VOLUME 14

NO.42007

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF Illinois at Urbana-Champaign(UIUC) Libraries, the Student

Life and Culture Archives holds almost 500scrapbooks and photo albums that documentstudent life from the early 1900s through thepresent. These contain minutes, diaries, letters,notes and captions from and about contem-poraries, official university documents,photographs, program booklets, art work,sheet music, news clippings, and artifacts.The scrapbooks provide glimpses into studentculture and personal experiences. However,the current condition of many of the scrap-books place them at high risk for damage and loss.

Scrapbooks are often made of poor qualitymaterials which decay rapidly over time. Com-bined with the degradation of the materialsenclosed in them and the physical stress placedon the scrapbook structure by the weight ofmaterials on their pages, many scrapbooksshow severe physical damage such as embrittledpages, broken bindings, and detached artifacts.Starting in 2005, the Conservation Unit

performed an item-level conservation surveyon the entire collection of 494 items. Uponcompletion in 2006, the second stage of theproject, the implementation of conservationtreatments on identified items, was begunand is still ongoing.

Survey MethodologyA survey tool was built in Microsoft Accessto record the age, structure and materials usedfor each scrapbook including: binding format,page type and attachment method of enclosedmaterials. Condition of the binding, supportpages, and attachment of materials was alsorecorded (rated on a scale of 1-3 for “good,”“fair” and “poor”), as was the condition ofthe materials held in the scrapbook, including:photographs, manuscript papers, printedpapers, metals, plastics, rubber, cloth, animalskins/feathers, food and plant materials.Each scrapbook was then assigned an over-all condition ranking of 1-5 (“fine,” “good,”“fair,” “poor” and “very poor”) based on theaveraged numbers given to the individualcondition rankings.

Archival Products

NEWSPlanning for Conservation of Archival Scrapbook Collectionsby Jennifer Hain Teper and Emily F. Shaw

Scrapbooks are often madeof poor qualitymaterials whichdecay rapidlyover time.

Results of the SurveyScrapbooks surveyed dated from the 1870s to1990s with the majority dating from the 1910s,1920s, 1950s and 1960s. Almost one-third ofthe collection was given an overall conditionranking of 4 (poor) or 5 (very poor) (see Fig. 1).Many high rankings were due to the poorcondition of the scrapbook (i.e. the bindingand paper of the book) rather than the condi-tion of the materials held within, though inmany cases the deterioration of the attachedmaterials appeared to be exacerbated by thepoor condition of the pages and bindings.

Binding Style and ConditionOverall, most scrapbooks were found disbound(see Table 1). Of those in their original boundformat, the majority was side-laced (25.3% ofthe collection) or post bound (12.8%). Of allbinding formats surveyed, side laced and sewnstructures showed the highest rate of damage.

Page Type and ConditionThe majority of the scrapbooks had paper pages(see Table 2). Unfortunately, due to the poorquality paper used in many of them, a very highpercentage of pages (over 35%) were found tobe brittle and fractured, thus receiving a rankingof “poor.”

Attachment Methods and ConditionMany methods were used to attach memorabiliato pages. The most popular was glue (75.5% ofthe total, see Table 3). Tape followed with only24.1% of items surveyed. Overall, any method

that used an adhesive to attach items showedhigher damage, with 30% of glued items rankedas “poor,” as well as 39% of taped items.

Types and Condition of Memorabilia Found within ScrapbooksThe two most common types of materialsfound within the scrapbooks were papers andphotographs. Over 88% of the papers identifiedwere printed, mostly newspaper clippings (seeTable 4). Of these, almost 33% were in poorcondition, as compared to only 7% of manu-script papers.

The most common photographic format,silver gelatin prints (47.6%, see Table 5),showed a relatively low rate of degradation (only 11% ranked as poor condition). Secondly, color prints (33.4%) aged relativelywell, though many of those ranked as “fair”

P L A N N I N G F O R C O N S E R V A T I O N – c o n t i n u e d

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Each scrapbookwas assigned an overall con-dition rankingof 1-5 (“fine,”“good,” “fair,”“poor” and“very poor”).

