Category Archives: Paper

Nanocellulose Experiments in Art Conservation

Becoming Familiar with Nanocellulose

These days, nanocellulose can be found in everyday products, like compostable plastic-like bags; however, the use of nanocellulose is still in its infancy in terms of research and use in art conservation.  (For example, these decomposable poop bags look like plastic bags, but can actually be tossed in your compost pile!)

Introduction

This post takes a look at how nanocellulose films might be used in art conservation.  To dip our toes in, experiments at the Cincinnati Art Museum were performed with a group of conservators who work in different specialties: textiles, objects, fine art, photographs and bound materials. We tried out various types of nanocellulose films and how they might be applied to a range of materials.

Laura shows the high degree of translucency of the crystalline films she made in Indianapolis at a prior workshop
Cecile examines repairs on a war bond poster
Obie tests film on a textile

What is Nanocellulose?

Nanocellulose is made up of nanoscale cellulose particles that come from different sources, like:

  • Wood: The most common source
  • Non-Wood Plants: Cotton, ramie, sisal, bamboo, and agricultural by-products.  The decomposable poop bags mentioned above are made from corn starch nanoparticles!
  • Tunicates: Marine invertebrates, the only animals known to produce cellulose microfibrils.
  • Algae: Some species produce cellulose microfibrils within their cell walls.
  • Bacteria: Certain bacteria, like Gluconacetobacter xylinus, can produce cellulose microfibrils under the right conditions.

Types of Nanocellulose:

In conservation, the field has been experimenting with two main types:

  1. Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC): A mix of cellulose microfibrils from pre-delignified cellulosic materials. This type of nanocellulose appears cloudy once dispersed into a film format.
MFC films are slightly cloudy

2. Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC): Composed solely of the crystalline part of cellulose, exhibiting high crystallinity and a high aspect ratio.  This type of nanocellulose appears clear in a cast film.

CNC films are more translucent

Where to Buy

Many labs and companies around the world make nanocellulose products like gels, nanopapers, and foams. Here are a few:

  • Europe: Technical Center of Paper (CTP, France), EMPA (Switzerland), Weidmann Fiber Technology (Switzerland), Aalto University (Finland), VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, KTH (Sweden)
  • North America: The University of Maine (USA), Forest Products Lab, Wisconsin (USA), American Process Inc., Atlanta (USA), Celluforce (Quebec), Kruger Inc. (Quebec)
  • Asia: University of Tokyo, University of Kyoto, Asahi Kasei

What We Bought

In Cincinnati, we experimented with two products purchased from Weidmann Fiber Technology in Switzerland:

  • Celova for Art Conservation, 500g Gel: According to the Weidman Fiber Technology website, the gel has a high degree of fibrillation and is recommended for technical applications like art conservation. 

During practical applications, the MFC powder did not react the same way as the gel during the film creation. The powder precipitated out and did not cast a homogeneous film. 

Cecile’s initial tests with Solka-Floc Powdered Cellulose from Solvaira Specialties.  It is a very fine, highly purified cellulose powder made from bleached wood pulp.

While it may have been a mistake in our method of production, my guess is the powder isn’t as well fibrillated for casting and wonder if that’s why it stayed out of solution.

Next, I am eager to try the CNC form, which appears to be available at https://umaine.edu/pdc/nanocellulose/.

What makes nanocellulose films unique?

High Purity and Stability: They’re almost pure cellulose, super stable, and have a neutral pH. They’re less affected by temperature and humidity than regular paper.

Strong Yet Delicate: Mechanically, they’re stronger than traditional paper in some ways but less elastic and easier to tear.

Remarkable Transparency: The nanoscale dimensions of the fibers eliminate light scattering, resulting in highly transparent films, often called “nanopapers.” The transparency is influenced by the film’s structural density, particle size (MFC or CNC), the source material, and the manufacturing process. In practice, this transparency reminded me of the appearance of glassine tape.

How are nanocellulose films made?

There are various ways to make nanocellulose films, but conservators use one main method (as the others are found in larger scale manufacturing processes).

Casting Film by Evaporation: A low-cost and easily reproducible method where a nanocellulose solution is cast onto a substrate like a silicone mold or a polystyrene petri dish, allowing the solvent to evaporate. This technique produces homogeneous films.

