On the site, visitors can hear seven interviews with professional conservators who helped salvage collections storm-damaged in August 2005. In the interviews, responders discuss the lessons learned, their motivations, expectations and preparations, and their experiences. The interviews were conducted in 2006 at the Library of Congress by the Preservation Directorate, in collaboration with the Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC) and the American Folklife Center.
Hurricanes can damage collections in several ways. High winds, flying debris, driving rain and rushing and rising waters can break windows, blow papers around, scatter and tear documents, and knock over bookshelves. Even if books initially remain on bookshelves, rain or floodwater can cause the paper in the books to expand, swelling bookbindings to the point where loosely stacked books may pop off the shelves. Water can dissolve inks, colorants and other components of letters, prints, photographs and books. More importantly, floodwaters arising from a hurricane’s pelting rain are often contaminated, depositing soil, mud or toxins on precious family treasures.
Following rain or flooding from hurricanes, residual dampness can lead to the growth of mold, which can cause health problems for humans and disfigure books and papers. Some papers, such as clay-coated illustrations, can also stick or "block" together.
Despite these dire possibilities, there are actions that can be taken to salvage collections of hurricane-damaged papers, prints, books and even audiovisual materials such as films, tapes, CDs and DVDs.