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GENERAL PRESERVATION SURVEY
An excellent first step in getting to know your building is to conduct a general preservation survey. A preservation specialist will go through the building looking at structural details
and will also note condition and types of collections, storage, light levels, security measures, temperature and humidity levels, use patterns and so on. The surveyor will compile a report that can serve as a tool
for short and long range preservation planning. Past problems will be noted and potential threats will be identified; sometimes these problems can be corrected at little cost. If there are permanent sources of
trouble that cannot be modified, your emergency plan will have to take them into consideration.
The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works .i.(AIC); and the New York State Library; can provide names of independent conservators and preservation specialists
who are qualified to perform surveys. The .i.Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC); and the .i.Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAH); offer general surveys among their services. These
are sometimes partly subsidized. Your institution may also be eligible for a CAP survey;. This program is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by Heritage Preservation. (Section 7)
You can also survey your own building. Guidelines are available from the New York State Library; and from NEDCC. There are advantages to doing it either way: an outside consultant often
recognizes problems that are not obvious to staff and can recommend solutions for them. In addition, a formal report from a consultant can sometimes carry more weight with the administration (or a local governing
board, town officials, etc.) than the same information submitted by a staff member. On the other hand, if there is sufficient professional staff time to conduct a survey, a quite thorough assessment can be done
in-house, and of course, it will be very specific to the institution. The staff involved in the survey will gain great familiarity with many previously mysterious aspects of the building such as the HVAC; (heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning) system, location of master switches, and fire suppression systems. The survey will doubtless point out some immediate hazards to patrons and/or collections and will serve as further
incentive for drafting the emergency plan.
The building audit examines the inside and outside of the building as a whole and also, more specifically, the spaces that house the institution's collections. Pay particular attention to
storage spaces. These areas are sometimes visited very infrequently and a water leak or other emergency could go undetected for a period of time. Be alert to the possibility of mold growth, pest infestations or
other damaging situations. If there is .i.compact shelving;, find out if it is moved from time to time to observe conditions inside. Mold and pests can thrive quite happily in the recesses of a closed shelving unit.
Institutions housed in historic houses often turn extra bathrooms, bathrooms in historic houses;into storage space. The tub area can be fitted with racks for prints and paintings and
shelving and counters can be tucked into other spaces without permanently changing the nature of the room. This is a fine idea but be certain that the plumbing has been drained and disconnected before placing
collections in the space. If the room is to serve as a staff restroom, office supplies, housekeeping materials, and similar items can be stored there but collections should be in a safer spot.
Check whether there are water alarms; in basements, near rest-rooms, under water pipes and skylights and in other likely areas where water might collect. Note who has access to various
collection storage areas and whether there are extraneous items in the space. You may find hazardous materials that are not properly stored. Janitorial supplies, including flammable solvents, are often found tucked
into little used areas of special collections rooms in libraries. If you discover a similar practice in the course of your survey, approach the proper supervisor and with great tact explain that the situation is
putting your insurance coverage at risk and is also a violation of fire regulations. Remember that the facilities maintenance staff is vitally important to a well-run library, archive or museum and always treat them
as allies.
Observe whether storage furniture, display cases and stacks are in good condition, adequate for the materials and properly installed.
Stacks should be braced from one section to the next; the whole group should then be firmly anchored between opposite walls. This will prevent the stacks from toppling like dominoes in
the course of even a slight earthquake or tremor, from a nearby explosion, floor or ceiling collapse, and from many other accidental occurrences. During overhead leaks, books on the top shelves will become heavier
and can make the stack top heavy. Falling book shelves can cause injury to staff or patrons. In addition, if the books fall off the shelves, they are much more likely to be damaged by the fall or by landing in
standing water or mud, or by being trampled. At the very least, they will have to be reshelved.
The following form can serve as a checklist of commonly found features. Modify it to suit your needs. These publications from the Alberta Museums Association.may also be helpful:
The Conservation Assessment/A Tool For Planning, Implementing, And Fundraising, 2nd. ed., ed. by Sara Wolf Green. The Self-Evaluation Checklist, 1991, and Standard
Practices Handbook for Museums, 1990.