Interestingly, it took an extraordinary amount of time for the solvents to evaporate at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Even after placing the trays in a fume hood to encourage drying, it took many days for the films to form during a low RH in December!

Glass and polyester dishes are not recommended for casting onto as the films will not release from these containers.

What are nanocomposite films?

Simply put, nanocellulose is combined with an adhesive.  During the film’s creation, the adhesive is added into the nanocellulose solution to enhance the film’s physical and optical properties. Common conservation adhesives added to films include Klucel G, wheat starch paste, methyl cellulose, and gelatin.

In our experiments, we used 5% Klucel G, 4% Methocel A4CP, and strained Zen Shofu wheat starch paste. Two batches were made of varying amounts of gel to see if there was a difference in thickness of the films (spoiler: I couldn’t tell a noticeable difference!). 

For another batch, Cecile also added in some QoR Golden watercolors that have an aquazol-based binder for a bit of a brown-toned tint that might be handy for filling losses in photograph conservation.

Nanocomposite films created with 20ml of MFC gel with 5% Klucel G and 5% methocel added
Nanocomposite films created with 15ml of MFC gel with 5% Klucel G and 5% methocel added
Nanocomposite film with QoR raw umber and 25% Methocel

Applications of nanocellulose films in art conservation:

Nanocellulose film properties may be handy for use in art conservation for their:

  • High transparency and stability. Used as a repair material, the films blend into substrates and supporting fragile artifacts.
  • Compatibility with various adhesives
  • Minimal discoloration after aging ensures long-term stability and visual integrity of treated artworks.
  • Reversibility. They can be safely removed if needed.

Limitations to using nanocellulose films in conservation:

While promising, there are some downsides to consider:

  • Lower tear strength compared to traditional paper.  The films are delicate and might not work for items that need to withstand a lot of use.
  • Water Sensitivity: the films are highly reactive to moisture and require different application repair techniques than traditional paper repairs. For me, I wondered if the amount of time required for the learning curve of successful application was worth the result over traditional paper repairs.
  • Long-term behavior of nanocomposite films and their interaction with art materials requires further research to ensure compatibility and prevent unintended consequences.

Testing the Films on Paper-Based Materials

Both pure nanocellulose films and nanocomposite films were tested on a non-collection items using a variety of techniques.

Pure films were applied with a range of adhesives while nanocomposite films were adhered either by remoistening/reactivating with solvents or adhered by applying additional adhesive to the film, in addition to what was mixed in during the casting.

While Cecile worked on a war bond poster, Obie worked on a garment, and Laura tested treatment on an ink jet print, I tried my luck on a map.

Together, we all tested a scrapbook owned by Kelly.

First applications on a dark and brittle substrate surprisingly reminded us of the appearance of glassine tape in specular light!
After multiple tries, Cecile impressed me with her application in the red “u” that blends in better than in the black and yellow regions on the war bond poster

My Successful Applications

I had best luck with the nanocomposite films but only when they were reactivated with the adhesive they were made with. 

I used a map for a variety of tests on one item to compare results

For example, the 20 ml 0.2% MFC gel created with 0.6 g 5% methocel film blended beautifully into the paper when reactivated with 5% methocel.  The methocel was brush applied thickly.  See the repair below along the left side in specular light.  It doesn’t even look like tape here!  The repairs blend nicely.  Between the two, I found the methocel nanocomposite film blended better than the wheat starch paste.

Repair on far left: Nanocomposite film made with 5% methocel was reactivated with brush application of 5% methocel.

My second favorite options were the pure MFC films adhered with methocel and wheat starch paste.

My Application Failures

I could not for the life of me find a way to successfully apply the nanocomposite film with Klucel G to a paper substrate without it falling apart during the process. Cecile had better luck while for me, it stuck to everything!  I struggled both when it was reactivated with ethanol and when the film was brushed with the Klucel G solution.  Plus, it was super shiny and didn’t help the paper lie flat.

Shiny repair on far left: Nanocomposite film made with 5% Klucel G was reactivated with dip in ethanol

I had even worse luck with the nanocomposite films when they were only reactivated with water.  I could easily apply them to the paper, however, these performed the worst out of all the repairs, with the methocel nanocomposite film failing to even hold the tear together!  See the two center repairs below in specular light.  The wheat starch paste held, but didn’t want to hold the tear well aligned.

