AIC's 45th Annual Meeting

The application of oil-based leather dressing, while once considered a best practice in libraries, has had undesirable long-term consequences for bound materials. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the National Library of Medicine (NLM), a large number of leather-bound volumes had multiple applications of a mixture of neatsfoot oil and lanolin dressings liberally applied. The oils not only absorbed into the leather bindings but also migrated onto the pastedowns, end sheets, and text blocks. The oiling process at NLM was documented by call number, year(s), number of applications, and dressing formula. While investigating treatment options, NLM book conservator, Holly Herro, consulted paintings and objects conservator Scott Nolley for insight on viable options for the removal of oil from artifacts. A paper conservator, Wendy Cowan, joined the collaborative effort to develop a treatment protocol for NLM's oil saturated collections. Together, they investigated the issue and devised an effective method for removal of this oil from the NIH bound paper collection. The protocol developed employs washing with alkaline solutions, followed by alternating applications of petroleum ether and acetone administered over a suction point. Oil components are solubilized by the alternating polarities of the solvents and pulled out of the paper by the suction. The presence of the oil in the paper is thereby greatly reduced. The paper is then washed again with spray applications of alkaline water to remove any remaining water soluble discoloration. This talk will explore further details of the treatment protocol, its development and applications, and the benefits of cross-disciplinary collaboration