In celebration of ALA’s annual Preservation Week (April 24th-30th), Preservation Lab staff will be offering live demos and show & tells this week and next, both at UC Libraries and the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library:
Each session will be unique, with different staff members showing off different aspects of preservation and conservation!
Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Sr. Conservation & Photographic Documentation Specialist
As mentioned in a previous blog post, Andrew and Naomi from Case Western Reserve came to the lab in late February to demo the MISHA portable multispectral imaging system, made possible by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Research Grant awarded to the Rochester Institute of Technology. In total, Naomi and Andrew imaged five objects from the Public Library, UC Libraries, and one of our third-party institutional clients. Imaged books included, one Otto Ege item, two Book of Hours, one undated Latin music manuscript, and a Pentateuch volume from Hebrew Union College. In all, thirteen separate capture sessions were carried out for the five objects. Afterwards, the raw data from the capture sessions was shared with the Lab via OSF (Open Science Framework) so that I could process the data in the NEH grant supported open access RCHIVE (Rochester Cultural Heritage Image processing and Visualization Environment) software.
The image gallery above shows the recto of leaf 32 from the Public Library’s copy of Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts, Western Europe, XII-XVI century, by Otto Ege.
While each of the capture sessions took only two minutes to complete, I found that processing the raw data took me a bit longer to figure out. Processing the data felt very similar to using CHI’s RTI Builder and Viewer software. However, in this situation I did not have a week-long training opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the software and its functions. For the Spectral Analysis App, I had only a couple of brief documents to refer to, so the learning curve was a little steeper. I also experienced some issues with the software while processing the data with the flatfield files provided from the capture session. But in the end, the processed files seemed fine without the flatfield data, so it all worked out.
The above image gallery depicts a leaf from Hebrew Union College’s Pentateuch Ms. 1 with adhesive staining, tape, and prior repairs.
What I discovered through processing all the MISHA data and then comparing it to the existing specialized imaging done in the Lab was that the suite of imaging we do in the Lab is very well rounded and, in general, suits our needs and our clientele quite well. In many cases, our results were at least comparable, if not better (specifically within the UV wavelengths) than the results accomplished using the MISHA. And, especially with our UV workflow, though our current capture time might be slightly longer than that of MISHA, the data processing time is significantly shorter and, in the case of UV especially, the side-by-side results of the accurate normal illumination next to the full color UV image(s) is ideal for our purposes.
The images above show an example of scraped text on parchment from UC Libraries Hours of the Virgin from 1475, currently in the Lab for treatment. Compare these MISHA generated images to the documentation performed by Catarina Figueirinhas and myself using the Lab’s equipment and processes below.
That said, I am fully aware that not everyone has access to the equipment/training that I have been fortunate to curate/experience over the last five plus years. Also, not everyone uses their finished data exactly how we do. For instance, the needs and expectations of a conservation lab and cultural heritage institutions can be very different. Even within the conservation field, how we use the data provided by specialized imaging in our hybrid book and paper lab is quite different from the kind of data needed by a fine arts conservation lab. Ultimately, I think the core audience for a system like the MISHA system is an organization looking to expand their suite of imaging services, or an institution with no multispectral imaging infrastructure interested in imaging collections in a quick and easy manner. Though for the latter, I would say that there is a big learning curve in manipulating and processing the data, but if greater focus is put into making the software and processing steps user-friendly, especially to novice users, it is completely manageable. And if this step is taken, I think the system could help a lot of institutions dive deeper into the materiality and history of their collections.
The images above depict another example of faded, scraped text. This flyleaf is from an undated Latin music manuscript that is part of the Public Library’s collection. The images below represent imaging done by the Lab, both normal illumination and UV radiation, with the goal to increase the legibility of the inscription.
In the end, multispectral imaging is just plain FUN! So, the idea of making it more accessible to a wider audience is extremely exciting and I think the work that NEH, RIT, and colleagues like Andrew and Naomi are doing to share the power and wonder of multispectral imaging is amazing. The idea of a portable multispectral imaging system with free processing software that does not take a PhD to use is boundary-breaking, and it gives us a glimpse into a future of accessible and exciting imaging, which thus allows us to see and understand more of the past. I will always be an advocate for that kind of imaging!
Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Sr. Conservation & Photographic Documentation Specialist
I love matting projects! Matting is an elegant way to present images and documentation for exhibition. We received a collection of letters and images from Abraham Lincoln in the lab from the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) for preservation and conservation. After our conservator Ashleigh Schieszer completed the preliminary work of removing the artifacts from all the acidic and harmful elements they were previously in contact with, we collaborated on the matting choices. One cool thing I just love about this job is the opportunity to make tiny models of our intended work. Obviously, we can iron out some of the bugs and problem solve unforeseen obstacles with models, but making a tiny representation of my work is not only great to have as a future reference but is just really cool.
So, for one of the previously matted compilations the curator suggested retaining the beautiful custom mat for the finished system. This presented a problem because of the acidity in the original mat. The solution we came up with was to create an archival buffer mat between the original mat and the artifacts. Easy-peezy.
To mount overlapping objects, we decided to secure them to different mat board layers. For example, the document on top will be attached to the back of the archival buffer with a polyester sling while the letter and portrait will be mounted to the backing board with edge strips or photo corners.
We also added a custom portfolio for transportation and long term housing.
Chris Voynovich (CHPL) – Conservation Assistant
Yesterday we had the pleasure of a visit from Case Western Reserve University Library staff, Andrew Mancuso, Preservation Officer, and Naomi Langer, Digitization Technician.
They are currently winding up a whirl-wind month-long tour, traveling around the state to test a portable (and affordable!) multi-spectral imaging system as part of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
This unique system is called MISHA, which stands for Multi-spectral Imaging System for the Humanities and Archives. The imaging system and software can be used to recover obscured and illegible text on historical documents, such as scraped-away writing:
To learn more about the NEH-funded project, please visit: https://www.rit.edu/news/rit-building-imaging-systems-help-libraries-and-museums-uncover-lost-texts.
If you’re familiar with multi-spectral imaging systems, you might be wondering, “How much is ‘cheap’?” Roughly, the entire system cost under $5,000 to create – with the monochrome camera and light boards making up the bulk of the price tag.
As you can see, the black Coroplast, duct tape, felt, and binder clips make up a very small portion of the budget, however, they are instrumental for using the system in a room that cannot be fully darkened. We also observed that the lights were extremely bright, and the light shield made it easier on our eyes.
To test the portable system, Ohio institutions with medieval parchment documents from Otto Ege collections were asked if their manuscript leaves could be imaged on-site with this equipment. With the entire glamour shot studio fitting into a 40-pound rolling suitcase, Andrew and Naomi traveled to various cities from Cleveland to Cincinnati, making our photographic imaging dreams come true!
Since the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) own multiple Ege collections and a variety of other worthy imaging candidates, the Preservation Lab was fortunate enough to participate. In the CHPL collection, manuscript 32 (of Fifty original leaves from medieval manuscripts, Western Europe, XII-XVI century) was thought to be the most promising to reveal hidden information.
Now that the photographic capture is complete, we’re looking forward to processing the images next with the open access software called Hoku, provided by the Rochester Cultural Heritage Imaging, Visualization, and Education (R-Chive) community.
We were thrilled to see how easy this equipment was to set up in person. And special thanks to Andrew who brought his handy adaptable book conservation support (ABCS) to cradle our bound collections. Everyone should have one!
Please stay tuned as we share any info revealed.
Ashleigh Ferguson Schiezser (CHPL) – Conservator, Co-Lab Manager
In 2017, an Indian religious text known as a Kalpa-sūtra entered the lab in desperate need for improved storage. Being unfamiliar with this type of religious manuscript I jotted down notes in preparation for housing the item and came up with a basic housing solution. I briefly familiarized myself with terminology, format, and condition needs. This is a summary of those findings with links to resources.
Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library sent their Kalpa-sūtra to the Preservation Lab to receive improved storage. The original storage enclosure was not archival and did not properly fit the manuscript. This left the manuscript vulnerable to damage.
Kalpa-sūtra
Kalpa-sūtra translates to “the Book of Ritual” that was meant to be read daily. It follows a 3-part textural structure. The first part consists of the ‘Lives of the Jinas (an enlightened human being)’ and describes the lives of well-known figures. The second section, known as the ‘String of Elders’ celebrates early teachers of Jainism. And the final section, referred to as the ‘Right Monastic Conduct,’ provides rules to follow during the rainy time of year. The ‘rainy season,’ as it is often referred to, is a time of year when the festival of Paryusan is celebrated and the Kalpa-sutra is heavily used.
