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Thu, 26 Jan 2006 09:58:08 -0500 |
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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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