Nothing is more effective from a collections maintenance vantage point than a systematic cleaning program to combat problems such as mold. Mary Lynn Ritzenhaler writes in Preservation of Archival Records: Holdings Maintenance at the National Archives that, "Maintaining a clean, storage environment is an ongoing responsibility that will do much to preserve archival records." Ritzenhaler states that the "exteriors of bound volumes should be dusted as needed to prevent dirt from being transferred to records during holding." AALL's Preservation Treatment Options for Law Libraries states that the "life of books can be prolonged by a systematic cleaning program to remove dust and dirt, both of which accelerate the aging process.

Dirt degrades materials because it contains significant amounts of acidic materials and moisture." Although dated, Carolyn Horton's Cleaning and Preserving Bindings and Related Materials (Chicago: ALA, 1972) provides excellent advice on cleaning cloth and leather bound books. Recent literature on preservation also recommends vacuum cleaning as part of a holdings maintenance effort. Susan Swartzburg (Preserving Library Materials: A Manual , 2nd ed., 1995) recommends that "books be vacuumed with small hand vacuum cleaners."

Why vacuum to clean books? Vacuuming is especially helpful for cleaning the top edges of volumes, where a large amount of dirt and dust often settle, but is equally useful when cleaning heavy accumulations of dirt overall. Using a sable brush is the traditional favorite cleaning method, particularly in view of concerns that the suction on vacuums poses a hazard to books. However, one problem with brushing is that it can spread dirt, rather than clean the material.

The Cleaning Process

General Collections. Bound volumes stored on open shelves should be dusted or vacuumed periodically so that accumulated dust or dirt will not sift into the interior of volumes as they are used.

When cleaning, remove books from the shelf and place on a book truck. Move the vacuum cleaner brush lightly along and across surfaces. Vacuum with a small round cleaner brush commencing on the top edge of each individual book. Work from the spine to the fore edge of each book. There is no need to exert pressure since the suction is lifting dirt away and rigid components of the brush attachments can scratch or abrade bindings. Never vacuum across the bindings as this will cause damage. When the books are cleaned, vacuum the shelf and wipe with a damp cloth, if necessary. The cleaned books can then be returned to the shelf.

Another good approach is to place individual volumes, once cleaned, on a book truck until a shelf of books is completed, clean the shelf before switching the vacuum off, and replacing the volumes on the shelf.

Bound volumes with loose or detached boards, hinges or spines, or that contain loose fragments must not be vacuumed. They must be handled very gently and carefully dusted by hand using a brush or soft cloth.

Special Collections: Items in these collections should be handled with great care. Work should be done under the direct supervision of the Special Collections Librarian.

Each item should be cleaned separately. The following is generally a two person operation:

» Grasp the fully closed book firmly. This will prevent dust from entering the book.

» Use a soft brush (i.e., an artist's brush that has been tested on the wrist; it should never feel abrasive) or a soft cloth to direct dust into the head of the vacuum cleaner.

» Neither the vacuum cleaner nor its brush should ever touch the volume. The head of the cleaner can be covered with cheese cloth to prevent damage and loss of larger bits of binding. A piece of nylon screening or cheesecloth placed over the nozzle will prevent any fragments of the bindings or labels being sucked into the canister.

» Vacuum the shelf and surrounding area. Wipe with a slightly damp cloth, if necessary.

Choosing a Vacuum Cleaner

One caveat is to make sure that the model of vacuum is appropriate for vacuuming books. A portable canister-type vacuum cleaner with a wand and brush attachment is generally satisfactory for cleaning bound volumes. The suction on many vacuum cleaners is potentially hazardous to books, so adjustable suction (low to avoid damaging the volumes) is an important feature. A vacuum should offer brush attachments which are used (making sure that they are not too stiff) to avoid having the metal or hard plastic end of the wand come into contact with the volume. Crevice tools and similar attachments should not be used.

Make sure that the type of vacuum you choose is appropriate for your needs. Some libraries have criticized wet-dry vacuums, mainly because they are noisy, bulky, and the hoses are cumbersome and hard to manipulate. Use the following guidelines when choosing the appropriate model:

» Competitive price. A high price does not necessarily mean proportionately higher quality.

» High performance. This includes acceptable air flow and emissions.

» Convenience. Look at hose use, noise, dirt capacity, dirt disposal, and general ease of use.

» Maintenance.

The following are vacuums that are either currently used by libraries to clean books or purportedly are useful to clean books:

» 3M Professional Vacuum Cleaner. This vacuum looks like a plastic toolbox and includes a handle, cord, hose, and attachments, which are all stored underneath the lid, making this unit self-contained. It will not emit dust particles or debris. It is lightweight and portable and has a powerful 1 HP motor and features a variety of attachments: crevice tool, wand, bristle brush, ten foot hose, dusting brush and needle nozzle. However, it is noisy. A padded shoulder strap is also offered.

3M's Type 1 Filter is used to remove mold for trapping fine particles in the range of .3 to .5 microns. It is a fine, particle filter, having a thinner, more concentrated weave (High Efficiency Particle Arresting or HPEA media) for trapping extremely fine particles. The following filters are also available:

3M Filters :
   No. 5325 filter type 1 Particle size 1-2 micron $37.90
   No. 5326 filter type 2 Particle size 2-20 micron $ 19.45

Vendor:
Light Impressions
Light Impressions Catalog, p. 61.
Item No. 5324
$ 246.50

» Data-Vac Cleaning System.

DataVac Lightweight Vacuum/Blower:

This is a powerful cleaner that can be used as a blower or a vacuum. It is safe for use on books. It has a handle and shoulder strap. The machine includes an all-steel vacuum/blower unit. It is criticized by some for a lack of suction power.

Data-Vac Heavy Duty Cleaning System.

In addition to cleaning books, this vacuum can be used to vacuum book stacks and labs. It is more powerful than the Data-Vac Lightweight vacuum/blower. It is compact and easy to use and really has the extra power to accomplish the job. Dust is eliminated with a triple filtration system which prevents it from escaping back into the atmosphere.