How to recover historical documents

when a fi re ravages your building

Up in Smoke

By Group 5: Rachel Carter, Stacy Helming and Sara

Denhart

Based on the damages that result from a fire to a historical building

Idea taken from the burning of the Courthouse in Madison

Madison’s Courthouse had hundreds of documents in the basement and other county offices when the fire started

The fire caused burn and water damage to documents

The fire resulted in documents being freeze dried and shipped to Michigan for cleaning and deodorizing

The Scenario: THE FIRE

Fire at Madison

This photo was taken from Sara Denhart’s wireless phone on the day of the fire. She covered the fire for the local newspaper, The Madison Courier.

The process begins in preparation and planningNatural disasters, like earthquakes, floods and

severe storms, cannot be prevented.Planning can help lessen the effects of natural

disasters.Manmade disasters, like fires and failures in utility

infrastructure, can be prevented.Planning for these events can also help lessen the

effects of these incidents.

Where do we go from here?

Ways to prevent these occurrences from happening:Having routine inspection by staff members and

certified building code inspectors.Making sure the building is maintainedMaking sure the building is properly cleanedMaking sure housekeeping duties are regularly

performedBy watching what users and the public are doing

throughout the building (Illinois State University, 2008)

Preventative maintenance

The area where the historical documents and materials should be:Properly ventilated – preferably having a separate

HVAC systemKept at 68 degrees and 50 percent humidityShould not be stored in a basement or an atticShould be protected from dirt, dust and light. Ultra-violet filters should be put on all fluorescent

lights and on windows to prevent any damage to materials and documents

Food, smoking and beverages should be restricted from the area. (Illinois State University, 2008)

Keeping the collection safe

Staff members should know the building’s layout and any issues that might be dangerous.

They should know all the procedures, where fire exits and extinguishers are located and how to operate them.

The evacuation maps and procedures should be posted and known by staff.

And, most of all, the building should have an emergency plan

Other preventative steps

Call 911 in the event of an emergencyCall the full staff member list, starting with

the person in charge. Leave messages and try all forms of

communication listed, may they be wireless, electronic or landline options.

Call the insurance company

The Plan: Who to Call

In-house collections salvage teamTeam leader, preferably the director or facilities managerSalvage manager to oversee the operationRecorder to maintain inventory of materialsStaff Coordinator

They will make sure operations have enough people to work through the salvage site

They will make sure the necessary materials and other items are available

ConservatorThey will use their expertise to ensure the best conservation

practices are usedTeam Members to provide assistance during the emergencyBackup Team Members to provide additional assistance

The Plan: Chain of Command

(The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2007)

Have a staff meeting to discuss plan before disaster strikes

Choose the teams during the meetingDetermine supplies and services needed if

event happensCan take up to four hours to discuss details

and assign duties

The Plan: Planning Beforehand

(Disaster Plan Workbook, n.d.)

Extremely rare and essential itemsValuable documentsEssential documents for operations Irreplaceable materials that must be kept in original formMicroform and photographic masters

Significant content and valuable itemsMaterials with significant content and are expensive to

replaceItems that belong to other libraries

Materials that are replaceable with other originalsExpendable

Has yearly substitutes and updatesDuplicates

The Plan: What to Save

(The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2007)

FireFire damage can occur from lightning strikes,

wildfires, arson, electrical problems, cigarette smoking, lit candles or manmade causes.

After extinguishing a fire, water damage can exacerbate the problem.

WaterWater damage can occur from accidently

setting off the sprinkler system, flooding, leaks in the roof, broken plumbing pipes and leaks, rainfall, extinguishing a fire or any other manmade problem.

Understanding Damage: Types

(Walsh, 1997)

After a fire, there are several types of damage that you may encounter, including items that are:Completely burned and beyond salvage.Partially burned, but dryPartially burned, but not wetSmoke or soot damagedUnburned but wetPhysically damaged from the fire fighting effortSimply heat affectedDamp, but not wetWet, but not soakedSoaked or waterlogged

Understanding Damage: Phases

Air drying Use a cool, low-humidity area with good air circulation. If possible, air dry material on plastic racks to increase

evaporation. Exposure to light may reduce threat of mold, but prolonged

sunlight can cause fading. Interleaving

Use blotter paper, uninked newsprint, paper towels, or waxed or freezer paper

This keeps items from sticking together and prevent dye transfer or running.

Freezing If objects cannot be dried within 48 hours, freeze them until

action can be taken. Freezing stabilizes collections for months; it stops mold

growth, ink running, dye transfer and swelling.

Understanding Damage: Terms

(FEMA: Emergency Response Action Steps, n.d.)

Vacuum Drying or Thermal Drying Items are dried in a vacuum chamber, often at temperatures

above 100 degree Fahrenheit.This method accelerates aging and causes damage to many

materials: animal skins (leather and vellum), film media.Widely availableSlower than vacuum freeze-drying but less expensive.

