REALM Project

Quarantine, disinfection, and cleaning of museum collections and exhibits

The links below are being shared to provide information about disinfection and cleaning of materials, as well as illustrative examples of documented protocols and procedures. These examples should not be interpreted as recommendations from the REALM project.

• American Industrial Hygiene Association, Reopening Guidance for: Libraries(Enhanced Cleaning Practices and Ventilation), Museums and Collecting Institutions (Enhanced Cleaning Practices: Collections Areas)
• American Alliance of Museums, Managing collections care during pandemics
  
• Canadian Conservation Institute, Caring for Heritage Collections during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Disinfecting Collection Objects and Heritage Materials
• Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, Collections Care in the Age of COVID-19 (webinar recording)
  
• National Park Service, Exhibitry Cleaning Guidance
• Northeast Document Conservation Center, Disinfecting Books and Other Collections

SAMPLE PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES

While these examples are from libraries, many of the issues of handling are applicable to the museum community.

• Alberta Museums Association, Guidance for Reopening Museums (Care of Collections and Heritage Materials)
• Colorado Library Consortium, Returning to Service (Handle Materials Safely)
• Ohio Library Council, Reopening Best Practices (Phase 3 Safe Handling of Materials)
• Toledo Lucas County Public Library, Safe Work Playbook (Incoming Materials, Supplies, Delivery, and Mail Protocol)
• Wisconsin Public Libraries, Reopening Guide (General Physical Materials Handling Information)

Bexx Caswell-Olson, Director of Book Conservation at the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), and a member of the REALM Operations Working Group, participated in a project webinar on October 8, 2020. In the recording, Bexx shares how NEDCC is approaching disinfection of paper-based collections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Total video length = 18m 32s.

The full webinar recording is also available, and includes more information about caring for collections and an update on project activities.