October 28, 2007 Library of Congress Offers Information on Fire Recovery for Collections

In response to the fires in Southern California and the resulting damage to personal and public collections, the Library of Congress has updated its preservation Web page on emergency care. Information about whom to contact for guidance, as well as how to protect and salvage collections and, most important, where to go for supplies and aid, can be found at “Fire Recovery for Collections,” https://www.loc.gov/preserv/emergprep/fire.html, or at “Emergency Preparedness: Introduction,” https://www.loc.gov/preserv/emergprep/prepare.html. In addition to destroying collections, fire can also damage them significantly. Collections can be scorched, singed, embrittled, discolored or soiled by soot and smoke. Water used to extinguish fires can cause staining, discoloration and ink or color "bleeding." Water from hoses and sprinkler systems can cause some materials to stick together, as well as germinate mold growth. Normally, the Library of Congress recommends that collection salvage be left to experts such as conservators or commercial salvage firms specializing in the field. These experts understand the nature of materials, and know which types of collection items might be damaged even further by well-intended but misguided salvage attempts. The Library can direct people to various places for help, such as the American Institute for Conservation’s Web site for “Finding a Conservator” and the Heritage Preservation Foundation’s emergency resources page. In addition, the Library of Congress engages in training and research projects to advance emergency mitigation. For instance, Library staff members occasionally offer salvage training, and the Library’s scientific research laboratory assesses various salvage and fire suppression systems. Also, the Library’s Web site has video demonstrations of collection salvage techniques for water-damaged materials. For protection of collections, including its own, the Library advocates a well-developed “Continuity of Operations Plan” that addresses preservation and emergency planning, mitigation, response, recovery and salvage of collections. The Library also supports the spirit of the “MayDay Initiative,” created by the Society of American Archivists, which promotes awareness of emergency mitigation activities each May. For more information, visit the Library of Congress Preservation Directorate’s site at https://www.loc.gov/preserv/.