[PADG:1626] Mass deacidification initiative in the UK

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

Apologies for cross postings
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INFOSAVE

Saving our national written heritage from the threat of acid deterioration


*Resource funds an interim demonstrator project to prove the effectiveness
of mass deacidification*

Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries has agreed to fund
a third phase of the ongoing programme to establish a facility for mass
deacidification to serve the UK, now known as INFOSAVE. The National
Preservation Office will be the managing consultant for this project and an
Advisory Group has been formed including representation from:

            Resource
            National Library of Scotland
            National Library of Wales
            British Library
            Public Record Office

This important funding initiative (for completion at the end of March 2002)
follows on directly from the second phase, completed in December 2001 and
funded by the British Library's Co-operation & Partnership Programme.

During this second phase of the project, the net was widened to include post
1840 paper-based collections in museums. Key outcomes for the second phase
were:

-    the formation of a South East pilot consortium to survey their
collections using      the National Preservation Office (NPO) Preservation
Assessment Survey              (PAS), adapted by the NPO to determine the
level of acid deterioration in their      collections, and

-    the compilation of an outline specification for mass deacidification.

The Pilot Group representing institutions in the South East and London
agreed that the surveying of the identified material should use the NPO
Preservation Survey Assessment model and collect all the other data that
this methodology requires. This information will aid the compilation of a
national preservation strategy by developing a picture of preservation need.

The survey uses a sample of approximately 400 items selected from the
institution as a whole or from a defined collection or population. The
information from the Pilot Group's findings has been passed to the NPO who
were able to add this to the existing survey database and include the new
definitions, based on a new set of criteria for acidic papers.

The Pilot Group has demonstrated mechanisms for identifying material
suitable for the processes available. In addition, the Pilot Group has
identified the logistical requirements for a collaborative process.

With Phase 1 and Phase 2 successfully completed the Steering Group agreed
that it was now necessary to prove the technical and commercial environment
and develop the consortial funding apparatus (Phase 3) necessary to apply
for funding to establish a mass deacidification system for archives,
libraries and museums in the British Isles (Phase 4).

The current project will:

-    Develop a full technical specification for the deacidification of
brittle paper in      post 1850 books and manuscripts.
-    Identify a pilot batch of materials suitable for mass treatment.
-    Negotiate with the commercial suppliers to carry out the test trial.
-    Review the outcomes of the test and refine the technical specification.
-    Prepare an outline funding proposal for a collaborative bid for a mass
deacidification system.

A major objective of the project is to process and test sample batches of
material in order to further refine the technical specification. The project
will approach commercial suppliers of mass deacidification services, in
particular those referred to in "The Enemy Within" ¹, to ask for their
support in this project.

Each supplier will be asked to process a batch of substantially similar but
not identical material, representing the types of artefact and papers that
will expect to be submitted for mass deacidification. The demonstrator will
be accompanied by a specification and the project includes consultancy for
bringing together the batches, and a paper chemist to facilitate the pre and
post- treatment testing.

For further information on the project, please contact:

Alison Walker
Head of Programmes
National preservation Office
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London
NW1 2DB

Tel: 020 7412 7612
Fax: 020 7412 7796
Email: npo@xxxxx
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¹ The Report, which was publicly launched at the British Library on March
6th 2001 is available via the British Library's Concord website:
http://www.bl.uk/concord/proj99report1.html