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This article was downloaded by: [McGill University Library]On: 03 November 2014, At: 13:58Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
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Evaluating the Condition of Slavic Collections: SimpleSteps to Identify If a Collection Is at RiskBradley L. Schaffner MA and MLIS aa Slavic Department, International Programs , University of Kansas Libraries, University ofKansas , 303 Watson Library, Lawrence, KS, 66045-2800, USA E-mail:Published online: 28 May 2010.
To cite this article: Bradley L. Schaffner MA and MLIS (2002) Evaluating the Condition of Slavic Collections: Simple Steps toIdentify If a Collection Is at Risk, Slavic & East European Information Resources, 3:2-3, 157-167, DOI: 10.1300/J167v03n02_16
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J167v03n02_16
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PRESERVING SLAVIC COLLECTIONSFOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Evaluating the Conditionof Slavic Collections:
Simple Steps to IdentifyIf a Collection Is at Risk
Bradley L. Schaffner
SUMMARY. The paper examines options and procedures for evaluatingthe physical conditions of Slavic and East Central European publications inlibraries. The study concentrates on paper quality, since a large percentageof all materials published in East Central Europe and the countries of theformer Soviet Union are at risk since they were printed on acidic paper. Theauthor outlines preservation issues and provides basic instructions for evalu-ating collections. Such evaluations provide essential information necessaryif a library is to develop an organized preservation plan for its collections.
Bradley L. Schaffner, MA, MLIS, is Head, Slavic Department and Coordinator, In-ternational Programs, University of Kansas Libraries, 303 Watson Library, Universityof Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-2800 USA (E-mail: [email protected]).
Travel funding to present this paper in Tallinn was supported by a grant from the In-ternational Research & Exchanges Board, with funds provided by the U.S. Departmentof State (Title VIII Program) and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Neitherof these organizations is responsible for the views expressed.
[Haworth co-indexing entry note]: “Evaluating the Condition of Slavic Collections: Simple Steps to Iden-tify If a Collection Is at Risk.” Schaffner, Bradley L. Co-published simultaneously in Slavic & East EuropeanInformation Resources (The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. 3,No. 2/3, 2002, pp. 157-167; and: Libraries in Open Societies: Proceedings of the Fifth International SlavicLibrarians’ Conference (ed: Harold M. Leich) The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The HaworthPress, Inc., 2002, pp. 157-167. Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from TheHaworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-HAWORTH, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address:[email protected]].
2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 157
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The paper outlines a simple program developed at the University of KansasLibraries to evaluate the degree of risk in collections. [Article copies avail-able for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH.E-mail address: <[email protected]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com>© 2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
KEYWORDS. Library preservation, Slavic collections, East Europeancollections, acidic paper, brittle paper
INTRODUCTION
Historically, Slavic publications have been printed on low-qualitypaper and poorly bound, leaving them susceptible to rapid deteriora-tion. Because of lower production standards, some Slavic materials be-come brittle more quickly than titles published in other industrializednations. This low-quality paper, similar to newsprint, is highly acidicand quickly disintegrates. Many Slavic books published over the pasthundred years will not be available to future students, scholars, andother specialists if nothing is done to preserve these materials. Unfortu-nately, we do not have a clear understanding of the extent of this preser-vation problem. Until recently, the supposition that Slavic publicationsare often produced on low-quality paper is based simply on observa-tions and anecdotal information, rather than on an organized evaluationof the physical condition of Slavic collections.
The Slavic and Preservation staff at the University of Kansas (KU)Libraries recently developed a survey instrument to evaluate the condi-tion of Slavic holdings. Initial evaluations show that 17.43 percent ormore of all Russian and Soviet publications held in KU’s collections arecurrently brittle, meaning that they will fall apart when used.1 Compli-cating matters is the fact that over 87 percent of all Russian and Sovietholdings are printed on acidic paper that will become brittle and deterio-rate at some point in the future, making the publication inaccessible.2Robert J. Strauss, sales manager of Preservation Technologies, a com-pany that de-acidifies books and manuscripts, notes that Russian publi-cations are some of the most acidic ones treated by his company.3
Although the percentage of brittle materials may vary by institution,most research libraries face similar challenges with significant percent-ages of brittle Slavic collections.4 Complicating this problem is the factthat numerous libraries in East Central Europe, particularly in the coun-
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tries of the former Soviet Union, were not designed to preserve materi-als. Environmental controls are inconsistent due to inadequate heatingand cooling systems, and many collections are housed in buildings withgeneral maintenance problems such as leaky roofs. Such storage condi-tions can make acidic paper deteriorate much faster than if it werestored under optimal conditions. If these Slavic items do not receivesome type of preservation treatment, they will eventually deteriorate tothe point where they will be unusable. Given that over 87 percent of allSoviet publications were printed on acidic paper, we run the risk ofeventually losing all these materials. Therefore, preservation efforts areimperative in order to save important Slavic materials.
