Book Review: Planning and Constructing Book & Paper Conservation Laboratories

Abstract

Planning and Constructing Book & Paper Conservation Laboratories. Edited by Jennifer Hain Teper and Eric Alstrom. Chicago: American Library Association, 2012. 230 p. $67.95 softcover (ISBN: 978-0-83898601-1). Teper and Alstrom developed this publication after their professional experiences led them to recognize a void in the relevant literature. The authors, who each direct conservation departments in academic libraries, had become frustrated with the lack of research available to support their individual efforts to design conservation laboratories. In an attempt to fill this information need, they compiled and edited a series of chapters by conservators and preservation administrators who offer their insights and experiences related to the design of new conservation laboratories and renovations of existing spaces. Although the contributors are experts in the field, the editors recognize in their introduction that the design of conservation laboratories is often highly subjective, and therefore the opinions presented can vary even within the small selection of chapters chosen for this publication. Some chapters are broad in scope, discussing administrative issues related to project management, budgets, and scheduling, while other chapters focus on more specific technical features related to conservation laboratories, such as water purification and quarantine areas. Important distinctions are made in the differences between a space intended to serve as a bindery and one that is to be a conservation laboratory, or even more specifically, book conservation labs versus paper conservation labs, and the varying needs of each. In addition to the lab spaces themselves, there is discussion of office space and dedicated areas for eating and drinking. The chapter authors include a variety of interesting details, even for individuals who may have some experience with preservation and conservation functions within the library. For example, Alstrom suggests the use of treatment sinks that are clear on three sides, to facilitate effective and safe teamwork when washing materials. He also recommends the placement of freezers outside of the lab to allow access for other library staff members who may discover wet or moldy materials beyond the hours that the lab is open. This recommendation that raises some security concerns, since it can be challenging to ensure that the freezer is available to all staff members who might need it, while not to individuals who could compromise the protection of the materials. Nonetheless, this recommendation illustrates the need to think creatively and contemplate a wide range of considerations when planning the location of laboratory resources. The text of several chapters is supplemented and enhanced by photographs, diagrams, and tables. …