The document discusses collection care at the Bodleian Libraries, including identifying causes of damage like temperature, humidity, light and pests; monitoring the environment; examples of common library pests like silverfish and booklice; integrated pest management programs; personal protective equipment for handling mold and damaged materials; and contact information for collection care staff.

1. Collection Care Taster Session
Anybook Conference
21st July 2015

2. Introductions
Bodleian Libraries
Conservation and Collection Care:
Preventive Conservation
Alex Walker
Joan Lee

5. What is Collection Care?
• Identifying and minimising causes of damage
and deterioration
• Actions taken to prevent damage and
deterioration to our collections
• The agents of decay: physical forces, fire,
water, pests, pollutants, light, incorrect
temperature, incorrect relative humidity.

6. Environmental Monitoring.
The Bodleian Libraries regularly monitor:
Relative Humidity (RH)
Temperature
Light
We have also monitored for:
Pollutants
Dust

7. Why Bother?
• Incorrect or fluctuations in RH and Temperature
can lead to permanent damage to collections
Warping
Embrittlement
Mould
Pests
Corrosion
Plasticity/Stickiness

8. Monitoring Equipment

10. Mystery Object

11. Wax Moth

13. Library Pests – examples
Booklice

14. Silverfish
Carpet Beetle

15. Leather and Hide Beetle
Webbing Clothes Moth
Biscuit Beetle

16. Pest Trapping
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Programme
• Trap at regular intervals
• Determine background levels and harmful
levels of activity
• Environmental monitoring

17. Mould Awareness

19. Mould damage

20. Mould can growth on
almost anything !

21. Personal Protective Equipment
• Gloves
• Goggles
• FFF3 Mask
• Tyvek Suit
• Apron
• High Vis (for salvage)

22. Training
• Breaking the Mould
• Collection Care
• Handling Collections
alexandra.walker@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
joan.lee@bodleian.ox.ac.uk