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Subject: RE: MAPS-L: Serial Set map preservation
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2005 11:52:50 +1000
From: "Maura O'Connor" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum" <[log in to unmask]>


Dear Herrick
If you have not considered this approach already my comments may help?!
Use the significance or otherwise of the material as your guide to how
it should be cared for.
If the material is unique and/or highly significant and should then be
preserved, then that is the first priority.
Secondly, determine what is the best way to conserve the item, taking
into account the resources and options available to you which you have
listed, but also the best way to treat the items..
You may need to remove from its binding if the maps are falling to
pieces and need individual treatment. If you have a conservator on staff
they may be able to work with you in suggesting the most appropriate
treatment.  The binding can then be retained with the then map sheets so
the whole provenence of the work is retained. Alternatively, take apart,
treat - which may include deacidification if they can take that, place
in mylar/or not place in mylar?! and put back together again.
We have very fragile butter maps, drawn in the latter part of the
nineteenth century which we have enscapulated in mylar.  We have since
digitised the items to a preservation standard so they can be viewed
online from the catalogue record.  The originals can now also be safely
handled if necessary.
We have also for the last four years been actively scanning our rare
(pre-1900) map collections.  We generally do conserve the items first
before we scan.  This has meant that users offsite, and now all around
the world can access the material, and can seek high quality
reproduction copies for whatever purpose.
So to answer your last question - yes we do take active steps to
conserve such resources.  Once they are gone, they are gone and may not
be able to be replaced!
Yours sincerely
Maura O'Connor
Map Curator
National Library of Australia
Canberra  ACT  2600
Phone : 61 2 6262 1280
Fax: 61 2 6161 1653
Email : [log in to unmask]


-----Original Message-----
From: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angie Cope
Sent: Thursday, 7 July 2005 7:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: MAPS-L: Serial Set map preservation


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MAPS-L    MAPS-L    MAPS-L
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Date: Wed, 06 Jul 2005 14:43:26 -0400
From: Michael Fry
Subject: Serial Set map preservation
To: Maps and Air Photo Systems Forum


[This message has been crossposted to the Pacific Northwest Collections
Preservation and GOVDOC-L
listservs. I am posting it here with the author's blessing. As a docs
librarian,
I note, somewhat
sadly, that the concerns he mentions apply to a great deal of
gov-published
maps, not just the
50,000+ items in the Congressional Serial Set.]

mf
--
Michael Fry
Government Documents & Maps Librarian
University of Maryland Libraries


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Serial Set map preservation (crossposted to the preservenw
listserv)
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2005 09:40:45 -0500
From: Heitman, Herrick
Reply-To: Discussion of Government Document Issues

To: [log in to unmask]

We are discussing how to handle the fragile Serial Set maps as part of
our preservation activities at the Washington State Library. These
volumes are Federal property, but we are the stewards responsible for
the maintenance of the set. We are primarily interested in the maps
relevant to local and regional history, and we can't afford the Readex
or Lexis-Nexis digital products.

We've considered various options. We could remove maps, deacidify them,
do tissue repairs on folds and tears, and then tip them back into the
volumes. We could remove maps, deacidify them, do tissue repairs,
encapsulate them, store them in map cabinets, catalog them, and insert
location notes in the original volumes. We could put acid-free notes in
volumes asking people not to unfold the maps. Or we could do noting.

This raises the question of what other libraries are doing--or not
doing--with their Serial Set maps. Do you treat the maps as artifacts
best left untouched or are you taking active measures to preserve them?

Herrick Heitman
Washington State Library
Office of the Secretary of State
PO Box 42460
Olympia WA 98504-2460
(360) 704-5273
[log in to unmask]
The law of averages doesn't help somebody who's been hit by a meteorite.


----- End forwarded message -----





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