David,

You really need to talk to who ever is managing the disaster response
and recovery effort there (is a staff conservator part of the response
team?) as well as talking to a knowledgable photographic conservator
(perhaps someone at the Library of Congress) who has been through this
before. I personally would not open the doors and expose these
negatives to a blast of warm, humid air until you are prepared to
rehouse them appropriately as soon as the doors are opened. Can you
get a generator running to restore power to those freezer units?

You can also contact Historic Preservation, that produces that
wonderful disaster response wheel, for advice as well as The
Washington Conservation Guild that may have a disaster response
contact list for just this sort of event. Also the AIC office
(American Institute for Conservation) is located in Washington
(202-452-9545) and they can certainly refer you to a knowledgable
conservator for advice. Many regional conservation guilds will be very
helpful in Disaster Response and should be on everyone's emergency
contact list anywhere in the USA.


Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, California




On 6/28/06, David E. Haberstich <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I need some advice from colleagues, especially conservators.  As some of you
> know, the National Museum of American History has been without electricity
> since Monday, due to the flooding in Washington.  We've had limited access
> to the facility for cleanup (in the dark).  I have acetate photographic
> negatives in freezer (standard frost-free units) storage, using Metal Edge
> insulated freezer kits.  I'm a little confused about whether we should leave
> the packages in the freezers with the doors closed while the power is off.
> Should the doors be opened?  Should the packages be removed from the units?
> Bear in mind that we don't know exactly when the power will return--it could
> be in the middle of the night.  Can you think of reasons not to leave the
> negatives in the freezer as they are, with the doors closed, awaiting the
> return of electricity?
>
> David Haberstich
> Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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