1 2 3 Total

Adhesive 0.8% 0.6% 0.0% 1.4%

Post 7.5% 3.4% 1.8% 12.8%

Ring Binder 2.6% 1.8% 0.0% 4.5%

Sewn 0.0% 0.4% 0.8% 1.2%

Side-Laced 5.5% 12.3% 7.5% 25.3%

Spiral 0.8% 1.0% 0.0% 1.8%

Staple and Strap 1.4% 0.4% 0.0% 1.8%

Other 1.8% 1.4% 0.4% 3.6%

Disbound 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 48.0%

1 2 3 Total

Laminated Pages 0.4% 0.6% 0.0% 1.0%

Magnetic Pages 1.8% 2.2% 0.2% 4.3%

Paper 18.0% 32.2% 27.1% 77.3%

Paper w/ Plasticsleeves 1.0% 0.6% 0.0% 1.6%

Repurposed Paper 0.6% 1.2% 0.2% 2.0%

Other 1.2% 0.2% 0.0% 1.4%

Condition Rank

Num

ber o

f Scr

apbo

oks

10

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

2 3 4 5

Table 1: Binding style and condition.

Table 2: Support page type and condition.

Fig. 1: Overall condition of the scrapbooks.

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(41% of all color photographs) were noted toexhibit some degree of fading or color shift,most frequently losing their cyan and yellowdyes to shift towards more magenta hues.

Less common materials found within thescrapbooks included pennants, leather boundbooklets, plastics, balloons, pressed flowersand feathers. (see Table 6). Plant materials,food and rubbers aged very poorly as mightbe expected. Cloth, animal skins and feathersaged moderately, and metals and plastics agedreasonably well.

Identification for TreatmentThe conservation staff worked with the archivistat the Student Life and Culture Archives todevise a prioritized plan to address the preserva-tion, stabilization and repair needs of thescrapbook collection. First, all scrapbooksranking 4 or 5 for their overall condition and3 for condition of attachment, were selectedas targeted scrapbooks for treatment. Fromthis list of 260 items, 169 were selected ashigh curatorial value to the collection. Thesehigh-priority and high-damage items werebroken into two classifications for treatment:1) perform simple repairs such as paper mend-ing, re-attaching loose artifacts and simplecover repairs for those exhibiting “poor” levels of attachment; and 2) construct custom pro-

tective enclosures or modify interiors of existingenclosures for items with extremely embrittledsupport pages or severely damaged bindings(noted as “severely damaged”). These severelydamaged items would then be reviewed formore advanced conservation treatment later.

Treatments UndertakenBindings and Other Structural Problems Most of the collection’s scrapbooks were madeby college students with mass-produced booksdesigned for convenience, but not for posterity.Of the scrapbooks surveyed, 71% were side-laced with either string or a leather cord, orbound with metal or plastic posts. While thesebindings allow compilers to easily add morepages to the scrapbooks, their inflexibility

P L A N N I N G F O R C O N S E R V A T I O N – c o n t i n u e d

The two mostcommon typesof materialsfound withinthe scrapbookswere papers andphotographs.

1 2 3 Total

Glue 16.0% 37.7% 21.9% 75.5%

Magnetic 0.6% 3.2% 0.8% 4.7%

Paper Clip 0.0% 0.0% 0.2% .02%

Pin 0.0% 0.2% 0.0% .02%

Plastic Sleeves 0.6% 0.0% 0.4% 1.0%

Sewn 0.0% 0.2% 0.0% 0.2%

Stickers 0.2% 0.4% 0.0% 0.6%

Staples 1.0% 1.8% 0.8% 3.6%

Straps/MountingCorners 2.0% 6.1 1.8% 9.9%

Tape 4.5% 10.3% 9.3% 24.1%

1 2 3 Total

Manuscript 9.5% 17.8% 2.2% 29.6%

Printed 19.4% 40.5% 28.9% 88.9%

1 2 3 Total

Albumen 0.0% 0.4% 0.2% 0.6%

Color 17.0% 13.8% 2.6% 33.4%

Cyanotype 0.4% 2.8% 0.2% 3.4%

Silver Gelatin 22.9% 19.4% 5.3% 47.6%

Other 2.0% 0.4% 0.8% 3.2%

1 2 3 Total

Cloth 0.4% 0.6% 0.0% 1.0%

Plastic (incl. glitter) 1.8% 2.2% 0.2% 4.3%

Rubber 18.0% 32.2% 27.1% 77.3%

Metal 1.0% 0.6% 0.0% 1.6%

Skin/Feathers 0.6% 1.2% 0.2% 2.0%

Plant Materials 1.2% 0.2% 0.0% 1.4%

Food 0.0% 0.0% 0.4% 0.4%

Table 3: Attachment methods and condition.Table 5: Photographic processes and condition.