Vacuum FreezeThe items are dried in a vacuum chamber at below-freezing

temperatures to minimize swelling and distortion.Generally provides the most satisfactory results;

recommended for historic collecting materials and glossary paper.

A commercial service available throughout the United States

More preservation terminology

(FEMA: Emergency Response Action Steps, n.d.)

Cleaning Non-professional staff can do this process. It involves cleaning furniture, fixtures, and collecting damaged materials

and equipment. How long: 48 hours to seven days

Retrieval and Protection Paraprofessional and professional staff can do this process. It involves protecting materials that were not damaged and sorting

materials that were damaged by severity. How long: 24 hours to seven days

Restoration Professional staff should do this process. It involves deciding what

materials will be restored in house and what will be sent to a professional restoration company.

How long: one month to more than one year Documentation

Facility director and recorder document damage to facility and materials. How long: 24 hours to seven days

The Plan: Who Does What

Some building contents may be contaminated. Do not enter without current tetanus shots, protective gloves/clothing, hard

hat and NIOSH-approved respiratory mask. Identify and repair structural hazards. Brace shelves. Remove debris from

floor. Reduce temperature and relative humidity at once to prevent mold outbreak.

Ideally targets are less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 45 degrees RH. If warm outside, use coldest air conditioning setting; cover broken windows

with plastic. In cool, low-humidity weather open windows, use circulating fans. If mold is

already present, do not circulate air. Do not turn on heat unless required for human comfort. Remove standing weather and empty items containing water; remove wet

carpets and furnishings. If everything is soaked, use commercial dehumidification except in historic

buildings. Purchase needed supplies.

The Plan: When Re-entering

(FEMA: Emergency Response Action Steps, n.d.)

Leave undamaged items in place if the environment is stable and area secure.

If not, move them to secure, environmentally controlled area. If no part of the building is dry, protect all objects with loose

plastic sheeting. When moving collections, give priority to undamaged items and

those on loan. Separate undamaged from damaged items. Until salvage begins, maintain each group in the same condition

you found it Keep wet items, dry items dry, and damp items damp

Retrieve all pieces of broken objects and label them. Check items daily for mold. (FEMA: Emergency Response

Action Steps, n.d.) If mold is found, handle objects with extreme care and isolate

items.

The Plan: What to when inside

Once it is safe to enter the building, make a preliminary tour of all affected areas.

Wear protective clothing.Do not move objects or collections without documenting their

condition.Use a Polaroid-type camera or video camera to record

conditions of collections and structure. Make sure images clearly record damage. Supplement with better quality photos when necessary.

Make notes and voice recordings to accompany photographs.Assign staff to keep written recordings to accompany

photographs.Make visual, written and voice records for each step of

salvage procedures (FEMA: Emergency Response Action Steps, n.d.)

The Plan: Documenting the Damage

Gather staff off-site to assign tasks and review salvage priorities. Create a team big enough for the work.Establish a “Command Center” with office equipment

(computers, photocopier) and communications tools (walkie-talkies, cellular phones).

Create a secure salvage area with locks, fans, tables, shelves, plastic sheeting, drying materials and clean water.

Notify emergency officials of the extent of damage. Contact peer institutions or professional groups for help.

Appoint a media liaison to report conditions and need for help/volunteers. You may have to limit access to collections.

Verify financial resources; amount and terms of insurance, government assistance and potential outside funding.

Contact service providers for generator, freezer, drying or freeze-drying services and refrigerated trucking.

Arrange for repairs to security system.

The Plan: Recovering off-site

Paper documents and manuscriptsStable media

Freeze or dry within 48 hours of damageDon’t separate single sheetsInterleave between folders and pack in crates or

cartonsAir, vacuum or freeze dry

Soluble inksImmediately free or dryDo not blotInterleave between folders and pack in crates or

cartonsAir or freeze dry

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

Maps and Plans Stable media

Freeze or dry within 48 hours of damage Pay attention and use caution if folded or rolled Pack in map drawers, trays, flat boxes or on poly covered plywood Air or freeze dry

Soluble media Immediately free or dry Do not blot Interleave between folders and pack in crates or cartons Air or freeze dry

Drafting linens Immediately freeze or dry Avoid pressure Pack in map drawers, trays, flat boxes or on poly covered plywood Air or freeze dry Interleave and separate sheets if air drying

Maps on coated paper Immediately freeze or dry Pack in map drawers, trays, flat boxes or on poly covered plywood Freeze dry

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

Books Books and pamphlets

Freeze or dry within 48 hours of damage Do not open or close Do not separate covers Separate with freezer paper Pack spine down in crate or cardboard box Air, vacuum or freeze dry

Leather and vellum bindings Immediately dry or freeze if multiple books Do not open or close Do not separate covers Separate with freezer paper Pack spine down in crate or cardboard box Air dry

Books and periodicals with coated paper Immediately freeze or dry Do not open or close Do not separate covers Keep wet Pack spine down in containers lined with garbage bags Freeze dry Can air dry by fanning pages and interleaving Do not freeze dry gilded or illuminated documents