Failed repair in center: nanocomposite film with 5% methocel reactivated with water before adhering

Compared to kozo tissue repairs (on the same paper): the nanocellulose repairs overall were shinier (more akin to glassine tape in appearance!), but they didn’t seem to cause any planar distortions like the kozo tissue naturally wants to do.  However, the kozo tissue blends visually into the paper better.  The kozo tissue repairs are the ones with the tails sticking off the edge of the paper.

Repair on left: nanocomposite film made with 5% methocel applied with 5% methocel almost has a glassine tape-like appearance. Repairs on right with tails sticking off paper: traditional kozo paper repairs adhered with wheat starch paste

Conclusion:

Nanocellulose films offer promising potential for art conservation but require a learning curve to handle and apply. Their unique properties, combined with ongoing research and development, could lead to innovative solutions for preserving cultural heritage, but research on long-term stability, compatibility with specific artwork materials, and ethical considerations will be crucial for wider adoption in the field.

Health and Safety:

Pure nanocellulose gels and films are generally considered safe to handle.

Resources

Most of the info here comes from resources shared by paper conservator, Cecile Mear who organized our informal experimentations. Photograph Conservator, Laura Moeller also provided additional resources she gathered from a workshop held at the Indiana Historical Society in June 2019.

  1. bpga36-20.pdf  Detailed introduction to nanocellulose films use in conservation
  2. Full article: A New Mending Material: Nanocellulose Film
  3. Nanocellulose Films in Art Conservation: A New and Promising Mending Material for Translucent Paper Objects
  4. bpga42-01.pdf  Photograph conservation
  5. bpga41-01.pdf  Fan conservation treatment—application of nanocellulose in gel form
  6. YouTube video: Practical techniques for creating nanocellulose film and the application of aqueous adhesives.
  7. Canham, R. ” Nanocellulose Calculator.” Burr Oak Bookbinding. Article related to YouTube video.
  8. Heritage Science. “Nano meets the sheet: Adhesive-free application of nanocellulosic suspensions in paper conservation.” Full Text.
  9. Heritage Science. “New treatments for canvas consolidation and conservation.” Full Text.
  10. Heritage Science. “Novel nanomaterials to stabilise the canvas support of paintings assessed from a conservator’s point of view.” Full Text.
  11. Pinkney, J. “Nanocellulose for Conservation.” University of Birmingham.

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer – Special Collections Library Conservator

Variety of experimental tests. The reticulated dishes contain the MFC powder while the homogeneous films were created using the gel.

Otto Ege: Villain or Hero?

Introduction

Otto Ege (1888-1951) was a real-life figure known for his involvement in the dispersal of medieval manuscripts. Whether he is considered a villain or a hero depends on the perspective and context in which his actions are viewed.

Ege was a book dealer and collector who gained notoriety for breaking apart medieval manuscripts and selling individual leaves or pages to collectors and institutions. He would disassemble bound illuminated manuscripts and sell them as separate pieces or as a collection of works, thereby dispersing the original works.

Original portfolio case
Leaf from 12th century manuscript bible
Leaf from 12th century Armenian bible

This is one of four Otto F. Ege collections owned by the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library before treatment.  It is titled Original Leaves from Famous Bibles, Nine Centuries 1121-1935 AD (call number R090 ffB582).  It came to the lab for better long term storage.

Villain

From the perspective of some scholars and conservators, Ege’s actions are viewed as unethical today. By breaking up unique historic manuscripts, he caused irreparable damage to the cultural, historical, and scholarly heritage they represented. The dispersal of these manuscripts makes it challenging for researchers to study them as cohesive and complete works, leading to a loss of valuable historical information and artistic context.

Hero

On the other hand, some might argue that Ege’s actions had positive effects. By selling individual leaves, he made rare and exquisite artworks more accessible to a broader audience, including institutions and collectors who might not have been able to afford an entire manuscript. This enabled more people to appreciate the beauty and artistry of these ancient texts.