In publishing the initial results of the KU Libraries’ Slavic conditionsurvey, my co-author Brian Baird and I note that the survey is “the firststep toward gaining a better understanding of the overall conditions ofSlavic collections. It is important to understand the magnitude of theproblem before developing a comprehensive preservation program.”5
In order to understand fully this preservation challenge, it is necessaryfor other libraries, particularly those in East Central Europe and the suc-cessor states of the former Soviet Union, to conduct condition surveysof their collections to compile data documenting the extent of the prob-lem. At the local level, these evaluations are needed to gather crucial in-formation necessary for a library to develop an organized preservationplan for its collections. Aggregate compilation of these local evalua-tions at the national and international level will assist in the creation of acooperative Slavic preservation program. Statistical information on thephysical condition of Slavic holdings will also be extremely usefulwhen requesting Slavic preservation funds from public and privategranting agencies that support library activities.
This paper will examine procedures developed at KU for evaluatingthe physical conditions of Slavic and East Central European publica-tions, and will provide basic instructions for analyzing these collec-tions. This survey instrument was developed for use by librarians whohave little or no preservation training, in the hope that more institutionswould then be able to conduct preservation condition evaluations.
THE SURVEY
In the simplest terms, a preservation survey evaluates randomly se-lected books to determine the general condition and life expectancy of a
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collection. This is accomplished through the assessment of the qualityof materials used in the production of each selected book, through ananalysis of the condition of the paper and binding. If the paper is in goodcondition, restoration such as rebinding or paper repair can be com-pleted. However, if the paper is acidic, weak, or brittle, then other pres-ervation treatments such as de-acidification or reformatting must beused to save the item. In addition to evaluating publications, a compre-hensive survey must also take into account the physical and environ-mental conditions of the storage facility that houses the collection.However, such an evaluation is site-specific and beyond the scope ofthis paper.
The survey instrument used to evaluate the Russian and Polish col-lections is a modified version of a survey previously developed to as-sess the overall condition of collections at the University of KansasLibraries (the general KU survey is currently being used by a number ofacademic libraries in the United States).6 A special task force developedthe original survey to provide staff of the Preservation Department withhard data on the physical condition of the collections.7 After reviewingpublished preservation surveys, the task force created a twenty-ques-tion survey instrument, composed of eighteen required responses andtwo optional responses, to gather appropriate information on the condi-tion of the KU Libraries’ collections.
To simplify the analysis of the data acquired, the required portion ofthe survey had multiple choice (scripted) answers. For the eighteen re-quired questions, there were 145 scripted answers from which tochoose. The two optional questions in the survey were free-text fields.The first allowed the surveyor to enter call numbers into the databasefor items needing immediate preservation treatment or further analysis.The second was a note field into which additional information could beentered. This survey was modified slightly for the Slavic evaluation.Appendix 1 includes a complete list of questions for the survey. TheMicrosoft Access version of the survey is presented in Figure 1.
All survey information was input directly into a database created onMicrosoft Access using a specially designed form (see Figure 1). Be-sides making the surveying process easier, entering data directly intothe database eliminated the additional step of converting handwrittendata into machine-readable format, thus reducing the chance of error inentering the information. Use of Microsoft Access facilitated the cre-ation of a user-friendly data entry form. Each question was self-explain-ing through the use of a dialog box that linked terms to definitionsappearing at the bottom of the computer screen. This information
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proved extremely useful, because most people gathering the data werenot preservation specialists. The survey instrument records data on avolume-by-volume basis. Recording information about each volume asan individual record provides a great deal of flexibility in how the datacan be manipulated. For example, after the general KU survey, the Pres-ervation Librarian analyzed the binding data and determined that paper-back bindings are as durable as hardcover bindings for publicationsproduced in the United States. As a result, the KU Libraries instituted a“paperback preferred” approval plan that continues to save the univer-sity money.9 The flexibility of the database to yield itself to analysiscontinues to prove very useful in answering many questions about theUniversity of Kansas Libraries’ Slavic collections.
