1. Recognizing and Responding to Mold Incidents in Your Collection MOLD

2. Mold A fungus that grows on decaying organic matter. Unclassified mold on firewood.

3. Mold Likes Four Things  Moisture  Heat  Poor air circulation  Dark

4. Mold can look like many different substances

5. Mold growing on walls

6. Mold behind wallpaper

7. Mold in carpeting

8. http://www.mold-help.org/content/view/163/ Can look like dirt

9. Initial Response Protect yourself and staff Isolate affected materials Locate source of humidity Lower the humidity & temperature Increase air circulation

10. Identification Active or Inactive? Use Personal Protective Equipment Call an expert when in doubt If the mold is dry and powdery, it is inactive. Active mold will smear or smudge. Aspergillus ustus Top view of petri dish

11. Effects of a Mold Outbreak Causes staining & losses Encourages pests Poses a health risk

12. Staining and losses Permanent stains to book cloth Weakening of materials Losses on paper Irreversible damage to photographs

13. Mold & Pests Mold is also food for pests Pests enjoy the same environment

14. Professional Resources Vendors Conservators Consultants

15. Vendors Check local reputation May do advance contracts Research vendor methods

16. Vendors What does your standard service include? How many qualified workers can you assign to this project? Do you use any chemicals? What industry standards do you follow in your work?

17. Conservators Consider: Training Length & scope of experience Membership in professional organizations References Treatment reports

18. MOLD MAJOR AND MINOR SUMMER OF 2002

19. University Law Library 5,000 volume Rare Book Room

20. On Friday staff noticed RH at 80%, set up dehumidifiers On Tuesday noticed mold, contacted Pres Dept, asked for assistance Remediation began late Wed PM Adjustments made on Thursday By Friday RH was at 42% from high of 76% The Incident

21. TIPS FOR ASSESSMENT Always assume it’s a mold outbreak Take protective gear Document with camera

22. DON’T BE CHICKEN LITTLE Take time to determine strategy If you don’t know the internal politics, ask Listen for tip-offs for possible roadblocks Offer to do the “leg” work (calling remediation company, etc.)

23. THE SOURCE Building being cooled improperly; reheat turned off to save money Area at end of vent, probably not getting enough air circulation Exceptionally high outside humidity for several days Carpets cleaned with wet vac adjacent to room

24. IDENTIFY TEAM Library director and assistant Business manager HVAC mechanic Mold remediation manager and supervisor Libraries facilities manager Assistant conservator Preservation Librarian Others?

25. THE TEAM Law School Executive Law Librarian Associate Dean Law Business Manager Building Mechanic Facilities Service Group My Area Rep Department Director Op & Maintenance Manager (Senior Engineer) Law School Area Rep Health Protection Office Biological Safety Professional Assistant Risk Management Director Remediation Company Manager Remediation supervisor UI Libraries Building Manager Conservator Assist. Conservator Preservation Library/Head

26. TUESDAY/1 ST DAY PARALLEL ACTIONS Engineering team worked with mechanic to stabilize environment Remediation company assessed situation, set up large dehumidifier and consulted with senior scientist Law librarian consulted with finance manager

27. Most of the discussion centered on how to set up mold remediation without further contaminating the building. The room needed to be safely vented but couldn’t be 100% because there is no direct route to the outside. Extra filters were put in place. Positive/negative airflow adjusted to vent out of room. (Increased positive airflow) Staff given permission to stay home if concerned with health risk.

