Construction projects in cultural heritage institutions can be challenging for their collections. This 5 part presentation offers some suggestions for a successful build.

1. Under Construction:
Preservation Concerns During
Construction and Renovation
LYRASIS Preservation Services
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the
Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and
Preservation and Access.
Unit 3

2. Unit 3
– Preparing Materials for Moving
– Protecting Collection in Situ
– Protecting Buildings and Collections
– Collection Dangers

3. Preparing Materials for Moving
• What supplies you use to prepare your items for
moving will depend in part on how long they will
be wrapped around materials and how far you
are traveling.

4. Preparing Materials for Moving
• Are you moving from one floor to another, or across the
country?
• Are you moving the materials into a new building, or are
you moving the collections off-site while you renovate
the space you are in?
• If the latter, how long will the materials stay wrapped up?
• Moving projects can provide institutions with an
opportunity to provide more appropriate housings for
their materials.

5. Preparing Materials for Moving
• Shrink-wrap is a popular method of protecting
materials in transport.
– If the items are sealed completely for long periods of
time, they may trap harmful gases and further the
deterioration process. If using shrink wrap, be sure to
poke a few holes in the wrap to allow for air cirulation.

6. Preparing Materials for Moving
• There are many options for moving books. If you are
moving them a short distance, it may be easiest just to
load them onto book trucks. Some people stretch wrap
the book carts to protect against the books falling off in
transport. If the volumes are especially fragile, consider
boxing them, either in individual boxes to create a
protective micro-climate that will be useful long after the
move, or in a bigger box with other books. If boxing
books into larger boxes, place volumes spine down, and
do not stack multiple layers on top of each other. Tie
items with detached boards together with cotton twill
tape to protect the text block and keep pieces together.

7. Preparing Materials for Moving
• When moving unbound paper-based collections,
rehouse the items in damaged, acidic or non-standard
boxes into boxes that meet the ANSI Z39.48 standard for
permanent paper and boards. Tape boxes shut – this
will prevent them from falling open in transport. Before
taping closed, add any necessary spacers to prevent
items from bending or falling out of files. Multiple boxes
can be moves at one time using flatbed hand truck, but
be careful not to stack them too high – you do not want
the lower boxes to be crushed under the excessive
weight from the boxes stacked upon them. If you are
moving the boxes by truck, you may want to consider
stretch wrapping the boxes onto pallets.

8. Preparing Materials for Moving
• Artifacts may need special protection. Fragile items
may be wrapped in bubble wrap on a temporary basis. If
planning on permanently protecting the object, consider
polyester batting or polyethylene foam bags that will not
off-gas. Some fragile materials may need to be hand-
carried.
• Map cases can be moved with oversized materials
inside if the items are placed between corrugated
cardboard to protect the items from shifting. You may tie
or tape the cardboard together. As long as you plan on
removing the cardboard immediately, you do not have to
worry about using board that meets the Z39.48 standard
for permanent paper. The cases can the be wrapped to
keep the drawers closed.

9. Preparing Materials for Moving
• Another option is to put oversized items in large map
folders and place in specially constructed pallet boxes.
Rolled items can be stored and moved in rectangular
telescoping archival boxes. Through your institution, you
may have access to a carpentry shop that may be able
to fabricate carts to transport your oversized materials.
• Consider hand-carrying fragile items. Glass plate
negatives and lantern slides should be clearly labeled as
such. Place sheets of bubble wrap at the beginning and
end of boxes of glass plate negatives. Hand carry or
stretch wrap to prevent boxes from moving.

10. Preparing Materials for Moving
• Be especially careful when handling
nitrate materials because they can be
flammable. Disposal and transport of
nitrate must adhere to local, state, and
federal regulations regarding
hazardous materials. For more
information on storage and handling of
nitrate materials see the standard from
the National Fire Protection
Association. NFPA 40: Standard for
the Storage and Handling of Cellulose
Nitrate Film.
• http://www.nfpa.org/

11. Protecting Collections In Situ
• If you decide not to move your collections, you need
to decide early on how your are going to protect
them from damage and debris. You have several
options.
• Your decision will be influenced by:
– the scope and pace of the construction
– the need to access the collections during the construction
process
– your resources

12. Protecting Collections In Situ
• One way is to build barriers or temporary walls
around construction zones or around the stack areas to
minimize the dust and other construction pollutants. You
must make this decision early on in the bid process or it
will end up costing you more money.
• Another option is to hang tarps or drapes or sheets –
whatever material you use, make sure that they are
flame retardant.

