We need to start building an understanding of deteriorating collections so thatwe may begin thinking about steps that can be taken to preserve them.
One reason collections deteriorate is "internal or inherent vice," caused by weakness in the chemical or physical makeup of an object introduced during its manufacture. This is the fundamental problem you face as you begin toconsider the preservation of collections.
For example, papers composed ofwood pulp may turn yellow and brittle in just a short period of time. Some adhesives will dry out and fail, while others may discolor and turn into a sticky mass. Old writing inks mayseem to burn through a paper sheet, or, they may have faded and become illegible. Audio tapes become stickyand unplayable. Photographic printscan fade or become yellowed and brittle; and photographic films can emit an odor, or be wavy or spotted.These problems are due in part to internal vice, and they affect all types of collections--those in private homes to those in large institutions. For example,did you know that roughly 33% of all research collections in academic libraries are embrittled to some degree and that many items are damaged beyond the point of safe use?
There are, of course, a number of other contributors to collections deterioration, which can be labeled "external agents of deterioration." They include: physicalhandling, theft, vandalism, fire, water, pests, pollutants, light, and uncontrolled temperature and relative humidity (RH).
These are risks that can be reduced or prevented by identifying, monitoring, and controlling them. You may not be able to do away with internal vice, but you canslow the rate of deterioration and/or avert damage by controlling external risks.AIC defines preventive conservation as: "The mitigation of deterioration and damage to cultural property through the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures for the following: appropriate environmental conditions; handling and maintenance procedures for storage, exhibition, packing, transport, and use; integrated pest management; emergency preparedness and response; and reformatting/duplication."2
We hope that there will be new terms and ideas introduced throughout this program which will help you understand collections care. For clarification ofwords you will encounter, a glossary has been created, drawn from a variety of sources. In addition, other vocabularies, glossaries, and dictionaries areavailable online (such as "Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: ADictionary of Descriptive Terminology," by Matt T. Roberts and Don Etherington), at Conservation Online. Much of the printed literature includes abbreviated glossaries that you may find helpful.