[PADG:1534] Re: irradiated mail

["Robert J. Milevski" <milevski@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Eliza,

I have seen only one piece of irradiated mail here at Princeton, so 
far.  The plastic envelope it was in was unopened so I did not observe the 
entire effect of the treatment.  I did see brittle paper, however.  The top 
of the envelope was deteriorating.  We were speculating whether the 
envelope had turned yellow or whether it was simply some company's fancy 
cream colored business envelope.

Robert

At 11:38 AM 12/26/01 -0500, you wrote:
>I am sending this query to a couple of lists, please forgive any cross 
>posting:
>
>Here at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries Preservation and Exhibition 
>Services Department we have just received our first two pieces of first 
>class mail since early October, and I believe our first two pieces of 
>irradiated mail.  The two envelopes contained photocopies of 
>hygrothermograph charts, which we receive on a regular basis from one of 
>our branch libraries.
>
>The envelopes postmarked Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 were quite yellow and the 
>tape used to seal it was darkened and wrinkled.  The photocopies inside 
>the envelopes were also yellow and in the envelope marked Nov. 14 the 
>toner of the photocopies, where they were folded in on themselves, had 
>fused together.
>
>The paper of both the envelopes and the photocopies seems to be quite 
>brittle, the top of the Nov. 14 envelope shattered when we tried to tear 
>it open and a corner of a photocopy broke off after 2 double folds.  The 
>Nov. 15 envelope appears to be in slightly better condition but it is 
>still noticeably yellow and brittle.  Photocopies that we received 
>previous to this appear completely normal and the library has always used 
>standard, pH neutral, photocopy paper.
>
>The information prepared by SCMRE and posted on their web site did say 
>"materials of cellulosic composition, especially plant fibers and paper, 
>will be quite seriously affected."  But I must say that seeing an actual 
>sample is quite a dramatic demonstration of the damage inflicted by 
>irradiation.
>
>My questions to the list therefore are: Have others encountered these 
>results with irradiated mail?  Has the practice of irradiating mail 
>changed any procedures?  How has this affected your Inter Library Loan 
>program?
>
>thanks in advance for your comments,
>
>
>
>Eliza Gilligan
>Book Conservator
>Preservation and Exhibition Services Department
>Smithsonian Institution Libraries
>SISC Rm 2H7
>Washington, DC 20560-0806
>
>(202) 357-1486
>
>gilligane@xxxxxxxxxx

***********************************************
Robert J. Milevski
Preservation Librarian
Princeton University Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544
(609) 258-5591
Fax:  (609) 258-4105
Email:  milevski@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Preservation Office website:
http://libweb2.Princeton.EDU/preservation/ccu/PO-IntroPage.html
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