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On Saturday, February 20th, Audra, Barry, Craig and Rachel Hoff (UNC-CH Medical Sciences Library) led 3 sessions on preservation and digitization at the Lewisville Branch, Forsyth Public Library. Giz, Audra and Craig surveyed the space a few weeks back and it proved to be a new, tech friendly space. Giz and Barry came early to set up the video recording equipment, and Craig brought his traveling preservation book repair kit. Merrikay Everett Brown, the Lewisville Branch Director welcomed the 30 participants. Audra then introduced each presenter and described the three 2-hour sessions: Preservation theory and terminology, Hands-on Preservation, and Digitization. Audra also mentioned the small grants available for local history organizations, such as the grants offered by NCPC.

Rachel Hoff then began discussing the basic tenets of preservation theory: Do no harm and reversibility. She didn’t linger too long on terminology or lingo but talked to the audience as if they were peers. This made the early Saturday morning crowd soften up and pay attention. Rachel spent time discussing adhesives, care and handling of materials, the environment (light, temperature and relative humidity, and air quality), pests, disaster planning and cleaning.

After lunch, during session #2, Rachel and Craig demonstrated basic preservation repairs: tipping in a loose page, repairing paper tears, text block consolidation and paperback repairs (Danielle Steele!). We also covered basic repair tools, technique and suppliers.

Barry Davis led session #3, demonstrating how to scan paper materials as well as digitizing cassettes and video tapes. This was of particular interest to the crowd. ZSR should be proud to have a talent like Barry, whose skills were evident throughout the day.

There will be two more sessions like today’s for Preserving Forsyth’s Past: in April and in June at the Walkertown and Central Branches.