David, 

Thanks for your take on this.  My additional question is, if the books
acquired the mold some years prior, and have been in humidity below 55% for
several years, will the spores still be active?  In other words, will
keeping the humidity down kind of put 'on hold' mold growth, or will it
continue progressing?

Lucy Sperlin

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of David Ryan
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 6:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: mold inside books

Hi Kendra,
You should not have your volunteers continue to catalog these books 
without dealing with the mold first.  Certain molds are dangerous to 
breathe in and can cause severe allergic reactions as well.
Freezing will not kill the mold.  It will only prevent its spread and 
postpone your problem to a later date.
We use sunlight to kill mold.  If it is possible in your climate, place 
the open books in the sun for several hours.  Once the spores are killed 
they need to be brushed and vacuumed off.  Proper precautions should be 
taken during this process such as wearing clothing protection and a 
particle mask.  Your vacuum should be equipped with a HEPA filter.
No matter how well you clean these books there will still be some spores 
left behind.  Mold forms because of high humidity conditions.  If the 
books are then placed back into the same storage conditions with high 
humidity, the mold can reoccur.  You may have to use a dehumidifer to 
reduce the relative humidity to 55% or below.  Good air circulation also 
reduces the chance for mold growth.
If your bookcases are against an exterior wall, rising damp in the wall 
may be exacerbating your problem.  If it is possible to pull the bookcases 
away from the wall slightly, relocate them to an interior wall or 
ventilate them somehow, this should help reduce the humidity.  Spreading 
the books out so that they are not so tightly packed together can help as 
well.
Sincerely,
David Ryan
Registrar
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
www.cspm.org

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