One of our Preservation Unit interests is the impact of our work on the environment around us. We’re interested in implementing sustainable initiatives in all aspects of preservation work—any steps to change both our habits and typical procedures are worth taking.
Understanding the goal of preservation helps when considering sustainability in our operations. Our aim is to maintain collections as a whole in the best possible condition, for as long as they’re needed, by minimizing and preventing damage. Preservation and conservation encompass a range of activities that help to maintain materials for use, whether that’s in original physical form or in other ways that are appropriate for the institution and collection. Some of these activities include:
- Proper care and handling of all materials
- Environmental monitoring (temperature and relative humidity, light)
- Creating paper-based enclosures to house items
- Pest management
- Physical or chemical stabilization
- Disaster response and recovery
- Commercial binding
The above activities ensure that collections will be accessible and usable well into the future. (Frequently used items, even when handled carefully, may not stay in good condition for quite as long despite all efforts.) However, implementing appropriate preservation measures requires energy, supplies, equipment, and vendors—all of which we can control to a certain extent. We want to question and investigate our choices through a perspective of environmental concern. For example, are there “green” alternatives to the paper-based supplies we’re purchasing? What equipment can we purchase used instead of brand new?
Our work in the Libraries focuses on prevention and conservation. We’ll first take a look at the prevention tasks, also referred to as preventive conservation. To keep collections in the best condition possible, prevention includes monitoring the building and what’s happening inside: temperature, relative humidity, light levels, pests, pollutants, and being prepared to respond to an emergency or disaster that impacts collections.
There are accepted preservation standards for a building environment. But as we think more about impact on the environment, should the standards be questioned? They’re standards because they work; collections last in good condition for longer when they’re followed. Yet maybe there’s room to be more flexible, or take different approaches. We’ll explore this in future posts.
For now, the current standards in prevention are listed below. They’re accompanied by questions—with an eye towards the environment—to prompt further thought and investigation.
| Preservation standards | Questions |
| Building temperature between 65-70°F | How much energy needed to keep building at correct temperature 24/7/365? Is energy source using fossil fuels? Is there a way to reduce energy consumption? |
| Building relative humidity < 50% | How are the seasonal weather changes impacting the humidity levels inside? Are the seasons seeing more extremes over the years? |
| Monitor the environment with a datalogger | Can dataloggers be recycled or use fewer batteries? |
| No direct sunlight on materials | How can interiors be rearranged to work with the building design/window placement? Are there blinds or UV film for windows? |
| UV and infrared light exposure on materials should be limited/controlled | What workarounds are there for exhibiting light-sensitive materials? If used, what is the lifespan of UV sleeves for lights, LED bulbs? |
| Keep pests (e.g., insects, rodents, etc.) out of the building | What kind of chemicals are sprayed outside the building? What non-chemical ways can we monitor for pests inside? |
| Prevent airborne pollutants from reaching items | Is the building airtight and equipped with proper filtration system(s)? Are we cleaning/dusting with appropriate tools? |
| Have a plan for responding to emergency situations (e.g., floods, fire) that affect collections | Was emergency a result of weather? Did proper cleanup or repair take place to the building to prevent any further damage? What role is climate change playing in duration or frequency of events? Are these events expected to increase in the future? |
If our goal is to have a positive impact on the environment, we need to talk about and answer the above questions. Good starting points for resources are the AIC’s Sustainable Practices Wiki, the Image Permanence Institute’s environment publications, and the Sustainability in Conservation website.
We’ll continue looking at and questioning sustainability in library preservation in future posts.