Conclusion

Otto Ege’s legacy is a complex one, and opinions about him vary widely. However, it is essential to note that Ege’s actions occurred in a different time when the appreciation for medieval manuscripts as complete works of art was not as prevalent as it is today. Modern views on preservation and the importance of maintaining cultural heritage have evolved significantly. Ultimately, his actions highlight the ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding cultural heritage and the need for responsible stewardship of historically significant artifacts.

Treatment and Storage of the Public Library’s Collections

The Public Library owns four collections by Ege. Each have been receiving treatment to better improve their long-term storage. After the smaller collections received successful treatment, this larger collection followed suite.

Treatment

In their original format, the manuscript leaves were hinged to floppy paper folders with windows cut out for viewing. The original hinges were thick cloth, and in many cases, no longer functioning as the hinges became stuck in place. This prevented viewing the backs of the materials. The flexible folders overtime became U-shaped and were in need of supports to keep materials planar, especially during handling.

Individual leaves were unmounted from the original paper folders and re-hinged with kozo tissue and wheat starch paste onto archival 2 ply mat board supports. The mat board supports were then placed within the paper folders. Unbuffered interleaving tissue was then added between the manuscript and the folder window for long term storage to prevent the edges of the window from catching or rubbing onto the objects.

Armenian manuscript hinged to 2ply mat board support, stored within the original paper folder
The backs are now viewable!
Interleaving tissue protects the face of the manuscripts from rubbing along the edges of the windows

Storage

While other collections were retained within their original enclosures with a protective chemise, this portfolio was acidic and deformed with broken ties, so two new corrugated banker’s boxes were created to retain the original enclosure and store the manuscripts separately.

Additional Resources

The Public Library also owns Ege collections titled Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscript Western Europe: XII‐XVI century (call number R096.1 ffF469), Fifteen original oriental manuscript leaves of six centuries (call number 096.1 ffF469f), and Original Leaves from Famous Books, Eight Centuries 1240 A.D. – 1923 A.D. (call number R094 ff069).

The collection Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts is digitized and is available online in the digital library.

There are also multiple copies of the printed pamphlet by Otto Ege titled Pre‐Alphabet days. Interestingly, Genealogy and Local History own two copies in different formats. One copy is a cased‐in hardback with a single sewn gathering while the other copy is a single gathering pamphlet sewn into a paper case. Both pamphlets are original formats that would have been offered to buyers at different price points!

If you’re interested in further treatment details, check out our treatment reports on the Digital Resource Commons by searching for Otto Ege.

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer [CHPL] – Special Collections Conservator, Lab Manager

How many magnets is too many magnets?!

Recently Jessica and I started working on a series of special collection items from UC Libraries’ DAAP Library. These were recent acquisitions specifically bought to be used as a teaching collection within the DAAP Library. Most items are small prints and single manuscript leaves that need to be matted for exhibition and prepared for handling during class. We have been working on these in small batches since it is a much larger collection that keeps growing.

Most of the items we have received so far have been very straightforward matting projects, however we encountered one that was puzzling and fun to work on. We received this item: a proof print accompanied by its very heavy, copper engraving plate. The print was adhered to a paper brown envelope with no information and the copper plate was also unhoused.

Image of print on the left and the copper plate on the right, with a photography target below
Proof print (left) and engraving plate (right) before treatment and housing.

The curator of the collection wanted both items to be housed together and housed in a way that would allow students to touch the items, and also be able to use them for exhibits.  We decided that both items would be matted individually, and then housed together in a thin corrugated clamshell box. The most challenging part would be to create a matting system that was strong enough to secure the very heavy copper plate and elegant enough to be used for exhibition.

The print itself received minor treatment, with the backing envelope being removed and the print housed in a polyester L-sleeve mounted with photo corners.

An image of the matted print
Print housed in a polyester L-sleeve and matted with photo corners.

With the engraving plate, I needed to figure out how to create a matting system that was strong enough to hold the copper plate in place, especially if used for an exhibit where it may be propped at a slight angle. After considering some options, I created a sink mat that would secure the plate halfway, and then the rest of the sink mat would be adhered to the window mat so the copper plate, resting on a polyester tray, could be pulled out of the mat easily. How would I keep the matting system closed? ….with magnets, lots of magnets! For this project I used 24 rare earth magnets.

