources• Equipment• Training• Planning for Salvage• Handling wet records

Resources - planning• State Records Website

– Standard on Disaster Management of Records http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/publicsector/rk/disaster/diplancom.htm

• National Archives Website– Disaster Preparedness Manual

http://www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/preservation/disaster/intro.html

Resources – planning and salvage

• AMOL website– Be Prepared- Guidelines for Small Museums for writing a

disaster preparedness plan http://sector.amol.org.au/publications_archive/collections_management/be_prepared

• AMOL website– reCollections – Managing collections

http://archive.amol.org.au/recollections/ • NAA website

– Archives Advice 28 http://www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/rkpubs/advices/advice28.html

Resources – advice

• State Records NSW– Senior Conservator– Senior Archivist Transfer and Custody– Salvage of archives

• State Library of NSW– Conservation section– Salvage of books

• National Archives of Australia– Conservation section– Salvage of archives

• Large Museums and Art Galleries– Conservation section– Specialist advice on specific materials, e.g. metals, organic objects,

textiles

When is it a disaster?

• Size doesn’t matter

• What is your ability to deal with it?

Equipment – disaster binContents:

•Buckets

•Mops

•Plastic sheet

•Blotting paper

•Dust masks

•Washing line and pegs

•etc

Equipment – Disaster store

Larger stores of materials

Resources – Training

• De Dramatising Disasters– www.records.nsw.gov.au training calendar– 20-21 September 2007– State Library of NSW– 2 days 9.30am-4.30pm– $520– Limited spaces

What are we trying to prevent?• Mould growth• Ink bleeding• Coated papers sticking• Books swelling• Bindings failing• Photographs blocking• Emulsions detaching

What should I do with wet records?

• How wet are my records?– Sodden– Damp– Mix

• Air Drying– Laying out flat– Pegging up– Air circulation– Keeping humidity down

• Freezing– What can I freeze?– When do I freeze?

Preparing for salvage

• Separate different materials where you can

• Know your collection• Know the correct

salvage response for different materials

Handling wet records

Summary

• Training is very important• Pre-planning avoids delays and mistakes• Players must understand your requirements• Get to know what resources you can call on