Library tested for mold problems

Excess mold in libraries can affect the
health and well-being of staff and visitors
and damage inventory.

Testing was underway after mold was found on a heating and cooling vent at the University of Missouri’s Ellis Library recently.

Environmental Health and Safety tested the area after the fungus was found and confirmed it was mold, according to a notice from library administrators. The vent was in the special collections area of the fourth floor.

“While we have confirmed there is mold in the area, that doesn’t mean anything,” Environmental Health and Safety Director Todd Houts said.

“Mold is in the air everywhere. It becomes an issue when there’s a lot. We’re not sure how much there is yet.”

Houts said workers set up “traps” to collect samples of the mold throughout the week. Later this week or early next week, environmental staff will examine the collected mold spores.

“Mold has a bad name because when people talk about it, they’re usually talking about extreme situations, but mold is present practically everywhere,” Houts said.

There is no imminent threat from the mold found in the library, he said, and no history of mold problems inside the library.

The notice from the library was sent to library staff, members of the Library Committee and the MU Faculty Council, library spokeswoman Shannon Cary said in an email.

“Environmental Health and Safety will be performing additional inspections and tests to make sure all affected areas are identified,” the notice reads.

“Any affected areas will be cleaned immediately by Campus Facilities, and other air ducts in Ellis Library will be cleaned as needed. In addition, MU Libraries administration is working with the Office of Energy Management to make sure that proper temperature and humidity levels are maintained at Ellis Library and the specialized libraries at all times.”

Last fall, mold damaged about 600,000 books the university had in off-site underground storage. Most were saved, with cleanup paid for through grants and a self-insurance fund.

Source: Columbia Daily Tribune.

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IAQ policy a good idea in libraries and archives

Libraries and archives can expose
people to poor indoor air quality.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you think about libraries and archives, do the words “bright”, “fresh” and “green” come to mind?

Probably not.

Many libraries and archives are large, dust-filled rooms stacked with books, papers and other materials.

They can be cluttered, dark and dingy – and many of them also have a problem with their indoor air quality.

In fact, IAQ is such a concern that some libraries and archives have implemented an indoor air quality policy.

In the case of the University of Florida library, the policy was introduced after people complained about health concerns, including eye and lung irritation, headaches, skin irritation, exposure to diseases and more.

Since there can be many different reasons for indoor air pollution (the most common are faulty HVAC systems, construction and renovation projects, forbidden smoking, the use of chemicals and mold), the policy addresses various issues and the best ways to handle them.

How to handle IAQ problems in libraries

The IAQ policy stresses the importance of communication, which will allow all sides to take action towards better air.

First, the people who are affected by poor indoor air quality or who notice it should be reporting it promptly.

Most universities have an environmental health and safety department, and there should also be a contact in the library itself.

Second, all staff members have to be informed in a timely manner of planned renovation or construction projects and the possible risks associated with them. Everyone should work together to minimize those risks and find safer alternatives.

Third, the library and archive facilities should be inspected regularly, and any types of problems need to be addressed.

What do you think of the indoor air quality at your library? Let us know what your area is doing right and how it can improve.

Source: George A. Smathers Libraries

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