Deterioration of building materials and artworks in the ‘Santa Maria della Stella’ church,Saluzzo (Italy): Causes of decay and possible remedies

An in-depth scientific survey revealed the deterioration mechanisms affecting the ‘Santa Maria della Stella’ church in Saluzzo, Italy, where various salt crystallization processes are strongly damaging the building materials and artworks. Rainwater seepage permeates the vault and interior, causing: (1) epsomite growth as interstitial columnar crystals (resulting in pictorial coating detachment) or superficial, powdery efflorescence; (2) formation of nesquehonite/hydromagnesite crusts on wall paintings; and (3) nitratine growth causing pigment staining and detachment. These processes involve selective Mg²⁺ mobilization from magnesian-lime mortars and bacterial-induced formation of nitrates from guano, with consequent precipitation of degrading salts. The study confirms how characterization of all deterioration agents is fundamental to planning a viable cultural heritage conservation and restoration programme.     

A Case of TMI (Too Much Information): Improving the Usability of the Library's Website through the Implementation of LibAnswers and the A–Z Database List (LibGuides v2)

ABSTRACT

The Michigan State University (MSU) Libraries' Website has a case of TMI: too much information organized by librarians for librarians. Finding relevant information about various library services, including the 24/7 Distance Learning Support Line, and access points to scholarly resources is often cumbersome, and given the limited time and staffing available in Web Services, it was impractical to embark on a comprehensive Website redesign. Instead, the implementation of two systems, LibAnswers and the A–Z Database List in LibGuides v2 CMS, served as a means for addressing the TMI issue and improving the usability of the MSU Libraries' Website. This case study will map the MSU Libraries' experience of implementing the LibAnswers and the A–Z Database List from early vision to launching the end product, as a means for resolving the “too much information” issue and improving the usability of the library's Website.     

Reading the Early Soviets: Alexander S. Gumberg and the Collection,Translation, Exchange,and Preservation of Russian Print Matter (1917–1930)

In this article, the author investigates Alexander S. Gumberg's (1887–1939) pioneering role in the development of US-Soviet print relations between 1917 and 1930. The article is based on analysis of records from Gumberg's personal archive and has two parts. The first considers Gumberg's collection of documents concerning the founding of the Soviet state in revolutionary Russia, their presentation in the American press, and their deposit in the New York Public Library. The second examines Gumberg's establishment of bilateral exchanges of print materials in the 1920s and offers insights into their theoretical and practical aspects from American and Soviet perspectives.