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Re: Reasons to use gloves



I think the requirement to use gloves comes primarily from the museum
community where it is very valid.  Most metal, painted, finished wood,
textiles, leather, even stone and ceramic items can be damaged by the oil
and dirt on your hands.  When I worked in museums, I used gloves for almost
for handling all three-dimensional materials except glass (which isn't more
likely to be damaged by breakage if it slips out of gloved hands then by
hand oils).  When working with most paper items --  documents, manuscripts,
books (except those with specialty covers), even photographs, I rarely used
gloves.  I do not used gloves now that I'm working in archives.

Another caution about gloves,  I have seen people put on a pair of gloves
"to protect the artifacts" that were dirtier than their hands, and dirtier
than the artifact they were picking up.


Catherine Bruck
University Archivist
Illinois Institute of Technology
Paul V. Galvin Library
35 W. 33rd St.
Chicago, IL  60616
312/567-6840
312/567-5318 (FAX)
bruck@iit.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU]On
Behalf Of Erin Foley
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 11:27 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Reasons to use gloves


I have an ongoing problem convincing people to use gloves in my archives.
Not the genealogists--they are only too happy to do whatever they need to
have access to materials about their relatives.  My problem is with two
important individuals, one a curator of a prints collection, the other a
museum director, who have refused to wear gloves. One told me that damage
increases with wearing gloves because they are too slippery (I bought the
gloves with gripper dots for his use, but that hasn't changed his mind).
The other claims to wash hands frequently, but I can't say that happened
during her visit.

What I need is evidence that wearing gloves actually helps the items being
handled, something I can point to when glove use is questioned by a
researcher.  I have done a quick check of the basic materials here, but
cannot find more than the statement that gloves should be worn due to the
possibility that finger oils can stain paper.  Some sources say only that
hands must be clean and dry before handling archival materials.  A check of
the listserv archives did not turn up anything substantial.  Does such
evidence occur somewhere?

Perhaps someone has guidelines on when to use gloves?  We do it by type of
collection (books do not require use of gloves, but all archival collections
do except when encapsulated in Mylar).  Is there a better way to decide who
needs to use gloves?  If you don't require the use of gloves, do you have
guidelines on the frequency of handwashing?

Thanks for any help. I can be e-mailed at the address below.

Sincerely,

Erin Foley
Archivist
Circus World Museum
550 Water Street
Baraboo, WI  53913

608-356-8342, ext. 3283
fax 608-355-7959
efoley.cwm@baraboo.com

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