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Breaking the mould: detection, intervention and eradication at Tate Library and Archive

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

Tim Pate  and
Kate Sloss
Tim Pate*
Affiliation:
Tate Library and Archive, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
Kate Sloss*
Affiliation:
Tate, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
*
Email: tim.pate@tate.org.uk
Email: kate.sloss@tate.org.uk
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Extract

Moulds are an ever-present threat to library collections and in 2007 a serious outbreak occurred at Tate Library and Archive. Early detection followed by prompt action ensured that any lasting damage was prevented. Services continued to be offered to users during a two-month period while collections were inaccessible as environmental conditions were improved and the mould infestation was eradicated. The keys to success were good communication with library users, advice from experts in the field of building health problems and the willingness of Library and Archive staff to clean a quarter of a million volumes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Art Libraries Journal , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , 2008 , pp. 23 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © The Art Libraries Society 2008

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References

1. Tate online, http://www.tate.org.uk/.Google Scholar
2. See Houghton, Beth, ‘The Hyman Kreitman Research Centre for the Tate Library and Archive,’ Art libraries journal 27, no.4 (2002): 19–24.Google Scholar
3. BSI British Standards is the UK’s national standards body, http://www.bsi-global.com/en/Standards-and-Publications/.Google Scholar
4. Munters is a Swedish-based company specialising in dehumidification equipment, http://www.munters.co.uk/en/uk/division/dehumidification/.Google Scholar
5. The Environmental Building Solutions Ltd. website includes brief case studies of their investigations, analysis and monitoring of a number of archives and libraries in the UK, http://www.ebssurvey.co.uk/index.html.Google Scholar
6. SCONUL Access is a co-operative venture between most of the higher education libraries in the UK and Ireland, http://www.access.sconul.ac.uk/.Google Scholar
7. Tate Library and Archive has 25 staff in four teams: reader services, library collections, archive and gallery records.Google Scholar