Given the size of the Slavic collections at many major university andresearch libraries, it would be very difficult or impossible to inspect
Preserving Slavic Collections for Future Generations 161
FIGURE 1. View of the Russian Condition Survey on the Microsoft Access Da-tabase with a pull-down menu open. Access allows the user to modify easilythe questionnaire to gather appropriate data. The pull-down box that is open isfor place of printing. Cities not listed in the pull-down menu can be typed in. Thesurvey on Polish publishing listed the major cities in that country.8
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physically each volume of the collection. In addition, most libraries donot have freestanding Slavic collections; the materials are usually inte-grated into the general collections. Therefore, it is easiest to divide thesurvey geographically and evaluate the publications from one countryor region at a time. The survey must then be conducted using a statisti-cally valid stratified sampling technique, to ensure that the data from thelarger portions of the Slavic collection hold the same weight and abilityto predict conditions as those of the smaller portions of the collection (auniversity statistician consulted on the creation of the KU survey to en-sure its statistical validity).
In the recent Slavic survey conducted at KU, the initial evaluationwas limited to the history and literature collections of the Russian/So-viet materials and the same for Polish materials. Items randomly sam-pled included 379 Polish books and 476 Russian/Soviet publications.10
After call number ranges were identified, the number of shelves holdingthe materials was tallied with each collection exceeding 350 shelves(the number of titles that needed to be evaluated in a statistically signifi-cant survey of the Polish and Russian/Soviet history and literature col-lections). Therefore, it was decided to take the fifth book from the left ofeach shelf. If that book was not published in Poland (for the Polish sur-vey) or Russia or other former Soviet countries (for the Russian survey),the next book to the right was selected.11
Randomly selected books included in the survey are evaluated to de-termine the quality of materials used in the publication and the currentstrength of paper and binding. This survey evaluates paper conditionand strength in two ways. The first is a fold test. This consists of turningover the corner of a page like you are dog-earring it, until it breaks.Press the crease of the fold between your finger and thumb, and thenfold the paper back in the other direction and crease it again. This isdone to determine brittleness. In general, paper is considered brittlewhen it breaks after fewer than two double folds. This test should beperformed at least three quarters of an inch into the page, on a spotwhere there is no printing.
Brittle paper is the result of residual acids left in the paper during themanufacturing process. Over time, these acids cause the paper to be-come brittle. Even if paper is not brittle during the survey, it will eventu-ally become brittle if it has a high acid content. Therefore, the secondstep in evaluating the paper is to use a pH-testing pen to measure the al-kaline level (pH) of the paper. This pen contains chlorophen red.12 Amark is made on a page; after the solution dries, it will appear in one ofthree ways:
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1. Yellow or Clear: acidic. The paper is acidic with a pH of 6.0 orlower. If the paper is not brittle, it will become brittle in the next20-50 years, depending on environmental conditions.
2. Tan: slightly acidic. The paper is slightly acidic with a pH range of6.0-6.8. This paper will not become brittle as quickly as acidic pa-per, but it will become brittle.
3. Purple: alkaline. The paper is non-acidic or alkaline with a pH of6.8 or higher. This paper is considered to be acid-free or perma-nent paper, and should last 300+ years.
If acidic paper is not yet brittle, it is possible to treat the itemchemically to neutralize the acids and extend the usable life of thepublication. However, if the paper is already weak or brittle, de-acid-ification will not strengthen the paper. There are a number of compa-nies, including Preservation Technologies (http://www.ptlp.com) andZentrum fur Buch-Erhantun (ZFB) (http://www.zfb.com/index_e.htm)that offer mass de-acidification services. Relatively low costs makemass de-acidification a desirable preservation treatment, particularlywhen compared to the high cost of reformatting. Unfortunately, thereare tens of thousands of important Slavic publications that are alreadybrittle and which must be reformatted using methods such as micro-form, archival quality photoreproduction, or digital formats before theitem can be used by patrons. (It should be noted that most preservationexperts do not consider digitization a permanent format. If such refor-matting does not occur, these materials will decay to a point where theymay not be available for future generations of students and scholars.)
