Exploring

Responding to Disaster

Initial Response and Assessment | Salvaging Collections

Salvaging Collections

Once you have determined what needs to be salvaged, what are your options for stabilizing damaged materials? In most cases, you will be dealing with water-damaged collections that need to be dried. It is very important to realize that collections will not be restored by the drying process. If response was slow and collections became significantly distorted, they will remain distorted when dry. If collections are dried quickly, however, visible damage may be minimal.

General Drying Options

Several methods are available for drying wet books and records:

Air Drying—most appropriate for small numbers of damp or slightly wet collections
Dehumidification Drying—most effective for buildings that have suffered extensive water damage and for collections that have suffered only slight to moderate water damage
Freezer Drying—suitable for a modest number of books that are damp or moderately wet
Thermaline or Cryogenic Drying—a new drying technique designed for rare book and manuscript collections, particularly leather and vellum
Vacuum Freeze Drying—the best option for large numbers of wet books and records and for those with water-soluble inks and/or coated paper (Note that materials usually must be frozen locally first and later transported to a vacuum freeze drying facility.)

Recovering Specific Types of Collections

Different types of collections have specific recovery needs. Drying methods that work well for some books and documents may not be appropriate for other types of collections. It is essential to familiarize yourself with salvage recommendations for all types of materials held by your institution.

Salvage of Specific Collections

Explore the Minnesota Historical Society's Emergency Salvage Procedures for Wet Items web page. This page provides salvage instructions for the various types of collections found in libraries, archives, historical societies, and other cultural institutions.