Max Kade Center
Lawrence, Kansas | February - December 2021 | Book Preservation Intern
Max Kade Center | photo by eleni zoë
The Max Kade Center
This internship focused on the Milwaukee Turner Library collection at the Max Kade Center. A large portion of this collection is affected by red rot. In this position, I vacuumed and wrapped books affected by red rot in acid-free paper. I worked with the undergraduate research assistant to identify the books, all of which are in German, most in Fraktur. Originally meant to be a single semester internship, the scope of the project changed and I spent 11 months caring for these books in the collection.
Red Rot on Books
Books at the Max Kade Center Affected by Red Rot
The books in this collection affected by red rot are removed from the shelf and vacuumed with a HEPA vacuum. The shelf is cleaned off as well. The books are identified and measured. Acid-free paper and linen book tape is measured and cut. The books are wrapped and tied off with the author and title written on the spine. This wrapping will help protect the books and contain the red rot. The wrapping is designed to be opened so the collection
is still accessible.
Red rot is a degradation process that affects vegetable-tanned leather. Vegetable tanning is the oldest method of tanning leather and is often found used for bookbinding. Red rot occurs when vegetable-tanned leather-bound books are exposed to high humidity, high temperature, or environmental pollutants. Red rot can also be caused by issues in the tanning or binding process. If contaminated water was used or there was sulphuric acid residue or acids and bases were used when colouring the leather, red rot can develop as a result. This gives a copper powdery coating on the leather. This also causes structural weakening of the book and the leather. Unfortunately, red rot damage is irreversible. The spread can be slowed with the application of chemicals or a sealant.
The Milwaukee Turners were a society in America made up of German immigrants. The first Turner societies in the United States were organized in late 1848. They have their roots in German Turnverein associations founded by Friedrich Ludwig Jahn in 1811. The Turner Society in America became one of three major organizations in Milwaukee that drew strength from the exiles of the German revolution. Physical training and development was one aspect of this group whose name comes from the German word for gymnastics: Turnen. This group recognized the value of poetry, literature, music, drama, etc which is where this collective library came from.
Instructional Video by Roberta Woodrick, conservator for the Spencer Research Library
As there are more books in the broader Max Kade Center collection, I drafted a document to be passed on to future interns to assist in the instruction of the cleaning and wrapping process. In all museum projects I take on the longevity and future use and success is important to me. I designed this document to be simple, digital or printed, and included photos to cater to different learning styles.
