Center for the Library's Analytical Science Samples (CLASS)

Library experts have designed a state-of-the-art Center for the Library's Analytical Scientific Samples (CLASS) to facilitate scholarly and scientific national and international study of the Library's unique reference sample collections. CLASS comprises both a physical space with physical reference sample collections, and CLASS-D (Center for Library Analytical Scientific Samples – Digital) a database framework for accessing and storing scientific information about these collections.

Background: One great challenge for understanding library materials and their deterioration is to replicate results across experiments, laboratories, and collections in different institutions. Many older storage, handling, and repair histories were undocumented, and it is often impossible to know how or where even modern paper, blank CDs, photographic chemicals, or other materials were originally manufactured (so impossible to know their characteristics without extensive testing). With the expansion of the non-invasive testing and instrumentation in the Preservation Research and Testing Division, the capacity for non-invasive analyses of collection materials has greatly expanded, However in order to recreate specific degradation mechanisms the CLASS scientific reference materials allow destructive testing on non-Library collection samples in order to best protect the wide range of materials in the Library’s diverse collections.

Small variations can result in significant differences in the behavior of materials and their combinations over time, and all analytical instruments produce results that can differ with their settings (“calibration”). These realities make it essential to have reference standards to improve scientists’ confidence in relating their findings to those of others.

The Library has assembled a pre-eminent collection of materials for this purpose. In 2008-09 the Library created a new room to strengthen consistency and tracking of storage conditions for these samples, and Preservation Directorate scientists began to create analytical profiles for them, documenting the instrument calibrations used.

The goal is to create an integrated Web-accessible digital data library and an efficient process for requesting reference samples for research. This will increase the reliability of preservation research data around the world. Representative sample collections include the TAPPI fiber and Barrow Book Collections (for paper research) and the Forbes Pigment Collection (for inks, printing, drawing, and other media).

Description: CLASS now encompasses 1,000 square feet and will for the first time allow scholars outside the Library's staff to use the Library's world-renowned scientific study collections. The Center will house the following reference sample collections under documented and climate-controlled conditions:

TAPPI Fiber Collection of 70 paper fiber samples

Forbes Pigment Collection of 1000 rare pigments

Barrow Books Collection of a 1000 volumes used for seminal mass deacidification studies

Magnetic tapes of a range of formats

Characterized papers

Other institutions have similarly significant reference sample collections for exchange. In addition to housing the physical samples, CLASS will create a resource description framework (RDF) software system containing digital data (spectra, images, metadata) which will permit information exchange among institutions nationally and internationally.

A prototype database of the CLASS reference materials will be available later this year, with the associated references to testing and publications of analyses that have been undertaken.