Table 4: Type and condition of paper.

Table 6: Types and conditions of other memorabilia.

caused the most pervasive structural problemsin this collection, including broken or weakenedhinges and detached pages. Several relativelysimple repairs substantially improved theusability of scrapbooks.

Scrapbooks with weak or broken hinges areawkward to handle and place undue stress ontothe books’ fragile pages. Detached covers werereattached and weak hinges were reinforcedusing PVA adhesive and either sympatheticbook cloth or dyed Moriki paper similar tothat used for standard book repairs in theConservation Lab (see Fig. 2 and 3). Pages inside-laced or post bound scrapbooks frequentlyseparated from the rigid bindings. Using 115gsm buffered, lignin-free paper endsheetstock, small donut-shaped hole reinforcers werepunched and adhered using wheat starch pasteto the back of support pages where they areless visible. Reinforced pages were then rein-serted into the binding structure.

Loose items Most scrapbooks contained loose or detacheditems due to adhesive failure or by the com-piler’s choice not to adhere certain items topages. Items loosened by adhesive failure werepasted back into their original locations (seeFig. 4 and 5), so long as their original locationscould be determined. Loose items were placedin archival envelopes, Permalife folders, orpolyester sleeves. Loose items in folders andenvelopes were then placed as near as possibleto where they were found and labeled withidentifying call numbers and title information.

Enclosures and Modifications to Existing BoxesHistoric scrapbooks may take all shapes andsizes, but pre-purchased archival storage boxesare more standardized and may not providean ideal fit, particularly if more than one itemis stored in a box. Many of the scrapbookstreated required custom protective enclosuresand/or modified box interiors to protect themfrom damage in storage and transit. For

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P L A N N I N G F O R C O N S E R V A T I O N – c o n t i n u e d

scrapbooks damaged beyond simple repair,custom-fitted four-flap boxes were madefrom 20 point Bristol board to snugly con-tain loose and brittle pages.

Storage boxes were often much too largefor their contents. To protect scrapbooksfrom shifting and causing further damage,simple, custom-sized spacers of corrugated E-flute board were made to fill the emptyspaces inside the boxes. In other cases, storageboxes were over-filled, causing the box lids to bulge and putting undue pressure on boxcontents under the weight of stacked storage.To relieve pressure in these over-filled boxes,corrugated board risers were added to raisethe wall of the boxes just enough to allow thelids to fit comfortably. This redistributed theweight to the box instead of the boxes’ contents.

ConclusionAlthough ongoing, a few conclusions mayprove useful to other libraries and archives.Simple repair methodologies already practicedin book and paper repair can be applied toscrapbooks with a high degree of success andrender these artifacts more useable and stablewith relatively little time. Additionally, housingchoices, such as standardized boxes, shouldbe weighed carefully against the potential forfurther damage due to inappropriate boxing.Different sized scrapbook boxes should beconsidered to better fit the materials theyhold and items should not be forced intoboxes if they do not comfortably fit. Alterna-tively, simple spacers can be used to makestandardize boxes more appropriate whenhousing differently sized artifacts.

Jennifer Hain Teper is the Head of the Conservation Unit at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Library. She can be reached at jhain@uiuc.edu.

Emily F. Shaw is a master’s candidate at the Graduate Schoolof Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently works on the scrapbook conservation project. She can be reached at efshaw2@uiuc.edu.

Fig. 2: A broken hingeon a scrapbook cover.

Fig. 3: The same coverwith hinge repaired.

Fig. 4: Detached itemsdue to adhesive failure.

Fig. 5: Items reattachedwith paste.

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L IBRARIES AND ARCHIVESundergo construction and renovationat some point during their existence.

This always raises the question of how to bestprotect the collections. The issues are rarelyas simple as deciding what will keep the dustoff the books. Different types of media requiredifferent types and levels of protection. Col-lections may need to be accessible during theconstruction work and different constructionactivities pose different threats and operateon different timelines.

Many conservators and preservationadministrators have dealt with the collections-centered issues in protecting the materials.This article turns to the context for thatprotection and gives some guidance on building-aware approached protection during construction. Being alert to thecontext in which we develop our protectionplans ensures that the protection strategy isthorough and resilient enough to do its jobwhile also adaptable to the inevitable com-promises that come with construction.