While paper condition is a primary concern of condition evaluation, anumber of other areas of concern regarding the condition of the publica-tion are reviewed to provide an overall assessment of the item. These ar-eas include an examination of the binding (type and condition) and leafattachment (sewn, adhesive, stapled, etc.); gutter margin (distance be-tween the text and the binding; this is important to determine whetherthe item can be rebound); mutilation; imprint date; and place of publica-tion. Appendix 1 provides a complete list of the questions included inthe survey.
CONCLUSION
This paper briefly outlines and explains a relatively simple survey in-strument developed to evaluate the condition of Slavic library collec-
Preserving Slavic Collections for Future Generations 163
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tions. While most librarians in the field are aware that many Slavicpublications have been produced on low-quality materials, without con-ducting surveys of collections it is difficult to determine the extent ofthe problem that we will be facing in the next decades for the preserva-tion of important Slavic publications. Therefore, it is essential that wecompile data that document the true extent of the problem. Surveys arethe first step in developing a comprehensive program to preserve Slavicmaterials for future generations of students and scholars, and in prepar-ing competitive grant applications to public and private agencies for fi-nancial support for the preservation of Slavic materials.
NOTES
1. Bradley L. Schaffner and Brian Baird, “Into the Dustbin of History? The Evalu-ation and Preservation of Slavic Materials,” College & Research Libraries 60 (March1999): 147. The findings of the KU evaluation of the Russian and Polish collections arepublished in this article on pages 144-151.
2. Schaffner and Baird, “Into the Dustbin,” 148. As noted in this article, 87 percentis similar to the results of a smaller survey conducted at the All-Russian State Libraryfor Foreign Literature in Moscow that indicates that 93 percent of all Russian/Soviet ti-tles published between 1860 and 1985 were printed on acidic paper. See: GalinaKislovskaya, Preservation Challenges in a Changing Political Climate: A Report fromRussia (Washington, D.C.: Committee on Preservation and Access, 1996), 18.
3. Presentation given to the Preservation Committee of the Slavic and East Euro-pean Section (SEES) of the Association of College and Research Libraries at theAmerican Library Association annual conference in Chicago, Illinois, 8 July 2000.
4. Condition surveys at other libraries (Yale, the University of Illinois, and Syra-cuse University Library) have indicated that the percentage of embrittled volumes canbe as high as 25 percent of the entire collection. The geographic location of the libraryas well as storage conditions, such as climate control, play a major factor in the deterio-ration of printed materials. See: Gay Walker et al., “The Yale Survey: A Large-ScaleStudy of Book Deterioration in the Yale University Library,” College & Research Li-braries 46 (March 1985): 111-132; Tina Chrzastowski et al., “Library Collection Dete-rioration: A Study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,” College &Research Libraries 50 (September 1989): 577-584; Randall Bond et al., “PreservationStudy at the Syracuse University Library,” College & Research Libraries 48 (March1987): 132-147. Unfortunately, other than the project at the University of Kansas Li-braries, similar evaluations focused on Slavic collections have not been conducted.
5. Schaffner and Baird, “Into the Dustbin,” 145.6. Brian Baird, Jana Kerntz, and Brad Schaffner, “Findings from the Condition
Surveys Conducted by the University of Kansas Libraries,” College & Research Li-braries 58 (March 1997): 115-126.
7. Most of the general information regarding the survey comes from the unpub-lished final report of this task force entitled “Findings from the Collection ConditionSurveys Conducted by the Preservation Task Force, 1995-1996.” The executive sum-
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mary of the report can be found online: http://www2.lib.ukans.edu/~preservation/ConditionSurvey.html.
8. The KU Preservation Department has made copies of this survey available toanyone interested in the project. The requester must have a copy of Microsoft Access toconduct the survey. To receive a copy of the survey, contact Brian Baird at:[email protected].
9. Baird, Brian J., “Paperbacks vs. Hardbacks: Answers from the University ofKansas Libraries’ Condition Survey,” Abbey Newsletter 20 no.6 (December 15, 1996):93-95. Available online: http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/an/an20/an20-7/an20.708.html.
