Workshop on Conservation and preservation of archival materials and
manuscripts 24th & 25th august 2010
Mumbai UniversityReport by
Anjali Londhe
Conservation and preservation of archival materials and manuscripts
Day1 -.24th august 20101.Manuscript Preservation Concept –Dr.Sushma Paudwal,SNDT univeristy Librarian,Mumbai2.Microfilming as a method of preservation – Dr.Vivekanand Gopal,curator, saraswati mahal Library3.Factors leading to manuscript deterioration –Ms.Amruta Natu –Bhandarkar Orientalresearch CentreDay 2-25th August 20101.Preservation of archival Records-Dr.Arun Divekar2.Descriptive cataloguing of manuscripts-Sampada jadhav3.Digitization of manuscripts as a preservation technique-Dr.Vivek patkar.
Inauguaration The function was formally inaugurated by A.C.Tikekar,former university librarian,mumbai
A.C.Tikekar – Former mumbai university librarianIn his lecture sir has emphasized on following points
• Types of Writing materials • Types of Base-Palm Leaf, Parchment • Accession register for manuscripts • Catalogingof manuscripts & broad classification of materials • Preservation Techniques 1. Copying • Xerox • microfilming • Scanning • National Mission of Manuscripts
Preservation of manuscripts :Conceptual framework
Sushma Paudwal SNDT University Librarian, Mumbai
Manuscripts Manus +Hand script = WrittenManuscript -DefinitionAntiquities & Art treasure Act 1972 Handwritten Documents Scientific, Literary, Artistic, Historic Value 75 year oldImportance of manuscripts• Historical • Literary • National Heritage
Rich Tradition of manuscripts For identification of age and value of manuscripts following points are considered.• Variety of Subjects • variety of Formats- Stone, Cloth, Metal, leaves, Paper • variety of Languages- Sanskrit, Prakrit, Marathi, Tamil, Pali • variety of Scripts - Devanagri, Brahmi, Modi, Ardhamagdhi• Use of Illustrations, Colours
Location of Indian Manuscripts• Temples • Monasteries • Dormitories • Homes of Scholars • Royal Palaces • Libraries
Problem With Manuscripts • Uncertain authorship • Proliferation of Different Versions of the Text • Enormity of anonymous words • Lingual & scriptoral Variations • Loose Leaf Practice of Maintenance
Preservation and conservation of library materials preservation and conservation includes following issues• Preservation • Conservation • Restoration • Dilemma of Preservation Vs Access • Multi pronged Approach- artifact, Surrogate, Digitization• Archives & manuscript Management
Archives -Old RecordsGovt Archives - Govt RecordsCommon Concerns• Environmental monitoring • Condition assessment • Format specific Care • Disaster Preparedness • handling & use • Security & conservative Treatment
Palm Leaf BoxesThere are 2 techniques of preservation1) 2 boxes for palm leaf- Thermal Insulated material - Japanese2) Paper With Arsenic, Sulpher, -Binding Manuscripts - Chinese
Manuscriptology It includes acquisition, Processing, repair & care, transcription, transliteration, Identifying age & value of manuscriptsC.C.Morrow Preservation is taken to prevent, stop or retard deterioration of materialsParts of Preservation • Biological Agents- Fumigation • Storage Conditions -Air Conditioning • Climate Control -Temperature & humidity Control • Disaster preparedness• Staff Training • Training Users
Conservation• Stabilization & maintenance of Existing materials • Physical or chemical Intervention to ensure Survival of manuscripts & other documents
RestorationReturning Deteriorated Item to its original Condition Specific techniques of mending & repair
Projects • Unesco memory of asia project -1992 • Intach -lucknow Conservation Status of manuscripts, Banaras Hindu University
1990 • Asiatic Society Library • Library of Congress Microfilming Project 1990 • Down Memory Lane Project 1991 • Archives -Department of India Grant • National Mission of Archives Project 2003 -IGNCA
Types of Preservation • Archives • Diaries • Photographs • Memorial Lectures
Courses Conducted By• Intach- Lucknow • Asiatic Library • National manuscript Mission • Bhandarkar Orientle Research
Conservation Guidelineshttp://www.namami.org
Microfilming as a method of preservation Dr.Vivekanand Gopal
Saraswati mahal Library, TanjavurBasic Considerations for microfilm system design1. Archival Material Description2. Physical Characteristics3. Handling and maintenance procedure4. Privacy and confidentiality5. Problem statement & needs assessment
MicrographicsReproducing information on microformsMicro recordMicro filmProcess of micro record System1. Preparing records for filming• Coding & indexing of records• Micro photographing records• Processing the film
Factors leading to manuscript deterioration
Ms. Amruta NatuManuscriptA document having cultural importance
Materials of ManuscriptsPalm Leaf - Incised -southern, Painted-Gujrat • bhurja patra 1. Paper -A)Handmade Paper-cellulose-Multi directional B)Machine made Paper-Bi
Directional
Types of conservation1. Preventive -Indirect Actions• Curative -Direct Actions Are Involved
Factors of Deterioration
1.Human Being • Touching • Lifting • Moving • Placing
2.Dust & atmospheric Pollution 3.Temperature & relative Humidity 4.Light 5.Insects & Fungus
Dust• Germs-Fungus Spores• Metal Particles• Soot –Kajali• Moisture
Atmospheric Pollution• Nitrogen• Oxygen• Sulpher Di oxide• Carbon Di oxide• Hydrocarbons• Hydrogen Sulphide
*H2s -Sulphuric Salt*So2-H2So4*NH3 - Hygroscopic*CI- HCL Acid*Soot -Absorbs Acid
Dust Prevention• Dusting & cleaning 1. Air Conditioning 2. Minimum no.of Visitors 3. Using & cleaning Doormats 4. Using Curtains 5. Placing in Cupboards 6. maintaining Lawns Near Collection
Temperature1. Rise & fall of Temperatures • Effects of Fluctuations in Temperature • Monitoring of Temperature • Idea Condition - 20-25 degree Celsius