Image of the matted copper plate
Copper engraving plate housed in a specialty sink mat with magnetic closures.
Diagram of the magnet locations in the sink mat
Matting system for the copper plate – a sink mat, half attached to the back mat and half attached to the window mat, all secured closed with magnets.
Copper plate partially removed from the matting system with a box highlighting the location of the polyester film tray
Copper plate slightly removed from the matting system by the polyester film tray.

This was a fun project to work on. After using 24 magnets and breaking a few in the process, the copper plate was securely housed in the sink mat, while also able to be propped up for exhibition and handled for teaching.

Before treatment
Image of the matted print and copper plate side by side with photography target below
After treatment
The matting system in action!

Catarina Figueirinhas [UCL] – Assistant Conservator

Conservation photography by Jessica Ebert

Playing Favorites: Lab Staff Share Their Most-Loved Treatments & Projects

To celebrate national Preservation Week (April 25 – May1, 2021), staff at the Preservation Lab are sharing the following answers to the question below as they reflect upon the wealth of library resources located in the Cincinnati community: 

What is your favorite treatment or project that you have worked on in the Lab?

Jessica Ebert:

Learning a new photographic imaging technique, RTI

In April of 2017 I had the amazing opportunity of attending a 4-day workshop at Yale University to learn Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) from the experts at Cultural Heritage Imaging.  It was one of the most exciting experiences of my career, and when I came back to the Lab to show the staff what I had learned, Aller Bucher Und Schrifften volume from Martin Luther was one of the first items we captured with RTI.  I remember that moment when Catarina and I completed the capture and processed the images – we were just in awe of everything we could see with RTI that we couldn’t under normal illumination.  Since then, we’ve made changes to our equipment and our workflow, so now the results are even better than they were back then…but this will always be my favorite. 

  • The left side of the image shows the front cover under normal illumination, or what you see with your naked eye, whereas the right side is a RTI generated image using the specular enhancement mode.
  • This generated snapshot illustrates the Static Multi Light mode.  Below the center panel that features a portrait of Martin Luther you can see “1571”, and above the panel you can see “ID”, both of which are virtually impossible to see in the normal illumination image.

Catarina Figueirinhas:

Treatment of Diseases of the Sexual Organs, Male and Female from the Winkler Center

Of all the projects I have worked on at the Preservation Lab, this item is by far one of my ultimate favorite treatments I was able to perform. This book was brought to the Preservation Lab in poor condition. The book had no binding, the text block was split in multiple areas, the sewing was broken, and several pages of the text block where either torn or had extensive loss. In addition, most of the text block showed signs of water damage. Since this book was in such poor condition and the curator of the collection wanted the book to be handled by scholars and the public, it was necessary to do a full conservation treatment.  

I was thrilled when I got assigned to this book treatment. I love to work on any book, but the more complicated or involved treatments the better and this was definitely the case. In this treatment, I was able to repair the text block, reduce some of the tideline staining, fill losses and resew the entire text block, while also creating a new binding (called a split board binding) that is strong and flexible to allow such a heavy book to be read.  

  • Before Treatment – Initial condition of the book when it was received by the Preservation Lab. The text block was split, the sewing was broken, and several pages were torn or had paper loss.
  • After Treatment – Conservation treatment complete. After the text block was repaired and resewn, the book received a new split board binding that allowed the heavy book to be read while mitigating further damage.
  • After Treatment – The new split board binding provided the book a more flexible opening.

This treatment took a long time to complete, and to this day it is still one of the projects that I have enjoyed the most. Click here to see the complete treatment report and all the photographic documentation. To learn more about conservation split board bindings, check out the Preservation Lab blog post by Kasie and Jessica. 

Kasie Janssen:

Iron gall ink treatment of the CHPL Jones Account Book  

Washing and rebinding treatments are always a favorite when they come across my bench, as they allow a highly damaged item to become usable and accessible once again. An account book of Jones and Rammelsberg offered one such treatment as it came to the lab with a myriad of issues: a damaged book block without a binding, corroding iron gall ink, previous mold damage, and a shocking amount of pest evidence. The treatment is incredibly memorable because to tackle the issues of aging iron gall ink I was able wash the pages of the book block using a calcium phytate bath to stabilize the manuscript. Once the washing was complete, I was able to resew and rebind the book block, making it whole, functional, and protected once again. It is rare and special to have done such an involved treatment, but in this case the in-depth steps allowed previous damage to be treated and helped remedy the inherent vice of aging materials.  

