csi: south east museums · • paper or parchment documents and drawings made with iron-gall inks...

Lewes Conservation Training:

• Ruth Stevens – Book & Paper

• Zenzie Tinker - Textiles

• Dana Goodburn-Brown – Archaeology and Objects

CSI: South East Museums

Type: Mechanical or physical damage Chemical damage Water damage Biological damage Extent: Slight/Minor Moderate/Significant Serious/Major Over time: Stable Unstable

Identifying Damage

Mechanical or physical damage

slight moderate serious

1

2

3

4

5

Chemical damage


2

3

1

4

5

6

Water damage


1 2

3

4

Biological damage


1

2

3

4

Taking books from shelves:

Handling books

Using book supports or book wedges:

Handling books

Why clean books and paper? • Cleaning your archives significantly extends the useful life of the

material • Dirt attracts more dirt and it can be transferred to other material within

your collection • Dirt abrades pages and binding surfaces, attracts insects and

contributes to an environment that is attractive to moulds Cleaning is one the more important preservation activities for archives and book collections

Cleaning books and paper

Cleaning books and paper Setting up a cleaning station:

3. Cut along the red line with the scissors (already folded) 4. Fold up the back wall and the sides using the bonefolder 5. Overlap the side end pieces around the back wall and secure with bull dog clips or masking tape This is the dust tray for your cleaning station

1. Measure 15cm away from the edges along 3 sides

2. Fold along the dotted lines using the bonefolder and ruler


Preparation for cleaning:

• Sturdy table, with padding, dust tray and wedges

• Variable suction vacuum with HEPA filter (nozzle through hole in a cardboard box) for extraction

• Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

• Remove books and paper methodically


Cleaning technique:

• Aim is to remove loose surface dust

• External first – head, fore-edge, tail, boards, spine

• Change brush

• Internal next – first few pages or sections

• Unfold dog-ears, tuck in protruding material or bag up

• Smoke sponge for really dirty pages


What not to clean: • Paper or parchment documents and drawings made with iron-gall inks • Material with friable media • Photographic material • Pencil • Any material with seals • Any material with broken sewing or if the binding is damaged • Any books where the opening is restricted by tight sewing or spine lining • Very mouldy material • Paper is extremely brittle, or soft, or very thin


Other things to look out for: • Rusty staples • Allergies • Sensitisation to mould • Foxing • Water stains and tidelines


Do not remove: • Candle wax or accretions • Ribbons and page markers • Dried flowers, seeds and other botanical elements • Quill parts and sand as evidence of writing practices • Hair or evidence of ownership (fingerprints)

Do remove: • Mould (not if ‘live’ or damp – this must be dried out first and quarantined) • Staples, paper clips and other fastenings if distorting or staining the paper • Post-it notes • Rubber bands


PowerPoint Training sheets: • Identifying damage • Handling advice • Cleaning books and paper • How to make a dust tray • Cleaning toolbox list • How to make a four-flap folder

[email protected] 07857 632846

mailto:[email protected]

csi: south east museums · • paper or parchment documents and drawings made with iron-gall inks...

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