[PADG:1294] Mass Deacidification for the UK and Ireland

["Jonathan Rhys-Lewis" <jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A Presentation of the Findings and Recommendations of a Feasibility Study on
a Collaborative Approach to Mass Deacidification as part of the National
Preservation Strategy for the Cultural Written Heritage

The management Steering Group:

    -    Dr. Helen Forde, Head of Preservation at the Public Record Office
    -    Mr. Mark Mainwaring, Project Manager and Director of Administration
         & Technical Services at the National Library of Wales
    -    Mr. Rab Jackson, Head of Preservation at the National Library of
         Scotland
    -    Mr. John McIntyre, formerly Head of Preservation at the National
         Library of Scotland and acting as External Verifier

LAUNCH OF THE REPORT AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY: TUESDAY MARCH 6TH 2001

The findings of this recently published report, on the feasibility of
establishing a mass deacidification facility to serve the UK and Ireland,
were presented at the British Library Conference Centre to an audience of 60
invited guests. This meeting celebrated the completion of the Report, which
investigates the current position of UK and Irish written heritage
collections affected by acid deterioration.

The participants came from a range of institutions and organisations
representing the management of written heritage collections in archives,
libraries and museums.

The proceedings were opened by Dr. Helen Forde, Head of Preservation at the
Public Record Office, chairing the meeting, who stressed the importance of
the Report and the need for action now to start the treatment of written
heritage materials affected by acid deterioration.

The first speaker, Yola de Lusenet, who is the Executive Secretary of the
European Commission on Preservation and access (ECPA), presented a
fascinating view of current developments in the mass deacidification process
and its use in Europe and America. Ms. De Lusenet stressed the importance of
the Report, and the involvement of the UK and Ireland. She encouraged the
audience to support this initiative and confirmed the added support of the
ECPA.

The second speaker was the Project Consultant, Jonathan Rhys-Lewis, who
presented a summary of the Report's findings and recommendations. The
presentation painted a vivid picture of the potential extent of the problem
if it is not addressed and the wide range of vital heritage material that is
in danger of being lost. He was able to show both the average cost of the
process per book and to offer some comparisons between the costs of digital
reformatting and mass deacidification. However, overall the message of this
presentation was that mass deacidification is now a feasible alternative to
solving the serious problem of the acid deterioration of paper.

The presentation concluded with the three key recommendations of the
Report:

    -    That urgent action is taken on a sufficient scale to safeguard the
nation's
          written heritage from the destruction of acid deterioration.

    -    That, as a matter of urgency, detailed criteria, based on the
findings of
          this Report, be drawn up for the introduction of a facility to
serve the UK
          and Ireland, and that invitations to tender be extended to
commercial
          companies.

    -    That the Steering Group should move forward to establish a UK and
          Ireland steering group charged with establishing a timetable for
          implementing the Report's recommendations and accessing funding to
          construct a tender specification for a mass deacidification
facility to
          serve the UK and Ireland.

The formal presentations were then followed by a discussion panel that
enabled members of the audience to ask questions of the project management
Steering Group and the consultant.

The discussion session was open and frank, and questions covered a range of
concerns, such as security, the risk to materials, the choices between mass
deacidification and microfilming, and the potential for future funding. This
session also identified considerable interest from the Heritage Lottery Fund
representatives and also those in the museum sector.

Mark Mainwaring, the Project Manager, presented an amusing but realistic
summary of the day's discussions. He encouraged the audience to support this
initiative and was able to present news of the next stage of the project.

The British Library's Co-operation and Partnership  Programme have agreed to
extend the funding to enable the following developments:

    -    to extend the membership of the Steering Group to include archive,
         library and museum representation

    -    to form a pilot group of South East England and London institutions
to
         carry out surveys of their collections to determine the level of
acid
         deterioration

    -    to draw up a draft specification for tendering purposes for a mass
         deacidification facility


The launch was by invitation, but anyone who wishes to contribute to the
project may contact the project consultant for further details. The Report
is also available via the British Library's Concord website at:

http://www.bl.uk/concord/proj99report1.html


Please contact: Jonathan Rhys-Lewis: Project Consultant
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1206 515498: E-mail: jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx






Jonathan Rhys-Lewis
Archive Preservation Consultant
161 Maldon Road
Colchester
Essex
CO3 3BL

Tel/Fax:    01206 515498
Mobile:      0780 833 2539
E-mail:       jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Jonathan Rhys-Lewis
Archive Preservation Consultant
161 Maldon Road
Colchester
Essex
CO3 3BL

Tel/Fax:    01206 515498
Mobile:      0780 833 2539
E-mail:       jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx