Purdue Survey Studies Document Restoration

On August 29, 2005, the City of New Orleans filled up with water from three breached levees, impacting businesses, schools and residents. Hurricane Katrina caused power outages citywide, making building climate control throughout the area impossible creating an ideal environment for fungi growth on cellulosic materials.

A researcher from Purdue University has developed a survey based on thesis research that includes fieldwork of nine academic libraries and a literature review.  Craig Passley has created an online survey for water and mold remediation professionals that covers three major parts of theory: Ecological Conditions, Library Building, and Indoor Air Quality. Survey results will offer valuable information for university senior administrators, academic library officials, building managers, and remediation project participants.

Understanding indoor air quality post flood disaster under extreme conditions will improve academic library remediation projects, as well as paper preservation in archive rooms. Academic libraries are one of the keys for undergraduate and graduate studies; especially the special collection room archives and repositories found in a main library or independent building.

Passley is seeking volunteers to take part in the survey research. Anyone interested in participating should send an e-mail to cpassley@purdue.edu attention Craig Evans Passley (Graduate Student), before August 31, 2010. On September 3^rd, participants will receive a web link with the survey via e-mail.

Thesis directed by Professor Randy R. Rapp
(Note: All survey results will be used for academic research only as a method to further paper preservation post flood disasters in academic libraries.)