Best of Core Forum: Judging a Book by Its Cover: Investigating Arsenic and Other Heavy Metals in 19th Century Book Bindings

Description: Recent research in the cultural heritage conservation field has identified arsenic and other toxic heavy metals in pigments used in 19th century book bindings. How hazardous are these materials, and what should libraries do if they have 19th C. items in their collections? This presentation will provide background information on this growing field of interest, and a broad overview of some of the research to date. We will also provide a case study of the ongoing research project at the [UNIVERSITY] Library, testing for the presence of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead in pigments used to color bookcloth and paper. We will describe our planning process, communication plans, the current state of our findings, what we've learned so far, and outstanding questions. Not every library has the staff or funding to undertake a large-scale research project, so we will also provide tips to identify potentially problematic pigments, as well as things to consider when handling or providing access to these materials.

This webinar was previously presented in-person as a session at the 2024 Core Forum. We are hosting this webinar, with the session adapted and presented live as a virtual event, to extend its reach.

 Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

At the end of this session, the attendee will be able to 

• Identify materials in their collections that may contain toxic heavy metals.  
• Analyze existing research to make informed decisions about how to handle and provide safer access to these materials. 
•  Effectively communicate to their colleagues and patrons about the current understanding of the potential hazards and outstanding questions.

Who Should Attend: People in preservation, academic libraries, special collections, archives, and anyone whose collection include 19th Century materials.

 Presenters:

Arthur Hall (he/him) is the Collections Care Graduate Assistant for the University of Illinois Library Preservation Services department. He is currently working toward his MSLIS from UIUC, where he received his BFA for New Media in 2023.

Shelby Strommer (she/her) is the Collections Care Coordinator in the Preservation Services unit of the University of Illinois Library. She holds a Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan, where she specialized in Preservation. She is also a member of the National Heritage Responders, a volunteer group of professionals who provide support to cultural heritage institutions during emergencies and disaster recovery. 

Tech Requirements

Core Webinars are held in Zoom. Speakers or a headset for listening to the presentation are required. You may interact with the presenter and ask questions through text-based chat. Closed captioning is available in the Zoom platform. The webcast will be recorded and the link to the recording shared with registrants shortly after the live event.