28. ACTION ITEMS - SET WED. AM Set action items, timeframe, and responsibility Mold remediation manager to consult with company’s scientist Preservation Librarian request exemption from energy curtailment Facilities would request air sampling Remediation supervisor and crew will meet with conservator for training on cleaning books Law librarian will keep staff informed Preservation Librarian will coordinate

29. PENICILLIUM You no longer need to identify specifies, just confirm that it is mold

30. Mold abatement had information and equipment 4PM Wednesday Senior facilities engineer relieved building facilities staff person Everyone to meet next morning

31. CORRECTIVE ACTION Thursday, August 1, midmorning. Abatement manager reports that RH is actually higher; internally books are still dry Building mechanic adjusted positive pressure Company brought in bigger dehumidifier I looked for alternate storage just in case By noon area stabilized, RH begins to drop

32. SET BACK/CORRECTIVE ACTION Discover can’t get system functioning correctly due to campus work outside the building We opt for running system too cold and send out alert to staff

33. Readings from our vendor Wed PM 25.5  C 60%RH Thurs AM 25.5° C 73% RH Thurs PM 27.8° C 45% RH Fri AM 26° C 42% RH

34. CLEAN UP In situ cleaning by remediation company Training provided by conservator on proper cleaning and handling of books Vacuumed and dry sponge wipe books Flagged any books needing conservation work Shelving/walls wet sponged with phenolic biocide Ductwork checked after all cleanup completed Spore count inside/outside air comparison [Not necessary]

35. Met with Risk Management to –discuss impact of this type of disaster –determine how to prevent in the future –insure long-term solution Total cost -- $50,000

36. CONTINUAL MONITORING 6 weeks later, About 30, very scattered, old Buckram covers supported the bloom. The conditions at the time – 22.2  C and 36% RH.

37. MINOR Special Collections Archives Gift books Books in student’s room

39. University Archives

40. GIFTS Sent out staff advisory to CONTACT THE PRESERVATION DEPT WHEN MATERIAL HAVE EVIDENCE OF MOLD

41. SMELLY BOOKS

42. Containing the smell can be a huge challenge: Thermostat to continuous air Charcoal filter added to HVAC Starbrites set out

43. Prevention Materials Temperature (Degrees C) & allowable ranges Books, Paper, & People 20-22° (+/-) 5° Books & Paper Alone 15.6° (+/-) 5° Photographic Materials 10° (+/-) 5° Books & Photographic Materials 15.6° (+/-) 5° Magnetic Media 15° (+/-) 2°

44. Prevention Relative Humidity (RH) and allowable fluctuations Books and Paper 40-55% (+/-) 3% Photographic Materials 35% (+/-) 3% Books, Papers, and Photos 50% (+/-) 3% Magnetic Media 30% (+/-) 3%

45. Mold and environmental controls

46. Mold Clean Up The key to mold control is moisture control. Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Fix plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible. Dry all items completely.

47. Absorbent or porous materials, such as ceiling tiles and carpet, may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. Mold can grow on or fill in the empty spaces and crevices of porous materials, so the mold may be difficult or impossible to remove completely. Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Clean up the mold and dry the surfaces before painting. Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely to peel.

48. If you are unsure about how to clean an item, or if the item is expensive or of sentimental value, you may wish to consult a specialist. Remember to take health safety precautions.

49. FINAL WORD Wear a N95 disposable respirator Use disposable gloves if handling the material Goggles or protective eyewear should be worn Don’t touch your eyes or mouth if you’ve touched a moldy item Wash your hands as soon as possible once vacated infected area Take a shower and wash your clothes in hot water and bleach Illnesses due to exposure to mold can result from both high level, short-term exposures and lower level, long- term exposures.

50. Resources “Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments.” New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. c2006. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/moldr pt1.shtml “Indoor Air: Mold.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2006 http://www.epa.gov/mold/index.html

51. Resources Environmental Protection Agency online guide to mold http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html Conservation Online http://cool.conservation-us.org/bytopic/mold/ Doctor Fungus: http://www.doctorfungus.org/

52. Starbrite Mildew Control Bags #1015145 Tarp and Cover Superstore 931 S Chapel Street Newark, DE 19713 800-453-7379 http://www.easternmarine.com/Mildew- Control-Bags-2-pack-089900/

53. Special Thanks to SOLINET Preservation Services for some of slides in this presentation

54. Nancy E. Kraft University of Iowa Libraries Preservation Dept. nancy-e-kraft@uiowa.edu http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/preservation/ 319/335-5286