Well, what can I say...I've become a news hound when it comes to innovation, and yet, this story passed me by until today! See below for a snippet of the article in the Chronicle, describing how an archivist found inspiration in his surroundings....
From the Chronicle:
Around the world, librarians and archivists are always on the lookout for new ways to protect old documents. Bowdoin's archivist, Richard Lindemann, needed a rack for old rolled-up maps and blueprints of the college. It couldn't be too acidic for the maps or too alkaline for the blueprints, meaning it couldn't be made out of wood. It had to be simple, have smooth edges, and allow air to pass through it.
Enter a carpenter and onetime professional lobsterman, Mark S. Donovan, who works at the college....
Mr. Donovan drove to Pono's Trap Company, in nearby West Bath, and picked up a few sheets of lobster-trap mesh. The polyvinyl-coated wire is perfect for allowing air flow without attracting moisture. Mr. Lindemann had it chemically analyzed and was thrilled to find that the material is also inert. He plans to write about the innovation in library preservation newsletters.
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