  • The book block before treatment was highly damaged, so much so, that it was difficult for library patrons and staff to access and use the item without a cover.
  • Handling the book, you’d never know the hours of labor that went into the treatment (including learning!), but its functional form makes it ready for use once again.

Curious about what some of this process looks like? Check out our Preservation Lab Instagram, @thepreservationlab, and see our Phytate Treatment Stories! 

Holly Prochaska:

Creating the Italian ledger binding for our teaching model collection 

The lab creates a lot of models. Many of these models are made in preparation for treatments.  However, some models are created with instruction or engagement in mind.  These models, such as the Italian stationery binding (laminated archival bind) I created, help illustrate the history of the book as its form and manufacturing process change over time.  Check out the model at the blog entry where you can see a video of the binding being handled.  Follow the instructions on the blog make you very own, and in the future, come see it for yourself when our in-person open houses resume in the future. 

View of the cover fully opened that shows the overband lacing pattern, the front fore edge flap, and the buckle clasp.

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer:

Treatment of a Haggadah owned by Hebrew Union College 

I particularly enjoy the problem solving nature of special collection treatments and thus, my “favorite” treatment is usually the one I’m working on. Currently, I’m treating a Haggadah owned by Hebrew Union College that dates to 1526 or 1527. While I’ve treated other haggadahs from HUC, including this one, this project involved iron gall ink treatment AND rebinding a textblock with two different sized leaves, or pages, into its original historic leather cover.  Because the binding had been previously treated and reformatted with materials that did not age well, collaboration with the librarians at HUC required exploration into whether we wanted to re-create the past reformatting option with longer lasting materials, or perhaps, explore a new option altogether. Before we committed to a solution, I created a model to test out a new option since unanticipated questions or outcomes often arise during experimental pursuits.  For that reason, it’s better to problem solve on a model, rather than on an actual special collection material.  In the end, the librarians and I were happy with the results of the new option, and I’m currently at the stage where I’m ready to start rebinding the pages of the actual object.

  • The top image shows the book open to smaller sized printed leaves before treatment. Leaves are previously reformatted with yellowed tape along the edges, attached to larger paper frames. Paper frames are cockled and distorted. The middle image shows a detail of untrimmed, full-size manuscript leaves. The bottom image shows the fore edge of the binding before treatment.
  • These images show the model that explores a solution to encapsulate the smaller pages into polyester sleeves that could be sewn into the binding next to the larger pages. This required staff to weld polyester sleeves with paper hinges that could be sewn through like a gathering.
  • The image shows the binding ready for resewing with its new encapsulated leaves, or pages, next to the created model.

Hyacinth Tucker:

Treatment of Shakspere’s Seven Ages illustrated by James Landy 

Not only was this piece based on a favorite subject of mine (I love Shakespeare!), this was a historic photograph treatment I was able to handle with just a little guidance.  I was able to properly identify the photographic elements on the first try, performed a surface cleaning on the piece, and created my very first cloth-covered clamshell and cradle to house it. It was such a wealth of learning experiences within one project, which is the best part of my work! 

  • Before cleaning; albumen card (note the finger prints in the upper right corner). The image depicts the photographer as a soldier.
  • Cloth-covered clamshell exterior.
  • Cloth-covered clamshell interior, with piece opened to surface cleaned soldier image in integrated cradle.

Chris Voynovich:

Constructing a custom cloth-covered enclosure to house the Public Library’s  William S. Porter Collection of photographs 

One of my favorite aspects of the job here, in the lab, is designing and creating custom enclosures. This collection of rare daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes is an example of adapting a standard cloth covered clamshell to accommodate a collection. I created two trays with pull tabs that are removable for easy access and display. Each photograph has its own tuxedo box and is set in polyethylene foam (Volara) for protection. The tuxedo box enclosures are identical in size to reduce confusion while repacking. Check out this blog created by Jessica that shows a gif of the enclosure opening and closing, and this blog post showing a similar enclosure I created for a dairy collection. 