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

Art on Paper Prints and drawings with stable media

Freeze or dry within 48 hours Don’t separate single sheets Interleave between folders Pack in crates or cartons Air, vacuum or freeze dry

Oversized prints and drawings Freeze or dry within 48 hours Use care if folded or rolled Pack in map drawers, trays, flat boxes or on poly covered plywood. If damp, air or freeze dry If wet, freeze dry

Framed prints and drawings Freeze or dry within 48 hours Handle with care Unframe if possible Pack in map drawers, trays, flat boxes or on poly covered plywood. Air or freeze dry

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

Art on Paper (continued)Soluble Media

Immediately freeze or dryDo not blotInterleave between foldersPack in crates or cartonsAir or freeze dry

Coated papersImmediately freeze or dryKeep wet in containers lined with garbage bagsFreeze dryCan be air dried by separating pages and

interleaving

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

Compact Discs & CD ROMs Immediately dry discs Dry paper enclosures within 48 hours Do not scratch surface Pack vertically in crates Air dry

Sound and Video Records Immediately rinse off tapes soaked by dirty water Dry within 48 hours if paper boxes and labels Taps can stay wet for several days Do not freeze Do not touch magnetic media with bare hands Keep taps wet in plastic bags Pack vertically in plastic crate or tub Air dry Test vacuum drying without heat

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

Black and White Photographs Freeze or dry within 48 hours, except for carbon prints and Woodburytypes Immediately freeze dry carbon prints and Woodburytypes Do not touch with bare hands Interleave between groups of photographs, except for silver gelatin

printing Silver gelatin printing needs to be kept wet Carbon prints and Woodburytypes should be stored horizontally Air dry

Color Photographs Dye transfer prints need to be packaged to prevent damage and

immediately dry Freeze or dry within 48 hours Do not touch emulsion Do not touch binder with bare hands Keep chromogenic prints and negatives wet Transport dye transfer prints horizontally Air dry face up Do not vacuum dry

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

Cased Photographs (Ambrotypes, Pannotypes, Daguerreotypes and Tintypes) Immediately dry Handle with care Pack horizontally in a padded container Air dry face up Never freeze

Negatives Immediately freeze or dry Handle with care Do not blot deteriorated nitrates with soluble binders Do not touch emulsion with bare hands Store horizontally Keep polyester based film, nitrates and acetates in good

condition and gelatin dry plate glass negatives wet Air dry face up

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

TransparenciesFreeze or dry within 48 hoursHandle with careKeep chromogenic color transparencies or

mounted color slides and sheet films wetPack verticallyPack color transparencies horizontallyAir dryNever freeze color transparencies

Motion PicturesRewash and dry within 48 hoursKeep wetArrange with a film processor to rewash and dry

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

MicroformsRewash and dry within 48 hoursFreeze or dry within 48 hours for aperture cards,

jacketed microfilm or diazo and vesicular microfiche

Do not remove from boxesHold carton together with rubber bandsKeep wet, except for diazo and vesicular microficheDiazo and vesicular microfiche can be interleaved

between envelopes and packed in cratesAir dryArrange with a microfilm processor to rewash and

dry for microfilm rolls

The Plan: Recovery Efforts

(Walsh, 1997)

Replacing Destroyed MaterialsMaterials should be replaced, if possibleReview insurance policy on having documents replaced

Discarding Destroyed MaterialsMaterials should be recycled or taken to proper disposal

facilities (Policy: Replacement of Library Materials, 2010).Disaster Clean Up Efforts

Only authorized personnel should be allowed in the building during the clean up process

Circulation of Items Items on loan during the disaster should be accounted for

and collected immediately. No items should be circulated until cleanup process is

done.

The Plan: The Damage Is Done

(National Archives of Australia, 2012)

Disaster Plan Workbook. (n.d.). Retrieved from New York University Library Website: http://library.nyu.edu/preservation/disaster/toc.htm

FEMA: Emergency Response Action Steps: Recovering Fire-Damaged Records and Emergency Response Action Steps. Retrieved 20 April 2012. http://www.fema.gov

Illinois State University. (2008). Illinois State University Libraries Disaster Plan. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from Illinois State University Libraries Disaster Plan: http://cool.conservation-us.org/bytopic/disasters/plans/isudis.html

National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 20 April 2012. http://www.naa.govPolicy: Replacement of Library Materials. (2010, February 18). Retrieved from

University of North Carolina School of the Arts Semans Library: http://library.uncsa.edu/home/policies/replacement-of-library-materials

The President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2007, January 8). Library Preservation at Harvard. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from Library Preservation at Harvard: http://preserve.harvard.edu/emergencies/teamresponsibilities.pdf

The President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2007). Priorities for Salvage. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from Library Preservation at Harvard: http://preserve.harvard.edu/emergencies/prioritiesforsalvage.pdf

Walsh, B. (1997, May). Salvage at a Glance. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from The Western Association for Art Conservation: cool.conservation-us.org/waac/wn/wn19/wn19-2/wn19-207.html

References