13. Protecting Collections In Situ
• Sealed wraps extend from top of each shell unit to the
floor, and wall-to-wall. You can gain emergency access
to volumes on the shelves by slitting the wraps and using
duct tape to reseal, but if you choose the method, you
should be prepared for reduces access. Slit the wraps
too many times and they will no longer function
effectively.
• Polyethylene sheeting will reduce (although probably will
not eliminate) dust and protect from potential leaks from
sprinklers.
– You do not want the sheeting to be too tight, or it could turn into
a breeding ground for mold if there is no air circulation in the
area!

14. Protecting Collection In Situ
• Protective enclosures may be created for
specific items. If there are collections that
require boxing, this may be a good time to
address those needs. Boxing can protect
materials that are being moved as well as
provide a good microenvironment for materials
near a construction area.

15. Protecting Collection In Situ
• Be prepared for routine services to be
interrupted so that staff can make time
to protect collections. If you are only
wrapping the shelves that are in the
immediate vicinity of current
construction, make sure that
construction officials give you advance
notice (at least 48 hours) so that you
have time to protect the next area
before they move into it.

16. Protecting Collections In Situ
• Do not test your HVAC system without
covering the collections first, or dust, grit, and
grime may spread throughout the building. Even
with all these protections, construction-related
dirt is so pervasive that it is impossible to keep it
completely away from your materials, so plan on
cleaning the areas regularly.

17. Protecting the
Building and Collections
• Fire
• Water Damage
• Environment
• Insects and pests
• Mold
• Interruptions in
service
• Theft
ALL of these are
concerns during
renovation and
construction projects.
The next slides will
examine these potential
hazards.

18. Protecting the
Building and Collections
• The Northeast Document Conservation Center
has created a checklist for protecting collections
from destructive factors at the end of their
Technical Bulletin: Protecting Collections During
Renovation.
• http://www.nedcc.org/free-
resources/preservation-leaflets/3.-emergency-
management/3.9-protecting-collections-during-
renovation

19. Fire
• The prevention of fires begins with fire safety
education, not just for the staff but for the
construction crew as well. Make sure that
everyone knows where fire extinguishers are
located and how to use them.
• Hire construction workers that are certified and
follow codes for electricity, HVAC, and other
building standards.

20. Fire
• Inspect alarm systems before
construction begins and test systems
weekly during construction. If possible,
improve alarm systems and fire
suppression equipment before any
construction activities begin that use
heat-producing or electrical equipment in
collection spaces.
• Ensure that interruptions in services (e.g.
electrical work) do not interfere with fire
detection and suppression.

21. Fire
• Finally, dust barriers protecting collections
should be fire-retardant in case a fire does
break out. For more information on fire
protection during construction, see guidelines in
the National Fire Protection Association
Code 909: Code for the Protection of Cultural
Resources Properties – Museums, Libraries,
and Places of Worship
• http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-
standards/document-information-
pages?mode=code&code=909

22. Water
• Water damage is a common
occurrence during construction
projects.
• The risk of water damage goes up
whenever workers are altering water
line or using water for some aspect of
the construction job, so it is important
to identify vulnerable areas and take
precautions.

23. Water
• Bad weather and human error can cause water damage,
and uncontained water in your building can be both the
cause and the result of fires. For example, water
draining into fixtures can result in a fire.
• Other sources of water damage can come from steam
pipes, pressurized water lines, toilet drains, etc. Roof
and skylight replacement, installation of pipes, fan coils,
sprinklers, the excavation or replacement of plumbing
are flooding hazards.

24. Water
• Before a construction crew begins to work on a
part of the roof, give staff 48 hours notice so that
staff can protect areas below by installing water-
proof sheeting as temporary barriers to prevent
water from draining onto collections or moving
collections away from the area. Roofs must be
protected against water infiltration at the end of
each day by covering the areas they are working
on – sheets and tarps do not provide adequate
protection unless secured at joints with drainage
routes.

25. Water
• To prevent damage from flooding, store
collections at least four inches off the
floor.
• Install water alarms in vulnerable
areas. Water alarms are electronic
disks or cables that can be laid on
floors or attached to walls that are
activated when a circuit is completed
by moisture. Water alarms should be
audible and some can be tied into other
alarm systems.

26. Water
• If a water disaster should occur, know
where the main pipes are located so
that they can be turned off in an
emergency. Be sure to update the
contact information for services that
might be useful, such as freezer
facilities and dehumidification services.
Finally, be sure to hold regular staff
training sessions in water salvage
procedures.

27. Environment
• Construction projects can create an
environment that puts your collections at risk.
Projects can generate lots of dust, which can
abrade collections and speed up the
deterioration of materials. HVAC systems can
further spread that dust around. Dust can also
settle into carpets.
• In order to protect collections, you may need to
adjust current housekeeping procedures to
compensate. After each section is completed,
plan for a complete shelf-by-shelf, item-by-item
clean-up.

