Rob has been volunteering here over the last two years and is currently training to become an Archivist completing a Diploma in Archival Studies.
One of the roles of a volunteer is to clean and maintain the books held in the Archives. Dust and mould are enemies of old books! Mould is like a virus and can spread through the books; it feeds off the dust, omits spores and attaches to other books. A Down Draught Bench seen here in the picture is used to contain dust that is brushed off the books during the procedure using badger hair brushes and dry cleaning sponges. There are three levels of filter that sucks the dust away as you brush it off the books (bit like a hoover) and contains it.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer it is not essential to have experience in libraries and archives just a passion for history. If you are interested in volunteering contact claire.marris@whitbymuseum.org.uk.