Construction ProjectsConstruction projects must proceed withoutcomplete and perfect information, especiallythose that are concerned with repairs or reno-vations to a building. During the course ofinitial construction, subcontractors maymake on site alterations to the plans providedby the architect and lead contractor. Recom-piling this information into the final “as-built”is fraught with difficulties and as often asnot, deviations from the original plans areleft unrecorded. The same issues apply tosubsequent documentation of renovation.

Both of these issues exert an influence overrenovation projects with every gap in infor-mation making their exact progress andrequirements harder to predict.

In addition, the simple forces of time anduse are at play in our facilities, just as theyare at work in our collections. Because ofthis, the timelines and plans that are madehave to be accepted as the best intentions,given the level of available information. Pro-tection for the collections has to manage therisks that exist in that gap between the workthat is planned and what unfolds.

In buildings with long or complicated histories, there may be a need for exploratorywork to determine the extent and type of repairsrequired. Although this work may be minimallyinvasive and seem to require very little pro-tection, it can lead directly into any type ofprotection situation and presents the risk of sur-prises that can lead to collection disasters ordramatic changes in the course of a renovation.Protection must be planned against what couldoccur, not just against what is planned.

An additional complication is that thework in question may not be occurring onbehalf of the library itself. In multi-use andmulti-occupant buildings, many of the buildingsystems and structures are likely to be shared.It is important to remember that the prioritiesand timelines that your neighbors have maydiffer from yours. This becomes especiallyimportant when delays occur and compro-mises are made. It’s entirely possible that thechanging priority of other construction itemswill impact the work that your protection isaddressing. Because of this, your protectivemeasures may have to be installed within a

Different types of mediarequire differenttypes and levelsof protection.Collections may need to be accessibleduring the con-struction workand different constructionactivities posedifferent threatsand operate on different timelines.

Building Compromises: Assessing the Options for ProtectingCollections During Constructionby Jacob Nadal

time frame that limits certain options. Like-wise, they may have to stay installed for longerthan intended.

Although the basic prescription for protec-tion—seal out moisture and dirt with plasticand use plywood sheeting to deflect largerdebris—applies in almost every situation, thereis great variety in how and where to apply it.

Fire Detection and SuppressionBefore sealing off any areas of a building,determine the locations of fire detection andsuppression equipment. For fire detection tobe effective, the detectors must have readyaccess to the environment that they are tryingto protect. It is very easy for protection to beinstalled in such a way that it insulates thepotential sources of a fire from the detectors.Likewise, since many fire protection systemspre-wet materials adjacent to a particularpoint of combustion, there is potential forthe protection to perform the right functionat the wrong time. What should have preventedwater damage from construction accidents caneasily prevent water from sprinkler systemsserving as protection from fire.

Be careful in installations that require plasticto be hung underneath sprinklers and detectors.In the photograph below, plastic sheeting willhave to be hung in runs above the sprinklerpipes and between the pipe hangers and mayneed to have windows cut in to allow firedetection equipment to operate.

Neither solution is very satisfying. Hangingplastic above the system requires a great dealof effort and expense to splice plastic sheetingaround the overhead supports. Installing theplastic below the system is simpler, but stillrequires some additional labor to open win-dows for the fire suppression and HVAC sys-tems. These windows also compromise theprimary function of the plastic as protectionagainst water emergencies.

In these situations, a risk assessment modelcan be used to determine whether the timeduring which fire equipment is impeded isworth the extra protection, or vice versa,depending on the type of construction threats.

A possible compromise to avoid this kindof nerve wracking calculation is to isolate the areas of risk and protect them differently.Because collections themselves are usually verylow risks for ignition, there is less danger inprotecting them with an emphasis on reducingconstruction threats. Where there are sourcesof ignition, most commonly electrical equip-ment and outlets, protection can emphasizeeffective fire suppression at the risk of someconstruction risk.

It would be wise to consult with the con-tractor’s insurance agent and the local firedepartment to determine the exact degrees of flexibility in your instance, but rememberthat one size does not need to fit all. Isolatingareas with different levels of risk and differentrequired levels of protection is an importantstep towards safety and success in these projects.

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Complicated fire detection (A) and suppression (B) systems and air paths (C).

A window for detection (A) and suppression (B) equipment.

B U I L D I N G C O M P R O M I S E S – c o n t i n u e d

B

A

BC

C

A

B

Where there are sources ofignition, mostcommonly electrical equipment and outlets, protection can emphasize effective firesuppression at the risk of some construc-tion risk.

