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Re: a Question



Hi Jean-

As a fellow archivist with mold allergies, I would have to vote in favor
of rehousing any materials that seem infested with mold spores.  One
reason is human health - any time you inhale around those boxes you
will continue to be exposed to allergens, which tend to have a cumulative
effect over time.  It may not kill you, but it can have a rather serious
impact on one's quality of life.

A second reason for rehousing is the problem of mold growth if/when
your collections are again exposed to moisture.  Even if the rooms are
renovated, subsequent leakage can jump start mold colonies in a flash.
If your containers, folders, and even collections are already impregnated
with mold, they will be extremely vulnerable.  This can happen without
the materials being in direct contact with water; they can sprout mold
very quickly if a Friday afternoon leak goes undetected for a few days
and standing water raises the humidity throughout the storage area.

Although I don't have any suggestions for mold elimination during your
renovation, I would like to address a related issue concerning flooring.
Your message doesn't state what will replace the old carpeting, but I
strongly urge you not to put down more carpet.  It captures allergens
and is very hard to keep clean.  If it does become wet it takes much
longer to dry out, which of course fosters more mold growth.  I've had
to mop up many a leak in our basement storage room before some
problems were corrected there and I was always glad the flooring
didn't add to the cleanup problem.

Good luck with your renovation!

Tammy Gobert
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
gobert@rpi.edu


At 04:06 PM 5/24/01 -0500, Jean Reed wrote:
        My question is one I face as a brand new archivist in a small
academic library and I would value your advice.  Like many others,
the Archives of Queens College is in the basement of the library,
under a welter of steam and water pipes.  In addition, a wall of the
Archive adjoining the backlot of the library has been plagued with
water leakage.  The result has been lots of mold and some mildew.
At long last the space is being renovated and increased by another
two adjacent rooms.  The horrid old carpet will be removed and
replaced.  It's hoped that the college will address the leakage
problem.
  My immediate problem is that of all the boxes and items we had to
move to our Special Collections room for safekeeping while the
spaces are being renovated.  They carry the mold with them,
afflicting the allergies of other staff members as well as myself.
How can I get rid of the mold attaching to the boxes and pictures,
etc., that constitute the archives?  What needs to be done as the
renovation proceeds to eliminate mold et al from the spaces as
well?  Though the college archives are probably no more than 1/4th
organized, I cringe at the thought that I might have to rebox
everything that has been done.  Will that be necessary?
  Your suggestions will be most welcome, on or off the list.

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