  • View of the opened cloth-covered clamshell with the two removeable trays in place. The trays contain the collection of cased photographs in tuxedo boxes with labels for easy identification.
  • This image shows the bottom tray partially pulled out, displaying the two larger cased photographs.

In case you missed, head over to the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library’s blog where Holly shared some of the Lab staff’s favorite tools and equipment yesterday.

Today at 3pm (EST) join Jessica and Catarina on the Preservation Lab’s Instagram (@thepreservationlab) for a quick, informal Instagram Live.

Then tomorrow, make sure to tune into the Public Library’s Instagram (@cincylibrary) at 12pm (EST) for an in-depth Instagram Live event where Catarina and Jessica will be sharing treatments they are currently working on; giving you a behind-the-scenes look and answering all your questions “Live in the Lab”.

Finally, Friday a new video will be posted on the Preservation Lab’s YouTube channel.

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer [CHPL] – Rare Book and Paper Conservator, Lab Co-Manager

Call for Applications: Ohio Preservation Council 2020 Professional Development Grant

The Ohio Preservation Council has updated grant procedures and awards to reflect the current emphasis on remote learning and virtual conferences.

In 2020, the Ohio Preservation Council will offer four awards of up to $250 each in support of continuing education for Ohio Students and Professionals with an interest in preserving our cultural heritage. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and awardees will be notified after the 3rd Thursday of: August, September, November, December. Full details can be found here. 

For more information on how to apply visit: http://ohiopreservationcouncil.org/Grants

246_OPC_Logo_V2_FINAL_lowres.jpg

The Ohio Preservation Council serves as a coalition of preservationists, conservators, librarians, archivists, curators, records managers, the institutions they represent, and other concerned citizens who recognize the serious threat to documentary heritage. The Council’s mission is to provide a network for preservation education and to support preservation activities within the state of Ohio. The Council believes in cooperative, state-wide efforts across geographic and professional lines are needed to meet preservation challenges.

The Ohio Preservation Council recognizes the value of professional meetings, conferences, and other educational opportunities to advance the field of preservation and provide a forum to voice the need for ongoing stewardship of our documentary heritage. When possible, the OPC shall provide financial support to individuals to develop skills, expand knowledge, and gain experience relevant to the mission and goals of the Ohio Preservation Council.  Applications are due the first Mondays in March and September.

Individuals requesting financial support must meet the following criteria:

• Working in the state of Ohio OR pursuing an advanced degree or certificate in the state of Ohio;

• Working directly in the field of preservation (as described above) OR pursuing a degree or certificate within the field;

• Request is for professional development that clearly relates to preservation issues and/or preservation skills;

• Have not received financial support from the OPC Grant within 3 calendar years.

For more information on how to apply visit: http://ohiopreservationcouncil.org/Grants

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer – Ohio Preservation Council Vice Chair

The Protective Power of Interleaving

You might know the importance of a protective enclosure, but how often to you consider the quality of storage materials?  In fact, the composition of storage materials plays a significant role in the preservation of archival collections.  But how?
Since storage plays a passive role, the positive and negative interactions of storage materials may not be readily apparent.  Chemical reactions that occur between library and storage materials are often a slow process, spanning over a number of months or years before a visual change occurs.  Without the gratification of seeing immediate effects, many may not realize how some storage materials can be problematic, let alone the ramifications for using non-archival materials.

 
To illustrate some of the effects, I thought I’d share a vivid example of protection from acidic materials during storage. The following photograph shows the positive effects of archival buffering paper (also known as interleaving), as well as the danger of using non-archival boards and tapes – even when they are not in direct contact with the object!
The protected object is a 17th century printed broadside.  It’s a single sheet of paper with printed black text on the front.  The broadside was stored for many years in a green cloth-covered portfolio.

Within the portfolio, the broadside was secured beneath with folded sheets of plastic film with a blank sheet of paper.  You can see the plastic film is attached to the portfolio around the edges with green tape.


This image shows the front of the blank sheet of paper stored side the plastic film, below the broadside. The plastic has yellowed overtime.


Here, the blank sheet is removed, revealing yellowish-brown discoloration around the top and right edge. This discoloration aligns perfectly with the green tape that is adhered on top of the plastic –located on the top and right side of the plastic.


