The Preservation Directorate supports a Quality Assurance Program that evaluates housing and storage materials to ensure they are stable and safe to be used in contact with the Library's collections. The Preservation Research and Testing Division tests incoming materials from suppliers to confirm they meet the rigorous performance and composition requirements stipulated in Library of Congress specifications.
In addition, the Preservation Research and Testing Division has a number of other ongoing quality assurance projects.
Specifications
- Specification Development Working Group
- Library of Congress Specifications for Housing and Storage Materials
Materials Testing
- Standard Testing Method: ASTM, TAPPI, ISO
- Indigenous Storage Materials Project
Instrumentation
- Instrumentation Analysis Resources at the Library of Congress
- TAPPI Environmental Chamber for Material Testing
- Physical Testing
- Chemical Testing
Related Research Initiatives
- NISO/LC Binding Research
- Alternative Book board Testing
- Comparison of Grade F Buckram and Alternative Book Cloth Materials
- Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Labels Testing
- Storage Materials: Determining Purity of Polyester Film for Use in Encapsulation of Collection Materials
- Storage Materials: Effects of Zeolites
