This chapter identifies routine preservation steps taken with manuscript material during processing, instructions for common preservation treatments, routing instructions for preservation and conservation treatment, and guidelines for special formats. For further information on preservation and conservation related resources, see the library’s Preservation website.
Routine preservation steps include:
- Blast freeze new accessions
- Rehouse material in appropriately sized archival folders and containers (boxes, broadside cabinets, rolls)Other common preservation steps, when processing at the file and item level, include:
- Remove staples, paper clips, pins, and other hardware
- Preservation photocopy brittle and acidic materials
- Remove frames and mats; some items may require reframing
- Flatten folded or rolled items
- Clean surfaces (using soft brushes)
- Remove organic material (i.e., pressed plants or flowers) with little or no artifactual value; consult the appropriate curator before discarding any material
- Box volumes that will sit on open shelves\
- Prepare items for creation of a digital surrogate
- Prepare negatives for cold storage
- Prepare audiovisual materials for reformatting
- Prepare computer media for preservation
The type and extent of item-level preservation should be determined within the context of the approach taken to the processing project as a whole. Anything with an immediate risk of text or image loss through handling is a candidate for preservation action. This includes in-house action, such as the production of a preservation copy/reference surrogate, and conservation treatment by the YUL Conservation Laboratory or an outside vendor, which can include repair of fragile bindings, adhesive removal where text is obscured; mending of photographs with flaking emulsions or broken cases; paper mending; disbinding; removal from acidic backings; etc. As with any processing decision, the value and anticipated use of the item plays a factor in the decision to treat.
The Library’s overall preservation strategy is to review any preservation problems as soon as possible following discovery. The archivist should bring to the attention of the Preservation & Collection Management Unit any damaged or otherwise vulnerable items with significant research or financial value, as well as any reformatting or rehousing requirements. After completing the processing plan for a collection, the archivist sends a message to the Preservation Librarian (copying the Preservation Assistant) which contains the text of the preservation-related section(s) of the processing plan. For single items and small collections, a simple message will do in place of the processing plan excerpts. The Preservation & Collection Management Unit will follow up by reviewing the items, bringing in conservators or other staff as necessary to determine appropriate action and treatment priorities. Material for which treatment is deferred will be tracked by the Preservation & Collection Management Unit.
Until 2007, when the Preservation & Collection Management Unit was formed, each Unit managed its own preservation and conservation workflows. The Manuscript Unit maintained a database to log preservation issues for future treatment, called MSCONSP.tba. This database is no longer maintained, but you may see forms in collections noting that material has been logged in MSCONSP or “Constu Pending.” Preservation of computer media is still handled within the Manuscript Unit.