[DCRM-L] Safe Cataloging Arsenic and Heavy Metals Books

[Rich, Allison]

Hi Jaime:

There was an extensive thread here starting on February 6 called "poison
books" which went into this in detail.
Maybe that will be hlepful for you to read.

Best,
Allison

On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM Groetsema Saifi, Jaime via DCRM-L <
dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
>
>
> Our Conservation department is currently developing policies around
> testing for and handling books with arsenic and other heavy metals. I have
> been enjoying seeing the discussions here about description of and access
> to similar materials which have given us some guideposts for when we embark
> upon our own large-scale cataloging projects.
>
>
>
> One question that has continued to come up: what does a safe cataloging
> workflow look like? There is a wide range of opinions as to what “safe”
> means and quite a difference in individual cataloger comfortability in
> working on these materials. (I know that many of us will have encountered
> these materials already and to different degrees, but as we learn more
> about particular health impacts, etc., I am keeping an open mind as to the
> responses and concerns of my team).
>
>
>
> To that end, I am wondering if anyone out there has experience writing a
> procedure for the safe practice of cataloging materials with arsenic and
> heavy metals? Or, even those that have thought about it or discussed it at
> their home institutions, I would be grateful to hear your thoughts!
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>
>
> Jaime
>
> *Jaime Groetsema Saifi *
>
> Assistant Librarian, Rare Materials Cataloging Unit Head
>
> Spencer Research Library
>
> University of Kansas Libraries
>
>
>
>
>
> *Jaime Groetsema Saifi *(Jaime/Jaimes)
>
> Assistant Librarian, Rare Materials Cataloging Unit Head
>
> Spencer Research Library
>
> University of Kansas Libraries
>
> jgroetsemasaifi at ku.edu
>
> +1 785 864 0886
>
>
> --------------------
> You have received this message because you are a subscriber to the DCRM-L
> discussion list.
>
> You can change the email associated with your subscription, the method
> that you receive DCRM-L posts, unsubscribe, and other settings by logging
> into your subscription at
> https://listserver.lib.byu.edu/mailman/listinfo/dcrm-l.
>
> Alternately, to unsubscribe from this list send a message to
> dcrm-l-leave at lib.byu.edu. You will receive an email requesting
> confirmation of your request.
>


-- 
********************************
"Outside of a dog,
a book is probably man's best friend,
and inside of a dog,
it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx"

Allison Rich
Head of Cataloguing and Technical Services
ESTC and NACO Coordinator
John Carter Brown Library
Providence, Rhode Island
Allison_Rich at brown.edu
********************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserver.lib.byu.edu/pipermail/dcrm-l/attachments/20250417/ef918350/attachment-0001.htm>