British Library Plans Conference
to Study Pest Problem
Pests such as moths, silverfish, beetles, and termites are causing so much irreversible damage to historic manuscripts and objects—even entire collections—in libraries and museums worldwide that the British Library has organized a conference to try to find a solution.
Damage has increased because institutions have scaled back on cleaning and have also stopped fumigating their collections, since the insecticides themselves damage some objects, the London Times reported September 17.
Robert Child, head of conservation at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, also pointed to climate as a contributing factor. “Nature used to be on our side with cold winters and cold museums and libraries. Now, with mild winters and central heating, a lot of the insects are finding life more comfortable,” he said.
The situation is even worse in tropical countries. In Guatemala City, altarpieces and wooden sculptures were recently destroyed by termites; and in Antigua, an entire collection of paintings of the royal family was eaten by silverfish.
About 150 archivists, conservators, and curators from Europe, South America, and Australia will attend the three-day conference titled “A Pest Odyssey: No Collection Is Safe from Pest Attack,” beginning October 1.
Posted September 24,2 001.
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