Report on Environmental Monitoring in the College Archives and Sophia Smith Collection Conducted by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, August 2001-Janaury 2002

Report on Environmental Monitoring in the College Archives and Sophia Smith Collection Conducted by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, August 2001-Janaury 2002

 

 

Executive Summary

by

Christopher B. Loring

 

Between August 2001 and January 2002, the Preservation Specialist of the Board of Library Commissioners of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts conducted a study of the environmental conditions of areas used for storing archival materials of the College Archives and the Sophia Smith Collection in Neilson Library and Alumnae Gym. The objective of the study was to determine whether the climate control systems for the areas studied are able to maintain an environment necessary for the long-term retention of archival materials.

 

The study found serious problems with the current environmental conditions in the areas studied. These environmental conditions pose a threat to the unique, irreplaceable archival materials housed within them.  The study indicates that the materials will only survive in their respective environments until sometime between 2038 and 2045.  Even this relative short time frame could be shortened by an outbreak of mold, which is a very real possibility in one of the areas.

 

In order to provide a safe environment that will ensure that irreplaceable, unique archival materials are available for future scholars and researchers the following environmental conditions are necessary:

 

•      Temperature should be maintained between 55° and 65 ° F

•      Relative humidity (RH) should be between 25 % and 40 % year round

•      Stable environmental conditions should be maintained 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  The climate control system should not be turned off, nor should settings be altered at times when the building is unoccupied.

•      Fluctuations of temperature and RH should be kept to a minimum, as the relative life expectancy of materials is closely tied to fluctuations and interactions of temperature and RH.

 

Findings

In all three locations, the temperature levels are too high.  The ability of HVAC systems to provide constant temperatures varies, ranging from fair to good.  The ability of the HVAC systems to provide constant relative humidity at appropriate levels is very poor. Ultraviolet light levels in all three areas were found to be unacceptably high.

 

 

Recommendations

The college should take immediate remedial actions to lower temperature and relative humidity to acceptable ranges and maintain both at constant levels. Remedial action for reducing the ultraviolet levels should also be taken.

 

Attached is a more detailed summary of the findings and recommendations.  The report itself goes into great detail on these issues.

Temperature and Relative Humidity

 

Archives Workroom

The HVAC system does a good job of maintaining its constant temperature (close to 75°), but it needs to be lowered to be within the recommended range of 55° - 65 ° F.

 

The HVAC system does a poor job of maintaining constant RH.  Not only does something need to be done to maintain consistent RH levels, but it also must be lowered to be within range for special collections materials (25%-40%).

 

According to the Time Weighted Preservation Index (TWPI), which measures the approximate number of years that vulnerable organic materials would last if conditions remain similar to the conditions under which the TWPI was measured, materials in the Archives Workroom will only last another 36 years unless conditions are improved.

 

 

Alumnae Gym “B” level stacks

The HVAC does a fair job of maintaining a constant temperature (close to 73°), but it needs to be lowered to be within the recommended range of 55° - 65 ° F.  [Air conditioning was more effective than heat at maintaining constant temperature.]

 

The RH fluctuations were unacceptable, however, fluctuating as much as 57.7 % in the six months of recording.  This is almost 6 times the annual recommended variation (+/- 5%) and nearly ten times the recommended daily variation (+/- 3%).  The RH must be better controlled, as the dramatic fluctuations are providing great amounts of stress on the materials.

 

According to the TWPI, materials in the "B" level stacks will only last another 43 years unless conditions are improved.

 

 

Neilson Library “A” level stacks

The HVAC does a fair job of maintaining a constant temperature (close to 66°), but it should be lowered slightly, if at all possible to be within the recommended range of 55° - 65 ° F.

 

The HVAC system is not effective at maintaining appropriate RH controls.  The RH fluctuated as much as 69.9% in the six months of recording.  This is almost 7 times the annual recommended variation (+/- 5%) and nearly eleven times the recommended daily variation (+/- 3%).  Something must be done to reduce the range of fluctuation and to overall lower the RH.  There is a serious risk of mold growth in these stacks, which not only poses a danger to the collections, but to the health of staff as well.

According to the TWPI, unless conditions are improved, materials in the "A" level stacks will only last another 38 years.  Outbreaks of mold threaten to shorten this time frame.

 

 

General Recommendations for Temperature and RH Control

In all three locations, the temperature levels are too high.  The daily fluctuations need to be minimized even more, and if possible, the temperature needs to be lowered, if only be a few degrees to fall within the recommended range of 55° - 65 ° F.

 

The RH levels must be lowered to the recommended range of 25% - 40% and fluctuations need to be minimized.  Much more RH control is necessary to ensure the longevity of these materials.

Lighting

The light levels in the three stack levels, measured in terms of lux and in terms of ultra violet radiation, varied greatly between the readings taken in August and those taken in January.

All three areas exceeded the recommended ranges for light and for utraviolet radiation during one or more of the readings.

 

 

Recommendations to Reduce/Control Lighting

UV-filtering sleeves should be installed on all the fluorescent tubes in each of the three areas. UV film should be re-installed on the windows; this had been done in the 1980’s, but the film has since disintegrated and needs replacement. Installing this film, which comes in a variety of opacities, can be an energy saver as it can limit heat gain and loss.