Select Page

Thirty-six archivists, librarians and museum curators from around the state joined staff from the Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library on Tuesday, October 9 to learn how to prevent, detect and mitigate mold in collections, especially printed materials.

Gillian Marcus, preservation specialist, from the Documentary Heritage Services Program of New York State, facilitated the hands-on exercises on how to deal with various fungi at different stages of growth, as well as use of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) approved personal protection equipment and health and safety after floods or severe water damage, including ice dams.

To prevent any possibility that mold might spread to Canisius collections or pose health risks to participants, only “fake mold” was used in demonstrations. This professional development program provided skill training for Canisius librarians who confront the challenge of mold outbreaks in their daily work.

Submitted by: Kathleen DeLaney, librarian, Library