Thursday, May 14, 2009 After I removed a majority of the mold I began to lift the paper lining where it was detaching. I did not attempt to remove the paper where it was still adhered because it is so brittle that it would just fall apart. For the areas I could not remove, I gentlyContinue reading “Suitcase Saga Part 2”
Category Archives: Object conservation
For the Record: First Box of Czech/Slovak Museums LPs Done!
Thursday, May 14, 2009 For months now we have been slugging away, dry cleaning the Czech Museum’s LP album covers, and we are just past the half-way point. As we get closer to the end, we are filling the area that currently houses the clean records and the clean covers. I thought it may beContinue reading “For the Record: First Box of Czech/Slovak Museums LPs Done!”
Suitcase Saga Part 1
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 This metal suitcase from the African American Museum collection was covered in rust and mold. It is also lined with brittle patterned paper. It’s a mess. I consulted with Gary to determine the best course of treatment. To begin, I used the Nilfisk Vacuum with pipette attachment to get the fuzziest mold, being very careful toContinue reading “Suitcase Saga Part 1”
Cleaning the Rust
Thursday, March 19, 2009 The pictured objects were actively corroding after the flood. To slow that process we put the objects in sealed containers with silica gel packets. The dessicant pulls in moisture so it doesn’t permeate the objects. Now we are trying to clean up the effects of the corrosion and stabilize the metalContinue reading “Cleaning the Rust”
Metal Cleaning Party
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 Several weeks ago, Steve Stenstrom offered to give us a quick workshop on metal cleaning and preservation techniques. Our best guess is that we have a bout 100 metal items to clean — most are from the African American Museum of Iowa. We really needed his assistance, took him up onContinue reading “Metal Cleaning Party”
Disaster Planning E-Forum a Success!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 Walter Cybulski, Preservation Librarian at the National Library of Medicine, and I led a two-day e-forum lsitserv discussion on disaster planning and response. We weren’t really sure how it would work but were willing to give it a try. It was exhausting but well worth it. We shared sites for resources;Continue reading “Disaster Planning E-Forum a Success!”
Saving Working Files Conundrum
Friday, February 6, 2009 Susan Kuecker, African America Museum curator, would like to save her working files. These files have all her research for various researcher requests, grant applications, and projects, collected over eight years. Most of this information is not in her computer. Since most of the items in the files are not unique,Continue reading “Saving Working Files Conundrum”
African American Objects Ready to Go Home
Friday, January 30, 2009 On Tuesday February 3, 2009, we will be returning the first finished round of artifacts to the African American Museum. This will include baskets, gourds, feathered fans, sandals, a beaded necklace, a syrup tin, a box of buttons from a local dry cleaner and many other objects. It will be aContinue reading “African American Objects Ready to Go Home”
Boxing Up African American Objects
Thursday, January 29, 2009 Since all the cleaned items will be off to their home, I am taking today and tomorrow to box them up for travel, and also future protection. It is so pleasing to see these items we have lived with snuggled in new boxes, waiting to be picked up. Making the clamshell boxesContinue reading “Boxing Up African American Objects”
Washing Music Library LPs
Friday, January 23, 2009 Librarian Anne Shelley brought down a box of soon to be digitized LPs with the request that we clean them. We were happy to do so, as it would give us a chance to make sure that our dish drainer could convert itself into an LP drying rack. I set upContinue reading “Washing Music Library LPs”