Collections
Preventive Conservation Unit
- Cleaning a volume
The National Library of Wales established this unit during the 1990s to concentrate on cleaning and protecting the collections using preventive conservation techniques.
The unit endeavours to slow down the deterioration of objects, and helps to lengthen the lifespan of Library held materials.
A stable environment is very important for the well being of collections, and staff from the unit help to monitor the environment of storage and exhibition areas. Materials can turn brittle if the conditions are too dry, and in high humidity insects and mould growth can be a problem.
All new members of staff at the Library are given conservation awareness training as part of their introductory course.
- Members of the preventive cleaning team
Preventive Cleaning
For health and safety reasons, it is important to ensure that collections are clean and hazard-free for the use of readers and staff – organic dust and mould spores found on books and archive materials can have an adverse effect on people’s health. Staff at the unit using specialised equipment undertake this important cleaning task.
Frequently, the Library acquires objects that are infested with mould growth, insects, dirt and dust. These donated items usually come from damp cellars or attics where the environmental conditions were poor.
In order to reduce the risk of contaminating the Library’s collections, the cleaning of soiled acquisitions is a priority, and in 2006 a special building for this purpose was built.
In 2006, we acquired the Depulvera book-cleaning machine that can clean 12 books per minute. This machine enabled us to clean 100,000 volumes that were moved from the North Reading Room.
- A variety of boxes
Boxes and protective folders
Because a box creates a microclimate and defends books and other objects from a host of enemies, the Library has an important boxing programme.
In 1999, the Kasemake 503 box-making machine was bought. The boards used to produce these boxes are acid-free and of archival quality. We now have a second box-making machine, and produce over 10,000 boxes per annum.
- Encapsulated plan
Encapsulating and mounting
Annually in the unit, over 2000 flat items such as maps, posters and plans are encapsulated in archival quality polyester. This protects the items from damage, and often does away with the need to repair maps that are already torn.
Another 1,000 items such as prints, drawings and photographs are placed in archival quality mounts for display or storage.
More images from the Preventive Conservation Unit
- A large box
- Box-making machine
- Boxed inscribed slates
- Wax seals in a special wallet
- Volumes before cleaning and boxing
- Volumes after cleaning and boxing