10. Schaffner and Baird, “Into the Dustbin,” 146.11. If the number of shelves for each collection had exceeded 700, a random book
from every other shelf could have been selected.12. For additional information on this pen, see Ellen McCrady, “pH Pens and
Chlorophenol Red,” Alkaline Paper Advocate (July 7, 1995). Available online:http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey.phpens.html.
Preserving Slavic Collections for Future Generations 165
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APPENDIX 1Condition Survey Questionnaire
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Size of VolumeRegularFolioOversized
Type of VolumeMonographPart of Multi-volume SetSerialScore
Leaf AttachmentSewn Through the FoldOversewnAdhesive BoundStapled Through the FoldSide Sewn or StapledSpiral or other Loose Sheet Binding
Condition of Text Block (Mark all that Apply)In Good ConditionRemain in StacksBroken or Loose Sewing AdhesiveBroken Text BlockLoose PagesDamaged Pages (not mutilation)Missing Pages (not mutilation)Pages Damaged or Curled from Lackof Support (Paper backs)
Gutter Margin WidthLess than ½ InchMore than ½ Inch, but Less than ¾ InchMore than ¾ Inch, but Less than 1 Inch1 Inch or More
Paper pH (Abbey Pen)Yellow or Clear (Acidic)Tan (Slightly Acidic)Purple (Alkaline)
Paper Fold Test (Paper Breaks After)Less than 1 FoldLess than 1 Double-foldLess than 2 Double-foldsLess than 3 Double-foldsMore than 3 Double-folds
Paper Condition (Mark all that Apply)White and StrongYellowish or TanBrownGlossy or CoatedCalenderedGround Wood PaperPest DamagedVolume Indicates it is Printed on Acid FreePaper
Mutilation and Patron Damage (Mark all that Apply)Pages Marked with
PencilInkHigh-lighterPaper ClipsDog-earsPost-it Notes
Book Marks left in VolumePages Torn or Cut OutAnimal DamagePages of Cover Stained with Food, Drink, orWater
Type of BindingPublisher BindingPublisher Paper BindingPamphletCommercial Case BindingCommercial Mylar Binding
Condition of Binding (Mark all that Apply)In Good ConditionRemain in StacksDamaged SpineLoose JointsDamaged Inner JointsDamaged Paper CoverCover off VolumeRed-rot LeatherTitle Worn offTitle Label MissingCall Number Worn offCall Number MissingVolume Damaged From Lack of SupportInsect Damage
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Preserving Slavic Collections for Future Generations 167
Last CirculationPrevious YearPrevious 5 YearsPrevious 10 YearsPrevious 25 YearsNone in Last 25 YearsNo Circulation HistoryRestricted Use Collection
Number of Circulations in Last 10 Years01-56-1011-1516-2021-2526 or More
Imprint Date1991-1985-19901980-19841970s1960s1950s1930-19491917-19291910-19161890-19091870-18891850-18691830-18491800-18291750-1799Pre 1750
Place of PrintingFormer Soviet Union:
MoscowLeningrad/St. PetersburgKiev (Ukraine)NovosibirskTallinn (Estonia)Riga (Latvia)Tartu (Estonia)Vilnius (Lithuania)Minsk (Belarus)L’viv (Ukraine) Liviv, Livov, orL’vov
Poland:WarsawKrakówPoznanWroc³awLodzLublinGdañsk
Other: ____________________
Previous Preservation Treatments (Mark allthat Apply)
Damaged or Missing Pages ReplacedBeen Repaired In-houseIn Acidic BoxIn Acidic Pamphlet BinderIn Acidic Paper EnvelopeVolume Tied Together with StringIn Acid-free BoxIn Acid-free Pamphlet BinderIn Acid-free EnvelopeBeen Reformatted
Shelving Condition (Mark all that Apply)Shelved correctlyShelved too tightlyNot standing up straight on shelfShelved on fore-edgeShelved on spineShelved in wrong location
Treatment Decision for Volume (Mark all thatApply)
In Good ConditionSend to Stacks as isNeeds Commercial BindingNeeds In-house RepairNeeds Conservation TreatmentSend to Brittle Books ProcessingPlace in Enclosure
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