Thursday, April 30, 2015 It really is a small world. As a volunteer for the AIC-CERT Disaster Response hotline, I had a call with a question about soot drifting in from a fire a couple doors down. On further inquiry, I discovered that the caller was from Traer, Iowa, only 90 miles away. Rather thanContinue reading “Soot and Dust Clean Up”
Author Archives: Nancy E. Kraft
Preservation & Conservation Welcomes New Hires
Thursday, September 18, 2014 The UI Libraries Preservation & Conservation department would like to welcome two new(ish) staff members, Justin Baumgartner and Elizabeth Stone. They join us as members of the Keith/Albee project team. They will be working together, along with other UI Libraries staff, to stabilize and digitize the Keith/Albee collection. Both Justin andContinue reading “Preservation & Conservation Welcomes New Hires”
New Housing Option for Conservation
Thursday, September 11, 2014 Submitted by Bill Voss With the recent acquisition of a riveter and a board creaser, the Conservation Lab has a new housing option – phase boxes constructed from sturdy 40 point featuring fore edge closures made of nylon string and riveted vinyl washers. Stronger than a regular 20 point four flapContinue reading “New Housing Option for Conservation”
Buffalo and Iowa Connection
Wednesday, September 3, 2014 By Gary Frost A library and archives specialty is now accommodated within art conservation programs at the University of Delaware, New York University and Buffalo State College. Iowa is among others supporting and participating in this overall initiative that is generously supported by the Andrew Mellon Foundation. UI has begun hostingContinue reading “Buffalo and Iowa Connection”
Psalter-Spiel
Friday, August 29, 2014 By Gary Frost The UI Libraries Preservation & Conservation Department continues assistance of the celebration of 300 years of book printing in the Amana Church community. The retrospective exhibit of the imprints, from 1714 to 2014, has been arranged and installed with the help of the conservation staff. Now we areContinue reading “Psalter-Spiel”
Iowa Collections Emergency Response Team Training
Thursday, August 21, 2014 Yesterday twenty-five individuals from around Iowa gathered at the Camp Dodge Gold Star Military Museum in Johnston to begin training as a member of the Iowa Collections Emergency Response Team (Iowa CERT). Many of Iowa’s documentary collections are scattered in museums and libraries throughout the state. These diverse collections together formContinue reading “Iowa Collections Emergency Response Team Training”
UI Libraries receives Carver grant to renovate exhibition space
Tuesday, May 6, 2014 In April, the University of Iowa Libraries was awarded $500,000 by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust in support of the renovation of the Main Library Exhibition Space. Very exciting news! Our current space was constructed in 1951 and has not changed much since then. Over the years, using the spaceContinue reading “UI Libraries receives Carver grant to renovate exhibition space”
Drying a Wet Book
Tuesday, April 22, 2014 [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]As a Preservation Librarian, I should know better than to read a book while taking a spa bath. Last week I did just that and dropped my book into the tub. Oops! Luckily I caught it before it was entirely submerged.[/ezcol_1half_end] [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end] I took immediate action. I grabbed someContinue reading “Drying a Wet Book”
Preserving Media
Thursday, April 10, 2014 Submitted by Emily F Shaw In addition to millions of books, journals, and electronic resources, the University of Iowa Libraries is also the permanent home for film, audio, and video collections. Projecting an original 16mm film can be risky, and using playback equipment that is dirty or in disrepair can causeContinue reading “Preserving Media”
A Valentine’s Day Surprise
Friday, February 14, 2014 Submitted by Brenna Campbell As part of our normal digitization workflow, all rare materials being scanned are first assessed for condition problems by the Conservation Department. Last week, during an assessment of the McDill family papers, we ran across this mysterious folded letter. Written on both sides were numbered sets ofContinue reading “A Valentine’s Day Surprise”