28. Environment
• A related environmental concern is damage
and inconveniences of noise.
• Pavement breakers, jack hammers, and
circular saws can not only disrupt patrons
and staff, but also create vibrations that can
cause materials to move off of shelves and
allow dust, plaster, and sawdust to fall onto
collections.

29. Environment
• Institutions need to compensate for extremes in
temperature that might occur during
construction projects. Contracts should stipulate
requirements for temporary heat if working in
subzero climates to keep space a few degrees
above freezing; if painting, the temperature
should be increased to 60-65 degrees F.
Temporary heat must be created to prevent
freezing of building materials that contain
moisture, such as concrete, mortar, plaster, and
adhesives, as well as to reduce the chance that
pipes will freeze.

30. Environment
• Other ways to compensate against the cold
include using insulating blankets and space
heaters, although you will have to be careful that
the latter will not start fires.
• Covering exposed areas can help compensate
against both hot and cold temperatures.

31. Environment
• Some problems can be reduced by stipulating
requirements in your contract to minimize their
effect on people and collections. Be aware that
you do not want specifications so tight that the
contract is too expensive.
– For example, it may be better to clean a few thousand
books than stipulate a dust-free environment that
requires a much higher bid; just make sure you
budget for the cleaning. Or budget to protect the
books in the first place, by removing them or placing
them in protective enclosures.

32. Insects and Pests
• It is especially important that you practice
integrated pest management during
construction and renovation. Doors will be open
more than usual; there may be temporary walls
and holes providing pests with easy route into
the building. Therefore, regular monitoring is
needed so that you can contain a problem
before it gets out of control. Peat strips should
be placed at all entry points and monitored
weekly.
– Regular housekeeping is an essential component of
integrated pest management.

33. Insects and Pests
• Make sure that food containers are disposed
of promptly and not left overnight in construction
areas. Trash may fill up and need to be emptied
more often.
• Openings should be screened with mesh fine
enough to keep out small rodents.
• Consider exterior building treatments. They may
be slightly hazardous within the outside
environment, but it may also reduce the need for
inside treatments, which could harm collections
and people.

34. Mold: the Three Main Components
• High Temperature
• High Humidity
• Poor Air Circulation
You never want to see this in your collection!!

35. Mold
• Construction projects can leave collections
vulnerable to mold, especially when an
institution suffers from water damage. Mold
thrives in areas with sustained high
temperatures, high humidity, and poor air
circulation. Although you may not be able to
control the temperature or humidity during
renovation, you may be able to stop mold growth
by ensuring that the collections areas have good
air circulation.

36. Mold
• If the HVAC system is shut off during
construction, as long as you have electricity in
the area you set up fans to help circulate air.
This will prevent mold spores from settling and
growing on your collections.

37. Unit 3 Quiz
What Have You Learned?

38. Unit 3
• Question 1: What is a popular and most cost
effective method of protecting books during
transport?
– A: Custom Enclosures
– B: Shrink Wrap
– C: Security Guards
– D: Moving Truck

39. Unit 3
• Question 1: What is a popular and most cost
effective method of protecting books during
transport?
– Answer: B: Shrink Wrap
• Shrink wrapping material is a low-expense method
of protecting books, and thus, quite popular! Just
be sure there are some vents in the shrink wrap to
prevent off-gassing build up.

40. Unit 3
• Question 2: What’s wrong with this picture?

41. Unit 3
• Question 2: What’s wrong with this picture?
– Answer: Overloaded outlet
• As much as 25% of fires at cultural institutions are caused by
construction or renovation. Bad wiring, welding or cutting torches,
temporary electrical connections, or even the smoking habits of
contractors are common sources of construction-related fires. Other
sources include heaters, mechanical equipment, installation of
HVAC systems, roof replacement, plumbing, paint removal, masonry
removal, and duct work. Smoke and soot can chemically damage
collections – often it is impossible to remove all residual soot, so
working to prevent the fires from happening in the first place is an
important activity in safeguarding your collections.

42. Unit 3
• Question 3: Water leaks are the most common
occurrence during construction, resulting in
damage and even fire.
– True or False?

43. Unit 3
• Question 3: Water leaks are the most common
occurrence during construction, resulting in
damage and even fire.
– Answer: True
• Risk of water damage is high during construction.
Look to take preventative steps and remain alert of
the risks during the project.

44. Thank You!
To continue Under Construction,
View Unit 4
Contact us if you have any questions.
LYRASIS Preservation Services
preservation@lyrasis.org