NOTES FROM PRESERVATION


"Where do Preservation Photocopies come from?" you ask. Xerox storks
perhaps! Pregnant photocopy machines? Preservation staff desperate to
make their work sound more important? Remember when garbage men be-
came "Sanitary Maintenance Engineers"?

Preservation photocopies are not mere photocopies. No more than Cark
Kent is any mere Tom, Dick, or Harry. Unlike normal photocopies, preserva-
tion photocopies are made on alkaline (i.e., acid free) paper. Many of you
have seen Preservation staff hogging the copiers and being anti-social, not al-
lowing you to make "just one copy." We have to load and copy on alkaline
paper which should last hundreds of years.
Preservation photocopies must also have adequate resolution and even
density. Copies will replace dying books, missing or mutilated pages, etc.
They have to be good enough to allow good copies to be made from them in
turn. Without these properties, preservation photocopies may be long lasting
but not necessarily legible. Similarly, Clark Kent, without virtues, may be a
superman but not a superhero! Resolution, simply put, is the ability to read
the copy. Even density means that the copied image is as solid and evenly
dark as the original. If not, the preservation photocopy will not copy well for
patrons using it.


Even Density : Black bar remains solid after copying. (Konica)




Uneven Density : Black bar has white spaces after copying. (Xerox)






Preservation photocopies also require proper fusing of image (i.e., black
toner) to paper. Fusing is essential. Photocopies are made electrostatically -
that is, electricity and static are used to place the image on the paper; pressure
from the photocopier's metal drums and rubber rollers, together with heat,
fuse image and paper together. Improperly fused images will rub off long be-
fore the paper wears. A simple test assures you of proper fusing. Here it is:
attempt to erase a line of photocopied text using a pink pencil eraser. Then,
photocopy this photocopy you've just attempted to erase. If the erased line re-
mains legible, the original photocopy is properly fused. The Preservation
Office has found that Konica copiers supplied by Danka are adequate, while
the Xerox copiers owned by the Libraries which receive inadequate mainte-
nance are not. (cf., Examples.)
continued on next page





Line of text before erasure test.
as well. There were preservation program and Europe to alkaline production is now ward than usual. Advances
directors, preservation librarians, and ar- ;o accelerated that alkaline stock ac- and testing areas will enable
chivists. There were also Congressmen, counts for 25% of production presently, ties to play a crucial role in
policy makers, representatives of the and that should increase to 50% in the for the automated produce

Proper Fusing : Erasure does not effect legibility. (Konica)
as well There were preservation program and Europe to alkaline production is now ward than usuaLAdvancesl
directors, preservation librarians, and ar- so accelerated that alkaline stock ac- and testing areas will enable
chivists. There were also Congressmen, counts for 25% of production presently, ties to play a crucial role in
policy makers, representatives of the and that should increase to 50% in the for the automated produce

Improper Fusing : Erasure reduces legibility. (Xerox)
as iell. There were preservation program 'and tutope to alcaune production is now wara man usual. Advances
d:c.-" r,. rrt.ser:.-r.:r, :b..'-.d ar. so acce,"i-*d t~st a!l.-. stock Sc- a.n-,ie'"." .ra wi':!i ,::;.'
ch~ivii'-. T;~..' **;.:. :*j~ ti.'M Ci"jsr e.S CW~J:M fi, f;;\; ': i:r.)ij--c:i';. prRsi.n ., .- l:.:r,&-::. cpsics!0I?.-
policy" makers, representatives of the and that should increase to 50% in the for the automated produce




Preservation photocopies come from the Preservation Office as replace-
ment for archival and library materials. As such, they must have the same
image quality, readability and photocopyability as these materials.
Erich Kesse





REFERENCE

The Reference Department has added several databases on CD-ROM to its
arsenal of indexes. The latest additions are PsychLIT (Psychological Ab-
stracts on compact disk) and Sociofile (Sociological Abstracts on compact
disks). Both run on the Infotrac machines in the northwest corner of the Ref-
erence Area.