When you flip the paper over, the back of the blank sheet shows even more discoloration. In fact, the discoloration is a mirror image of the materials below the plastic! This has occurred because the plastic is “breathable.” The materials below are all acidic, except for the white fragments of paper, which protected a portion of the paper from turning brown.


The interleaving paper served two purposes here:

  1. Acts as a support for the broadside when handled.
  2. The interleaving served as a sacrificial barrier that absorbed the bulk of acidic off-gassing from the non-archival paper and tape.

In summary, this enclosure is an excellent example of how different materials can interact with one another in nuanced ways, and how plastic is actually a permeable barrier to gasses overtime!
General storage tips:

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer (PLCH) —- Book and Paper Conservator

Upcoming OPC workshop

Our conservator Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer will be assisting paper conservator Jamye Jamison in an upcoming Ohio Preservation Council workshop.  Seats are still available!  prints in mylar sleeves and backing paper
Workshop description: This course is for archivists, librarians, or anyone who is interested in caring for their family documents, print collections, or other ephemera. The class will begin with a short discussion of materials and what to look for when making archival enclosures for flat paper objects. Each participant will then make a small portfolio of reference samples of various enclosures for paper materials, including a simple four-flap, polyester sleeve, paper envelope and a “back and wrap” enclosure, which can be used for display. Each participant is asked to bring four objects no larger than 4 x 6 inches (roughly postcard size) that can be used to make the reference samples. No previous experience necessary.
Learn more and register at —-  http://opc.wildapricot.org/event-3357153

Fun with PhotoDoc: Infrared Again (Edition 8)

It’s been a while since my last Fun with PhotoDoc post, so I wanted to share some progress I’ve been making with Reflected IR.  You might remember from my last PhotoDoc post, we purchased a modified UV-Vis-IR camera from MaxMax at the end of 2017.  Our first two objects we (Ashleigh and I) examined and documented with the camera were a great learning experience, but didn’t exactly leave me with goosebumps.  Still it was a good experience and we worked out the use of the various filters and the general IR workflow.
Fast forward to April when the lab received not one but two books from UC in need of IR photography.  The first was the Masters thesis of Ralph E Oesper from the Oesper History of Chemistry collection.  The curator wished to exhibit several of the pages from the volume, but upon inspection Ashleigh (our conservator) was concerned that the purple text ink might be dye based, which is very light sensitive.

The ink disappearing under near IR is a clear indicator that the ink is most likely dye based, and while that made Ashleigh very happy and validated her choice to create printed surrogates of the pages for exhibition, I still felt a little less than wow’d.  I was still waiting for a really compelling and dramatic IR example.
Enter volume 1 from the Third German Protestant Church of Cincinnati collection, an 18 volume collection of early Cincinnati baptismal, marriage, and funeral records from the Archives and Rare Books Library that pre-dates the city records.  In this case, Ashleigh wanted me to examine and document 4 pages within the volume with faint graphite inscriptions on paper with heavy foxing.

Side by side comparison of one page under normal illumination and near infrared

Finally!  A satisfying IR session with helpful results.  Documenting all four pages using reflected IR allows for the foxing to disappear from the page, thus making the faint graphite inscription easier to read.  After converting the IR image to grayscale I also upped the contrast significantly, allowing for better readability of the handwriting.  In the end, we now have four pages of legible inscriptions and I’m very happy with the results.

Click on an individual image to see the gif in action for that page…

I definitely still have a lot to learn when it comes to near infrared photography, but I would call this, not only a satisfying experience, but progress that will hopefully lead to a better workflow.  This round of IR photography definitely was not seamless, but I did learn more, as I do every time I shoot, and it is my hope that the more I do the more I will streamline and improve our IR workflow.

Jessica Ebert (UCL) – Conservation Technician, Lead Photographic Documentation Tech

Pleasant surprise

I just want to take a moment to say – sometimes a little surprise can be so satisfying!
We’ve all been there, approaching a task where we see the beginning but not the end.
Well I’m here to tell you there is hope in the darkness. Occasionally delamination can be a real struggle. Sometimes you know what is underneath, sometimes you don’t.
But when you start the work, and occasionally you get a pleasant surprise.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Yay!  And now I think it’s going to be a good day!

 
Chris Voynovich (PLCH) —- Conservation Technician