[PADG:148] PQTDG--ALA Annual 2004 summary

[Beth Doyle <b.doyle@xxxxxxxx>]

Section: PARS
Discussion Group: Physical Quality and Treatment
Meeting Date: 6/27/2004
Chairperson(s): Heather Kaufman and Beth Doyle
Number of Participants: 25

ALA Annual Meeting in Orlando--Summary

The co-chairs presented a summary of the information gleaned from the AIC
Library Collections Conservation Discussion Group held in June 2004. The
topics discussed in that session included stretching your conservation
dollar and ergonomics for conservators.

Ideas put forth at AIC for “doing more with less” include the use of
work-study students, bartering supplies with other departments within and
outside your institution, and deferring treatments for low-use items and
boxing them instead.

The ergonomics topic provided a lot of information from participants. At
AIC ideas such as looking outside the conservation profession to other
similar professions (such as dental hygienists, factory work,
rehabilitation professions, etc.), providing mobile furniture that not only
rolls but can have its height adjusted as well, and setting timers or using
software to remind you to take breaks and change positions. We discussed
the importance of having support for ergonomic issues and training at the
top levels of your institution (administration, departmental, etc.), and
using training and print/online resources that may be available at your
institution such as an office for health and environmental safety,
ergonomics officers, etc. It was also apparent that setting a good example
was important to help staff feel comfortable in doing exercises or taking
stretch breaks. Equally important is to let them know when you are not
doing something correctly and not to follow your example if you know that
it may lead to injury, or already has led to an injury.

The final topic for discussion was identification and selection for
preservation and conservation. Many institutions differ in who identifies
repair items, and how they are sorted through the workflow. It was apparent
that there were as many ways to select damaged materials as there are
institutions. Differences in staffing levels, expertise, size of
collections, training, staff turn-over rates, and workflow issues (such as
pre-shelving needs, use-based needs, etc.) all had an impact on how
selection was accomplished at each institution.

Discussion finally centered on how selection can be used to educate and
train staff members, provide demand-driven solutions for workflow problems
in other departments, and raise the overall awareness of preservation
within the institution.


Looking ahead to Midwinter 2005 in Boston

We have asked Alan Puglia from the Harvard University Library Weissman
Preservation Center to discuss the “mending bees” that he set up with the
Houghton Library at Harvard. He will tell us about how he worked with the
curators and librarians to develop procedures and protocols for allowing
six conservators to work on site at Houghton repairing items with minor
damage. The program has been very successful and we think that the ideas
and solutions that Alan presents will be a wonderful base for discussion.
We will co-sponsor the discussion with the ALA Rare Books and Manuscripts
Section Curators and Conservators Discussion Group.


New Chairs Announced for 2005-2007

Heather and Beth are nearing the end of their time as chairs of PQTDG. The
incoming chairs are Jay Hurd, Preservation Review Librarian, Harvard
College Library, and Oliver Cutshaw, Binding Librarian, Harvard College
Library. Jay and Oliver will begin their chairship of PQTDG with the Annual
Meeting in June, 2005. We wish to thank them for their upcoming service,
and thank everyone for making the past two years a fun and educational
experience.

Heather Kaufman, co-chair
Beth Doyle, co-chair