[padg] RE: Re: Co-libri cover material

["Janice Comer" <JaniceC@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jeff,

Thought you would want to know about the discussion about CoLibri covers
on the Preservation Administrators Discussion Group attached below. Can
you give us information on these matters.

Thanks,

Janice

Janice Comer, Division Manager 
LBS / Archival Products 
P.O. Box 1413 
Des Moines, IA 50306-1413 
866-518-1081, fax 888-220-2397 
janicec@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
archival.com 

Elegant solutions for preservation www.archival.com.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Cullinane [mailto:JCullinane@xxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 7:23 AM
To: padg@xxxxxxx
Subject: [padg] Re: Co-libri cover material

Before the Connecticut State Library began using the CoLibri covers, the
vendor gave me a copy of a report called Colibri cover book system cover
film, dated Oct. 19, 2000 by R. Scott Williams of the Canadian
Conservation Institute (Proteus No. 7976, Registry File no. 5125-4.) CCI
examined a sample to  "assess its suitability for conservation
applications." The report was done for International Binding and
Laminating Systems, the original vendor of the CoLibri system. You have
to consider what kind of plastic and what additives are used.

The report says the "book covers are made of low density polyethylene
[LDPE] containing a small amount of alkyl amide slip agents. No other
additives were detected." (p.1)  Polyethylene, itself, is suitable for
conservation. The concern would be with the slip agents, which keep two
books covered with the plastic from sticking to each other when you want
to pull one off the shelf. Reports of some glossy photographs sticking
to LDPE under severe conditions are inconclusive and may be due to
factors other than the slip agent. Because of the low concentrations of
the slip agent and no reports of chemical damage attributed to slip
agents after Photographic Activity Tests or after many years of use, "I
believe alkyl amide slip agents are not harmful. ... Neither the
problems of sticking to glossy photograph surfaces or scratching of
photographic materials which have be[en] described for LDPE with slip
agents is likely to be of any consequence for the intended use of
Colibri book covers on books." (p.8) Although the vendor's literature
claims that the covers will protect against UV, there are no additives
present to protect the book from UV radiation.

Based on the findings of that report, the State Library has covered
thousands of general collection books, many with rotting leather covers.
We have not used them on books in Special Collections.

In the eight years since this report, I wonder if the manufacturer has
changed the formula in any way and if there has been further research to
demonstrate how suitable LDPE and its additives are.

--Jane

Jane F. Cullinane
Preservation Librarian, Collection Management Unit
Connecticut State Library
231 Capitol Ave., Hartford,  CT  06106-1537
860-757-6524, fax: 860-757-6559
jcullinane@xxxxxxxxx     http://www.cslib.org

>>> "Grant, Tyra" <tgrant@xxxxxx> 11/6/08  6:00 PM >>>
How much does anyone know about the Co-libri covering material?  How
safe should we consider it? The box says it's 100% polyethylene---in
fact, it also claims the covers protect against light damage.  We were
just wondering because special collections librarians asked.  We use
Co-libri covers to protect many non-artifactual books, especially books
with dust jackets that require saving, but we really don't know much
more except they provide effective and affordable physical protection
for many of our collections.
Thanks,
Tyra Grant 
Head, Preservation Department
University of Kansas Libraries

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