In the Surveyor's Office, public records are required to be stored in a fire-resistant structure (vault), an area in which the temperature and humidity are maintained at the levels required to insure optimum longevity of the paper, film, or tape on which they are recorded. The vault is protected by an Inergen fire suppression system. Adequate ventilation and protection against insect or mold invasion is provided and restoration of public records is overseen by the Surveyor's Office Records Manager.
In the Surveyor's Office, public records are required to be stored in a fire-resistant structure (vault), an area in which the temperature and humidity are maintained at the levels required to insure optimum longevity of the paper, film, or tape on which they are recorded. The vault is protected by an Inergen fire suppression system.
Adequate ventilation and protection against insect or mold invasion is provided and restoration of public records is overseen by the Surveyor's Office Records Manager.
The following pictures show the steps used by our contract bookbinder, Max Marbles, to restore Record of Roads Book 2 (records starting in February of 1860, and ending in September 1891).
Brittle glue facilitates the deterioration of the page folds.
After the glue and stitching are removed, the pages are deacified and repaired using a special long-fibered paper made in Japan.
Wheat starch paste is used to bind paper to paper. All materials usedin restoration are reversible and archivable, meaning they can be removedwithout damage to the original paper.
The thread is made of Irish Linen.
"The Press" The spine is made of cotton linen.
Original boards are freed from the canvas. Original cover and spine were made of smooth leather (darker brown) and suede (lighter brown).
Cloth is bound to boards using an adhesive called PVA.
English calves leather is used for the backing.
Total time to restore book - 2 1/2 weeks