The Weissman Preservation Center welcomed a "new" staff member in March. After 17 years as a Conservation Technician in our Enclosures lab, Andrew Leonard took on a new role as Exhibition Technician working closely with our Conservator for Exhibitions, Catherine Badot-Costello. This team will collaborate with other Harvard Library Preservation Services staff to prepare and install collection items for Harvard Library's robust exhibition and loan schedules.

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We are pleased to welcome Melanie Meents to Media Preservation Services as the Senior Time-Based Media Conservator. Time-based media includes film, video, audio, and digital media and can deteriorate more quickly than other formats.

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Welcome to The Ounce, an occasional missive for Harvard Library colleagues from Preventive Programs in HL Preservation Services.

The Dry Humidity Season: November-February

During the fall and winter season, indoor humidity levels drop, presenting risks for library and archive collections. Humidity below 40% is drying and can cause organic materials to shrink, warp, crack, or become brittle. These changes can be permanent or require conservation treatment to resolve.

If humidity drops lower than 30%, some materials are even more susceptible to these...