NEWS FROM THE PRESERVATION OFFICE


The BRITTLE BOOKS PROGRAM now has a coordinator. Nelda Schwartz,
formerly of the Catalog Department, assumed responsibility for program co-
ordination on January 19th. Nelda will coordinate identification, bibliograph-
ic searching, and queuing for microfilming of brittle books, as well as work
closely with bibliographers, selectors and curators in making treatment
decisions. The Program is currently processing brittle Caribbean materials
order a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH). Nelda can be reached in 7 Library East at 392-6963 or, by e-
mail, at @45vtxb.

In the time since the end of the PHYSICAL CONDITION SURVEY last
summer/fall, we have begun statistical analysis of embrittlement in
the Libraries' collections. Earlier surveys, limited to four collections, in
1986/1987 indicated that 10% of the collections were brittle based on a
test of five double folds. Studies of three additional collections in
1988/1989 indicated that 17% of the collections were brittle. The recent
and most authoritative survey of all circulating collections indicates
that embrittlement is as high as 19.57% or approximately 500,000 vol-
umes. The following lists percentages of embrittlement (at five double
folds) in the circulating collections.

Journalism 2.06% Main (HSSL) 18.89%
Archives 3.64% Marston Science 19.31%
Belknap 6.52% AFA 24.33%
Gov't. Docs. 7.32% LAC 27.78%
Education 12.31% Judaica 32.17%
Music 16.32% PKY Fla. Hist. 35.82%

Some other ARL and RLG libraries determine embrittlement based on
three double folds. The average rate of embrittlement at this level in
the University of Florida Libraries is 12.92% or @ 345,000 volumes.
The following list percentages of embrittlement (at three double folds)
in the circulating collections. (Remember, three double folds is more
brittle than five double folds.)

Journalism 0.00% Main (HSSL) 11.33%
Archives 3.64% AFA 11.53%
Belknap 4.35% Marston Science 12.11%
Education 4.93% Judaica 19.95%
Gov't. Docs. 6.10% LAC 22.22%
Music 8.16% PKY Fla. Hist. 26.39%

Studies conducted in northern libraries with older materials have
much higher average rates of embrittlement. Yale University, for ex-
ample, had a 26%+ rate of embrittlement. By comparison, UF collec-
tions of older materials, e.g., Judaica, LAC and PKY Florida History,
are almost as bad.

OK, now it's blow your mind away time again: "Things could be
worse." Random sample survey of the Baldwin Library indicates that
81% of the Library is brittle at five double folds. Lowering the test to
three double folds brings the rate of embrittlement down to 68%. And,
lowering the test to a mere one double fold brings it down to 43%. Em-
brittlement in the Baldwin Library is so bad that 11% of the books may
suffer damage from even one more inconsiderate use. And, "you
haven't heard anything yet." Assuming that all of the brittle books in
the circulating collections are needed at UF, there is a price to pay. As-
suming also that an average cost for replacement, reprint or microfilm-
ing (including searching costs) is $75.00, an approximate total replace-
ment cost is 37.5 million dollars. Do you think we can hit-up James
Bond for a little pocket change?
Erich Kesse