NYT/AP: National Archives Protecting Collection From Floods

[DeepModem Mom]

Archives Protecting Collection From Floods
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 28, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The National Archives brought in giant dehumidifiers after flooding threatened some of its collection, including telegrams from Abraham Lincoln to his generals and copies of the Watergate tapes.

No historic documents have been damaged, but the flooding knocked out the archives' air conditioning system, creating humidity that could jeopardize artifacts, spokeswoman Susan Cooper said Wednesday.

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were not at risk, Cooper said. The most valuable documents are in climate-controlled cases and backed by special paper that absorbs moisture when the heat or humidity changes, Cooper said.

To protect the rest of the collection -- which includes stacks of genealogical records, wartime telegrams from Lincoln, letters and diaries from other historical figures, and copies of Oval Office recordings -- workers on Tuesday brought in industrial-size dehumidifiers powered by outside generators.

The only significant damage was to a theater that shows short films about the archives. Water covered the stage and the first two rows of seats of the 290-seat theater, Cooper said....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Flooding-Museums.html

[EFerrari]

1. I hope there are some bulldogs on the staff there. Mold

is so easy to get and so HARD to get rid of. Those dehumidifiers were put there for a reason.

I've been really concerned about the world class collections at Tulane, too. :(

[grasswire]

2. are they talking about documents stored off-site?

I assume the Mall isn't that flooded! Or maybe the water table is really high.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. It think this is the National Archives, on the Mall --

and it must be that flooded. Mother Nature seems to be sending a strong message. A tree comes down at the White House door, and waters rise at the home of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.