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that shares similarities to Buddhism and Hinduism, but is regarded as a separate religion. It’s believed to have originated in the 7th – 5th century BCE in the Ganges basin of Eastern India. Jains believe in karma, reincarnation and practicing non-violence to all living creatures. While learning more, I appreciated this article that described the Jain’s thoughtful practice of non-violence by explaining how Jains eat above-ground veggies but avoid eating roots of vegetables so as not to kill the plant.
Format
Earlier Kalpa-sūtra were written on palm leaves and stored in between decorated wooden covers. They were bound with rope or cord through holes punched in the center of the leaves and are read by flipping the leaves up, from bottom to top. To see an example of a palm leaf book, check out this one housed by the Preservation Lab in 2016.
Later Kalpa-sūtra, such as this one owned and digitized by the Public Library, were written on paper beginning in the 14th century but still follow the same horizontal single-sheet format of the palm leaf. Often they were hand colored, illuminated in gold, and written in a black ink calligraphic style on laid handmade paper. Like many others, the Public Library’s manuscript contains 135 individual loose leaves that have never been bound. The leaves, also referred to as folios, were traditionally written on both sides with seven lines of text.
To learn more about formats of Jain manuscripts please refer to Jainpedia.org.
Decorative Themes
The Public Library’s manuscript is a good example of a traditional paper Kalpa-sūtra manuscript. Its decoration consists of left and right margin lines, and decorative diamond-shaped marks that interrupt the text. The diamonds (often found as circles in other manuscripts) descend directly from the tradition of punching holes in palm leaf books for binding. They are located in similar locations to palm leaf holes and are predetermined when the text is written. On the recto of leaves there are three gold decorative diamonds, one located in the center and one each along the right and left margins. (The V&A refers to these decorations as “central and marginal string holes that are not pierced.”) The verso of leaves contain only one decorative diamond in the center. The religious manuscript is paginated on the recto in both calligraphy and graphite.
Miniature block illuminations are found sporadically throughout the text. The Public Library manuscript appears to resemble similar illumination imagery and of the 15th century Kalpa-sutra owned by the British Library, available online here where you can read about the context behind the illuminated images.
Public Library illuminations consist of red and blue opaque watercolor and gold illumination. The very base of the paintings are a thin open weave cloth attached directly to the handmade paper. On some leaves, you can see where this thin cloth is folded over onto the other side of the leaf.
To learn more about how to read a Kalpa-sūtra please see https://jainpedia.org/resources/how-to-read-a-jain-manuscript/.
Manuscript Holders
In my research, I tried to understand how paper Kalpa-sūtra were traditionally stored. It is noted on Jainpedia.org that Jain manuscripts appear to have been stored within decorated covers of paper, cloth, and wood.
From what I can gather by surveying a collection of digitized manuscripts, loose sheets appear to have been stored within chemise-like covers, sometimes with multiple flaps, such as this one from the British Library (Or. 13950) and Gamma 453 where a loose manuscript is stored within a cloth cover:
Images courtesy of https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/cardboard-manuscript-holder-front/ and https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/cloth-manuscript-cover-front/
I also discovered some Kalpa-sūtra that had been treated in western traditions. Below are a few examples that include where one is tipped along the bottom edge and bound into a western style half leather binding. Another, MS 22393, appears to be bound along the top edge at the British Library. A third yet, MS 34, at the Royal Asiatic Society is bound in half leather with marbled paper:
Images courtesy of https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/ras-tod-ms34-204/?hilite=%27cover%27, https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/banarasivilasa-jain-religious-poetry, and https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/jina-and-auspicious-symbols/
Others found online have been inlaid into larger sheets of paper, such as the one below from the Victoria and Albert Museum. Manuscripts heavily illuminated and likely suffering from pigment corrosion have been encapsulated between sheets of plastic or glass, such as these from the British Library (Or. 14262 and Or. 13950). One manuscript has been both inlaid into paper and encapsulated:
Images courtesy of https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/stanzas-8-to-10/, https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/folio-with-decorated-borders/, and https://jainpedia.org/manuscript/end-of-text-and-scribal-remark/
Storage Observations
Conclusion
The housing solution selected at the lab is one of many options and provides a stop-gap until a more traditional format can be explored.
