The PAC Laboratory was officially commissioned on the 8th July, 2013. Its core duty is to work toward prolonging the existence of library and paper based collections by fighting against decay and destruction.

The repairs carried out in the bindery are chosen according to the types of damages seen. A book could have one or a combination of problems needing to be repaired.

Types of Repairs

The repairs carried out in the bindery are chosen according to the types of damages seen. A book could have one or a combination of problems needing to be repaired.

A Preservation and Conservation Binder may select from the treatment options listed below:-

• Treatment of damaged or broken spine.
• Treatment of frayed or broken fore-edge of book.
• Treatment of damaged covers.
• Patching torn or cut pages.
• Substitution of missing pages.
• Clean-up of soiled pages from food items, and writings made from pens or crayons etc.
• Removal of tape from pages.

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Repair Don’t’s

• Never attempt to repair torn items using regular tape (clear/masking tape); special book repair tape must be used.
• Do not re-attach torn sections or covers with acidic glues
• Avoid using highlighters, pens and pencils to mark/make notes in books; or using correction fluids and harsh chemicals to remove existing marks

ALWAYS CONSULT WITH A CONSERVATOR OR BINDER ABOUT REPAIRS

The Preservation and Conservation Laboratory provides a range of services covering preservation, conservation and consultancy.

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INSECT EXTERMINATION

This treatment eradicates the presence of all insects, pests and their eggs/larvae. The PAC lab uses a safe, temperature controlled, non-chemical treatment method in a Wei T’o machine.

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DISASTER RECOVERY

The PAC team is trained to respond to and treat collections exposed to or affected by disasters. In the event of water damage, we offer freeze drying or air drying services and mold remediation.

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FREEZE-DRYING TREATMENT

Suitable for very wet items. This utilizes a specialized freezer; Wei T’o Book Dryer and Exterminator, with specific temperature control adjustments and defrost cycles to remove moisture from paper based material.

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AIR DRYING

Suitable for damp or slightly wet books. Books are fanned open on a clean dry surface, interleaved with absorbent tissue to accelerate drying.

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MOLD REMEDIATION

Mold favours dark, damp areas and can occur in collections stored in similar environments. Remediation is performed using a HEPA filter vacuum with micro attachments to remove mold spores.

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DEACIDIFICATION

Acid degradation occurs when the acidity of paper interacts with humidity, heat and light, causing the molecular bonds of the paper fibre to break down making it less flexible until it becomes brittle.

Deacidification treatment is performed using a non-aqueous alkaline buffer solution which is sprayed on the pages of the item. The Bookkeeper solution is said to extend the usable life of paper by 3-5 times.

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CONSERVATION REPAIRS

Library items are exposed to numerous threats and can be subjected to a variety of physical damage. These damages include structural damage to the spine, covering material, binding and text block of the item; from minor tears to complete ‘cut outs’, a segmented book and embrittlement with losses to the text block.

Repairs include traditional re-sewing, gluing and rebinding, as well as major and minor repairs using quality archival repair tapes, boards, papers, adhesives and textiles.

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CONSULTATIONS & TECHNICAL ADVICE

The PAC Lab has a trained and qualified Library Conservator who can serve as a consultant for assessing the health of and advising on issues affecting your library and/or paper based collection. This can range from answering an email or telephone query with detailed information to an on-site assessment or assistance. Detailed reports can be provided outlining recommendations for meeting preservation challenges.

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SITE VISITS

In response to disasters, emergencies or those situations better facilitated by visual knowledge, the PAC team can facilitate a visit to the institution. Following the visit a detailed report and or treatment plan would be developed as required for the needs of your organisation/collection. While on site we document observations and test environmental conditions.

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PRESERVATION EDUCATION & TRAINING

The Preservation and Conservation team offers educational sessions and workshops in preservation knowledge, skills and training to library professionals. Educational outreach also promotes basic library material preservation and conservation skills, mending and repairs for students and other interested organizations with paper based collections. Audio-visual presentations, hand-outs and practical skills training. Training can be conducted on site at the national library building, and off-site at the requesting institution.

Launched in 2021 and hosted by the PAC Laboratory, these free virtual sessions are aimed at further empowering librarians, archivists, heritage keepers and members of the public with information and techniques for caring for their collections.

Topics have included:

• Dealing with Mould
• Care & Handling
• The Poison Book Project
• Caring for Textiles
• Nil to Low Cost Collection Care
• Ancient Books of the National Library of China
• Special Rescue Brigades of the National Library of Peru

The fully transcribed recordings of the webinars can be viewed on the Preservation Webinar Series Playlist on the NALIS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqZpK7NAGaB0Mfa0djHCytQ0XFOj6fyqI