SAMPLE BUILDING SURVEY FORM
NAME OF INSTITUTION: ___________________________________
Address: _________________________________________
Phone: __________________ Fax: ____________________
e-mail: ___________________________________________
website: __________________________________________
CONTACT PERSON: _________________________________________________
Name Title
STAFF size (describe: f.t, p.t, professional, volunteer):
_________________________________________________
DESCRIBE THE COLLECTION :
Size:__Example: 250,000 books, 1,000 feet of archives, ____
50,000 photos,___15,000 rare books, 2,500 prints,etc._____
Types of materials and where they are located:
Books__Example:__2nd & 3rd floors, basement (compact shelving)
Serials _________________ Vertical files _______________
Archives _______________ Rare books _________________
Photos ________________ Large maps/plans ____________
Computer disks, CD's __________ A/V _________________
Microforms _________________________
Art/prints_______________ Framed art _________________
Textiles _________________ Artifacts __________________
Sample building survey, page 2.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
FIRE PROTECTION:
Smoke detectors______________Heat _____________________
Other types__________________________
Fire suppression system (Sprinkler, Halon, CO2) _____________
Last tested:__________________________
Fire Extinguishers: (Locations)____________________________
Last tested: ___________________________________________
Kinds_____(Locations)__________________________________
Is each extinguisher the right type for the location? (e.g., a dry chemical extinguisher in a computer room)___________________________
Alarms ring locally? ____________ At security?_______________
at Fire Department?____________________
EMERGENCY EXITS
Signs visible? ______________ Exits kept clear? _____________
Emergency lighting system?__________ Tested on:____________
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
Worn or exposed wiring? (Locations)_______________________
Extension cords?(Right gauge? Hazard to foot traffic? Overloaded?)
Portable heaters meet code requirements?_____________________
Appliances in staff lounge checked at end of every day?__________
Auxiliary power system? _________________________________
WATER DAMAGE PROTECTION:
Is there plumbing above collections areas? __(HVAC pipes , _____
Restrooms, other?___Identify locations)_____________________
Are there skylights over collection areas? _____________________
Is the roof pitched or flat? _________________________________
Are roof drains and gutters in good repair? ____________________
Last inspected:___________________________________________
Do doors and windows close well? __________________________
Water alarms?___(Where?)_________________________________
Ring at alarm company?_________ At Security Desk?____________
Last tested: ______________________________________________
Are sump pumps available and in working order?_________________
SECURITY
Electronic surveillance? ____________Guards? _________________
Alarmed doors?_____________ Alarmed windows? _____________
Tested on: __________________Panic locks? __________________
Alarms ring at Police Department or Alarm company?_____________
MAINTENANCE
Is trash removed every day?________________________________
Do all areas get cleaned on a regular basis? ____________________
Any evidence of mold, rodents or insects? _____________________
No eating, drinking or smoking in collection areas?______________
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS
HVAC
Does the HVAC (Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system;) work well? _____________________________________________
Can both temperature and humidity be controlled? _______________
Does it run 24-hours per day, 365-days per year in collections areas?
_______________________________________________________
Does library (or archive or museum) staff monitor temperature and humidity and keep a record of it?_____________________________________
How often are these records reviewed?_________________________
Are there filters to reduce interior air pollution?___________________
Are they changed regularly? _________________________________
LIGHT
Are there .i.ultra-violet filtering shields; on .i.fluorescent lights?_____
Is there .i.UV filtering glazing on windows? ____________________
Are lights kept off in storage areas? ___________________________
Is lighting in exhibitions areas at safe levels ? ___________________
OTHER
Is there evidence of past water damage?__(Location)_______________
Are the stacks braced? ______________________________________
Are there at various locations? _____________________
Make a simple drawing of each floor, with entrances, location of fire extinguishers, alarm switches, water shut-offs, location of key collections, locations of disaster kits, and
other pertinent information marked.
The survey report should include floor plans;. Sometimes floor plans are posted at emergency exits; you might be able to make copies of these and modify them to suit your
needs. If the building is new or has been renovated recently, plans might still be available. Check with the administration of your institution. An architect or engineer can
make a very exact plan; perhaps there is a board member who has this training.
A lay person can make a serviceable plan, especially if the building is small. Determine the general shape of the building or set of rooms and make a line drawing on graph
paper. Select a simple scale, such as 1 inch = 5 feet. Measure the rooms and draw the interior walls.
Mark the following:
- all exits, as well as other doors and windows
- restrooms and other locations with water pipes
- switches for heating, ventilation and airconditioning systems
- master switches for electrical service
- water and gas shut-off controls
- controls for alarm systems
- location of keys needed to open locked cases or rooms
- fire extinguishers and/or water hoses
- first aid kits
- disaster response supplies or kit
- hazardous materials storage
- important collections, to be removed or protected first
You can use color highlighters to help identify exits, switches, fire extinguishers, and so on. Make color copies and include these maps in your disaster plan manual.
HOUSE MUSEUMS; AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES
Very small libraries, museums or historical societies have staffs of just a few people who deal with all aspects of running the institution. They generally know a lot about the
building because they are so intimately involved with keeping it going. Everyone on the staff should know how to turn off the water or the power and how to get emergency help
from utility companies, plumbers, electricians, etc. Sometimes an institution moves into an old house, perhaps donated by someone in the community, and the staff is not
certain of the layout of plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems. Local building departments sometimes have information about dates of remodeling and standard
building practices of different periods. It really is important to learn as much as possible about the structure that houses your collection and to correct dangerous conditions
before an emergency takes place. This is especially so for small institutions with limited financial resources since it will often be impossible to replace the structure or to rebuild an adequate collection.
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