Air HandlingAnother potential problem in pro-tection comes from the building’sair path, especially as we deal withaudio-visual media. When severalrooms are served by the same airdebris or fumes from one space tobe carried into another area.

A good first step is to get thebuilding engineers involved in plan-ning any construction. Be alertwhenever plans are focused on pro-tecting only a part of a room around a localized area of construction.Look for air returns, often foundnear thermostats, and for air sup-plies. You can test for air directionwith a sheet of paper: return airvents will have a slight vacuum effect,while supply air will have a fan effect,blowing the paper towards the room.If return air vents are near the con-struction area, be especially carefulto discuss options with the contrac-tors and engineers. Make sure you’re not pulling debris into yourair handlers unnecessarily and also that you won’t be redistributingdebris through the collections.

Response and ReadinessA final note concerns general obser-vation and response time. Whenconstruction is going on in yourbuilding, try to schedule work in

such a way that you can checkthrough construction areas to catchleaks, spills or potential accidentsbefore they turn into crises.

You may want to consider addingsome rounds or a scheduled conver-sation with the foreman to yourroutine. However, because of the“on-call” nature of much constructionwork, especially at the manageriallevel, a library-style standing meetingmay not be possible. The contractorshould also provide you with a cellphone number for you to check inwith the appropriate supervisors.Fortunately, the construction industryas a whole keeps earlier hours thanthe library profession, making itpossible to check in with constructionpersonnel as a part of your openingprocedures. If work is happeningover days when the library is notopen, be double sure to checkthrough potential problem areas on your return.

Access to CollectionsWhen access to collections is requiredduring a construction process, theproblems are greatly complicated. Inthese instances it is wise to take a cuefrom fire protection and address theareas surrounding the potentialproblem as well as the constructionsite itself. Extend overhead canopiesby several feet and hang overlappingplastic to form walls against infil-trating dust and debris. Spill barriersmight also be considered if there is apossibility of significant water acci-dents, in plumbing projects. Barriersand diverters are available in several varieties, such as overhead “reverseumbrellas,” flexible plastic berms ordikes and socks of absorbent materi-als that lie along the floor.

B U I L D I N G C O M P R O M I S E S – c o n t i n u e d

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Interconnecting supply (A) and return (B)air ducts.

A

B

Compact shelving always poses exceptionsto standard practice and can be a problem indisasters. For electrically powered shelving,make sure that you know where the tools arelocated in case you need to move shelvesmanually if power is shut down from con-struction, intentionally or otherwise. In myown library, we have had success keepingcompact shelving protected but accessiblewith a layer of plastic sheeting affixed to 2' x 4'boards and laid on as a temporary roof. In thisproject, the leading concern was incidentalor accidental dust, water and debris fromoverhead work on the roof. Although notsufficient to provide protection during alltypes of construction projects, this hasworked in its limited application.

Summary and ChecklistA few important questions can be asked tohelp understand the constraints in a construc-tion project and evaluate the risks that it entails. • Is access to the collections required during

construction? • Are there audio-visual media or other

objects that are sensitive to fine dust orparticulates?

• Does the work area share air handlingequipment with other areas that will not be protected?

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B U I L D I N G C O M P R O M I S E S – c o n t i n u e d

• Does the library have an up to date disasterplan and 24/7 contact list?

• Can fire detection and suppression equip-ment be safely blocked from the collection?

• Can potential ignition sources be protectedseparately from the collections?

In parallel with this sort of risk assessment,it is important to make sure you understandthe built environment in which you areinstalling protection. • Where are fire detectors and sprinklers

located?• Where are the possible sources of ignition

(e.g. electrical lines and outlets)?• Where are the supply and return air ducts

for each space?• What other spaces share the same air han-

dling equipment?

Construction poses undeniable risks to thesafety of our collections. Decades of experiencehave shown the value of protecting the col-lections themselves and created standard setof practices for doing this. However, thecomplications that arise in planning andcompleting construction require compromiseto allow for collections safety and the successof the project.

Jacob Nadal is Field Service Librarian at New York PublicLibrary, Barbara Goldsmith Preservation Division. He can bereached at jacobnadal@nypl.org.

Compact shelving can be protected by hanging plastic froma frame.

Decades ofexperience haveshown the valueof protecting the collectionsthemselves andcreated standardset of practicesfor doing this.