Solutions• Plantation of Trees • Fans • Valyache padade
Relative HumidityPresent Water Vapor/Maximum Water Vapor *100Fluctuations in Relative humidityIdeal Condition for Relative Humidity for manuscripts is 45-55%Solutions• Dehumidifier - Continuous Monitoring • Silika Gel - Absorbs Humidity - Reusable • Baffles/Hurdles to change the directions of wind
LightsalphabetagamaInfraredLuxmeter-measure lights
requirements for manuscript collection is 40 lux meter.Solutions• Lampshades • Reading Hall should be separate • switching of lights • Filters • Monitoring -On off light
HumiditySolutions• Controlling Of humidity • Leakage of Water • Decompose the Book -Breaks the Cellulose Leakage • Use Thimol Chemical For treatment
Insects• Cockroach• Silverfish• Termites
Solution• No Eatables • Cleaning • Mesh on Windows • use Ripelents-Napthalene balls, paradycorabenzin • Natural hurbs -kapoor, neem • use stones • Examine new collection- before adding
Pest Control Management• Deny Entry• Deny Shelter • Deny Food • Destroy• Fumigation Chamber -air tight - Temperature -35 degree Celcius• Before fumigation brushing is done
Disasters• water- Flood• Fire• Earthquake• Plastic lamination
2 Efforts for manuscript resource centre
• Preparation of national Register of manuscript
• Manuscript conservation centrue
Preservation of archival records Dr.Arun Divekar
niteeka Preservation ProcedureIt includes follwing steps• PH Test• Aqueous Bath Solution Japanese Tissue Lamination or Banana Tissue
ReinforcementPreservation is slow , tedious & laborious Process. it requires minimum Interventionpreservation will be better with thymol Coated PaperJapanese Tissue Paper• Japanese Tissue Paper is Pasted On paper with Maida• Tissue Paper can be taken out if required
De lamination of Plastics is possible but its costly and technology is unavailable in IndiaManuscript preservation cost depends on size of the book it can be 6000-12000It is mainly per folio CostDigitization Vs Microform
Both have its advantages & disadvantages
Descriptive Cataloguing for manuscriptssampada jadhav
ALA Glossary of termsDescriptive Cataloguing"That Place of the process of cataloguing which concerns itself with the identification & description of book."C.D.Needham"Descriptive Cataloguing is concerned with the information given in the body of entry as distinct from heading“Purpose To Assist in the choice of document by providing subject level of the contentsFactorsSubject of Description and their order1. Title • Author • Date • Publication • Physical Description • Notes • Extent of Description
AACR II RulesMetadata• Types1. Technical meta data• Preservation• Rights Management• Structural
DCMI ElementsTitle Creator Subject Description Publisher Source Language Relation Coverage RightsDublin Core Standards
• Content• IP• Instantion
Digitization of manuscripts as a preservation technique
Vivek PatkarManuscriptsIt includes handwritten Composition on Paper,bark, Cloth, Metal, Palm Leaf or anyother dating back 75 years Preservation Process preservation of manuscripts, books, maps,periodicals,photographs,newspaper register is in the format of• Restoration -Paper Form• Microfilming - Microfilm• Digitization- CD/DVD Rom
Purpose
1.Making Copy of original in different medium2.Digitization for discovery -scanning &OCR for keyword search creating an index of terms for displaying the corresponding pages 3.Digitization for delivery- Print on demand 4.For reading-Pleasant format, numbered pages, navigation to individual pages or chapters.
For ResearchDigitization of documents helps in enhancing research.some of these tools can be useful for the same.• Indexing• Dictionary Support• Comprehensive search Schemes• Machine Manipulation• Survey Data files• Census Records• Maps• Satellite Imageries
Advantages of digital material1.Storage Economy
2.Simultaneous Multiple Accessiblity 3.Wider Dissemination 4.Hyper linking to the related material
5.Scaled up Security 6.Archival Facilitation 7.Full text search facility
Digitization Plan1. Material Selection & purpose (relevance, Physical Condition, Copyright
Clearance) 2. Volume & processing work estimation (paper size distribution,unbinding,
Cleaning) 3. Technical Specifications 4. Execution Options Evaluation ( in house Efforts Outsourcing) 5. Integration with existing software 6. new services & practices 7. sustainability (life Cycle modeling) 8. material selection digitization• Age • Size • Condition • Importance • Uniqueness
digitization requirementsInfrastructure computer scannerScanning Provides raster imageRaster image can be converted to vector formDigitization process elementsPhysical Supervision1. Scanning• resolution• Capturing• Image cleaning & processing• Indexing• retrieval Scheme
scanning process• adjust the light meter 1. place on photographic copy bed 2. take same shots 3. check the color,clarity &sharpness 4. if required edit an image 5. tagging & numbering of images 6. Store it in desired computer file format 7. embedding related technical subject metadata 8. collecting all images composing & saving (cd/DVD,Hard Disk,e book reader)
Standards1. Medium of the original• View Characteristics of the original• Resolution
Use of OCR• converting printed or handwritten Characters to aacr II• Image Enhancement -DE securing• Desk pecking
Digital Preservation issue• Non Availability of Compatible Technology• Scrambling Data• Inter relations are Disrupted
Conclusion workshop was concluded by Mr.B.V.Naik, ex hod of history departmentMr Naik shared his experience with librarians and his affiliations with raja ram mohan roy library foundation.According to him, librarian should be always ready to help the users in finding out the information & they should use new technologies to help the users.
Thank You