The most severely corroded leaves at the front and back of the text were encapsulated between glass while the rest of the leaves were left loose. This allowed the most vulnerable leaves to be protected from humidity while avoiding the weight of encapsulating the entirety of the manuscript.
The encapsulated and loose manuscript leaves were then stored together (the outer encapsulated leaves helped serve as de facto covers). An Asian four-flap enclosure with bone clasps was custom made to provide structure and stability, as well as perhaps provide a format more sympathetic in style to a Jain holder than a European style enclosure.
Further Research
There is much ripe for future study:
Interesting Side Note
I learned that The Diamond Sutra owned by the British Library is considered the oldest block printed book in existence AND it has been analyzed to find the scroll’s yellow plant dye extract, Berberine, is toxic. It’s possible the toxin can be absorbed through the skin (so those handling should wear gloves!) as mentioned in the Vol. 21, Number 4, Nov. 1997 Abbey Newsletter under the heading Peril in Old Paper.
Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer (CHPL) – Conservator, Lab Co-Manager
Resource links:
https://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/p16998coll24/id/3540/rec/1
https://cool.culturalheritage.org/byorg/abbey/an/an21/an21-4/an21-401.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/jainism/
Tune into the Lab’s Instagram the entire week before Halloween, where we’ll be sharing five of the scariest “preservation horrors” that we encounter in our work. It’s bound to be a fun but frightening week that you won’t want to miss!
A very special thank you to our model, Aja Hickman, who also happened to have the wonderful idea for this event!
Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Sr. Conservation & Photographic Documentation Specialist
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
Join the Lab in celebrating ALA’s Preservation Week next week, April 26th-30th. We have a lot of fun virtual happenings to check out:
Monday 26th – The Lab will be taking over the @cincylibrary Instagram stories to break down all the different facets of preservation.
Tuesday 27th – Head over the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library’s blog to see what our “Favorite Tools” are and why we chose them.
Wednesday 28th – We’ll be sharing our “Favorite Treatments/Projects” right here on our blog.
Thursday 29th – Catarina and Jessica will be “Live in the Lab” at 12pm for an Instagram Live event hosted by @cincylibrary
Friday 30th – We will have a new video up on our YouTube channel – “How to Create Your Own Collapsible Punching Cradle”.
We hope that you can join us for all the activities we have in store for Preservation Week 2021. If you can’t wait for the celebration to begin, then check out our past Preservation Week activities!
Jessica Ebert (UCL) – Conservation Tech & Photographic Documentation Specialist & Catarina Figueirinhas [UCL] – Senior Conservation Tech
The Preservation Lab now has it’s own YouTube channel!! We have a selection of videos including how-to videos, such as How to Make a Non-adhesive Paper Slipcase or Sewing an Unsupported French Link Stitch, and treatment, documentation and outreach videos, like Preserving Your Personal Library or RTI Capture Session of a Large Cuneiform Tablet.
One of our most recent additions to our channel is the recording of our Virtual Lab Tour and Live Q&A, hosted by the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, which took place on Tuesday. If you weren’t able to join us live, please take a look; it was a very fun event and we had so many great questions from our live viewers.
Make sure to subscribe to our channel so that you can stay up to date on any new videos we add! And don’t forget to like videos, and we’d love to hear about what you’d like to see more of from us in the future.
Jessica Ebert (UCL) – Conservation Tech & Photographic Documentation Specialist
The Lab will be offering a virtual lab tour on Tuesday, January 26th at noon (EST). The Facebook Live event will be hosted on the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library’s Facebook page. Staff will give a tour of all of our most used and loved areas of the lab and will highlight how we use the spaces and the equipment, tools, and supplies stored in each space. Following the tour, we will be doing a live Q&A where you can ask us any questions you might have.
We hope you can join us for our first Virtual Tour, but don’t worry if you can’t, a recording of the tour will be available after the event so that you may view it at your leisure.
Jessica Ebert (UCL) – Conservation Tech/Photographic Documentation Specialist/Student Supervisor
