_Northeast Document Conservation Center  — Emergency Salvage of Moldy Books 
and Paper_ (http://about:blank)  
 
or
_http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/3Emergency_Management/08SalvageMold
yBooks.php_ 
(http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/3Emergency_Management/08SalvageMoldyBooks.php) 

result of a web search using the terms
clean moldy books
Barbara Hass, retired librarian
 
 
In a message dated 10/28/2009 10:06:51 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Hello! I  work for an open air living history museum. We had a number of 
leather books  in our law office this season, which was closed for part of the 
year because  of repairs to the front step. Otherwise, air would have been 
circulating on a  regular basis through the space. 

Our librarian went in to remove them  for the season and found mold (white 
powdery) had grown on the leather, with a  smidge of the powdery residue on 
the outer edges of the closed books. They had  a slight clammy feel when she 
found them.

They are now dry, and we are  looking for advice on how to clean them 
properly. We have the rubber dry  sponges (from Gaylord), HEPA Nilfisk vacuum, 
various soft brushes...  

What is the best way to remove as much of the spores from the surface  to 
ensure they don't contaminate other books or reactivate if they get some  
humidity? 

We don't have money to send them out for conservation, but  we want to do 
want to care for them as best as possible. 

Thanks very  much for your advice!

Sincerely,
Sabrina Henneman
Collections  Registrar
Genesee Country Museum
www.gcv.org  

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