In the face of this catastrophe, a glimmer of hope has emerged as an extraordinary solidarity chain has been set in motion to salvage ancient books marred by water and mud. Companies in the frozen food sector, spearheaded by Orogel, have stepped in to offer their facilities to store these precious relics at -25 °C, effectively halting further damage from fungi and bacteria, until restoration is possible.
Pietro Livi, founder of Frati & Livi, a company renowned for protecting library collections during emergencies, shed light on the painstaking process of recovering books primarily from municipal archives and the basement of the diocesan seminary in Forli, where a staggering three kilometers of volumes were submerged.
The challenges are manifold, from the sheer volume of material under mud, to the force of water that dislodged books from shelves, causing them to fall in disarray, often crushed by collapsed structures. The primary threat is not from water but from fungi, which can compromise materials within 48 hours.
Freezing is a crucial step in the restoration process to prevent fungal growth. As Livi explains, the longer the material remains underwater, the more it's shielded from air contact, slowing down the rate of contamination.
The restoration timeline remains uncertain, particularly for older books that require extensive planning. The process involves thawing, drying, cleaning, and returning books to their owners. Using the freeze-drying method, the restoration might prove to be an arduous journey, as seen from the ongoing restoration efforts from the Florence flood in 1966. The prioritized recovery targets books of exceptional cultural, historical, and artistic value, with some dating back to the 15th century.
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