Stacks Cleaning Program

The Stacks Cleaning Program (SCP) is one of the most important library preservation initiatives at Yale for the past decade. The Sterling Memorial Library (SML) stacks house over 4 million volumes. In 1998, the stack tower underwent an extensive renovation providing new wiring, plumbing, data lines and new heating and air conditioning. Prompted by the renovation, and now that the stacks have a controlled environment for the first time, it was decided to clean the books.

The Preservation Department has been overseeing the cleaning of the stacks. The SCP focuses on cleaning the books, shelving, ducts, conduit, I-beams and pipes above the shelving in SML. Over the time of this project it is estimated that nearly 88,000 three-foot shelves and the books on those shelves will be cleaned. A four-month project addressed methodology, health and safety issues and rate of cleaning. The full project is anticipated to take up to seven years to complete and started October 1999.

Update: To date, well over 2 million books have been cleaned!