A while ago I had this same problem with a power tool (yes, a power tool). Handles of power tools are often made of latex rubber, and in time that degrades because the molecules in the substance are long chains with very weak links to each other. Online tips include preparing a mixture of baking soda and water (but not if the latex is black); or using Windex, rubbing alcohol, or just mild soap and water; and gently cleaning the part with a soft cloth. Not exactly archive-preservation advice. But they say that this cleaning process only removes the degraded latex, and the process will continue; so eventually the latex part will need to be replaced. Geoff Geoffrey A. Forbes, M.S. Director of Mapping LAND INFO Worldwide Mapping LLC Tel: +1.763.428.4129 Fax: +1.303.790.9734 E-mail: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] Web site: <http://www.landinfo.com> www.landinfo.com From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Fry, Michael Sent: Wednesday, September 4, 2019 8:50 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Atlas cartograìfico del Reino de Chile, siglos XVII-XIX You beat me to the punch, Kathleen. Our Atlante Tematico d'Italia made an awful mess that did not clean up easily. On Wed, Sep 4, 2019 at 9:29 AM Weessies, Kathleen <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > wrote: Ewww, yes, our feels like someone spilled kool-aid all over it. And cleaning it likely won’t solve the problem if the material is continuing to degrade. It looks like a regular hardcover book. I had a related problem with the 4-volume Atlante tematico d'Italia, <http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/record=b2957713~S39a> http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/record=b2957713~S39a In that case, the binding material seems to be degrading down to a thick black sticky tar. We had each volume boxed. Kathleen Weessies Social Sciences Coordinator; Head, Map Library Michigan State University [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 517-884-0849 From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > On Behalf Of Kathy Stroud Sent: Tuesday, September 3, 2019 4:39 PM To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Atlas cartograìfico del Reino de Chile, siglos XVII-XIX All, Our student working in the stacks discovered that our copy of Atlas cartograìfico del Reino de Chile, siglos XVII-XIX (https://UOLibraries.on.worldcat.org/oclc/9022371 <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__UOLibraries.on.worldcat.org_oclc_9022371&d=DwMFAA&c=nE__W8dFE-shTxStwXtp0A&r=77-47ZJQbukZ-e0xX_dd1Q&m=rGrAYfceykomdoVf3rmy0c9UcLn5XmjgJfAjdldL6gI&s=7MJcSqUrfDNa1lk_00Fv1YOAZHJzRxoY9D55F2jkJbA&e=> ) is extremely sticky. I suspect that whatever faux leather material it was bound with is degrading. Has anyone else encountered this situation? We are having our copy rebound. Thanks, Kathy Stroud David and Nancy Petrone Map/GIS Librarian Knight Library 1299 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1299 541-346-3051 “A map is not just a picture—it’s also the data behind the map, the methodology used to collect and parse that data, the people doing that work, the choices made in terms of visualization and the software used to make them.” -- Michael Fry Collections Manager | Map Library Manager National Geographic Society Library 202.807.3139 [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> <http://www.nationalgeographic.org/> 1145 17th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036 <https://donate.nationalgeographic.org/em-sig>