REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) Project Releases Preliminary Literature Review and Test Plan for Materials

The REALM (REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums) Project is a collaborative effort from OCLC, IMLS, and Battelle.

From WebJunction:

The REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) Project is conducting literature reviews to help define the scope of the project’s research and the information needs of libraries, archives, and museums. Battelle researchers have completed the first review, which is a set of findings from publicly available scientific literature. This review focused on studies of virus attenuation on commonly found materials, such as paper, plastic, cloth, and metal; methods of virus transmission; and effectiveness of prevention and decontamination measures. The information helps to set the context for the laboratory research that is being conducted during the REALM Project. A second, more systematic literature review is also in progress and will be released later in June.

Direct to Preliminary Literature Review
16 pages; PDF.

Also From the WebJunction Website:

To inform the research for the REALM Project, Battelle has prepared the document, Test Plan for the Natural Attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 as a Decontamination Approach. This Test Plan describes how the Battelle laboratory will test for the longevity of the COVID-19 virus on materials and how long it takes for the virus to naturally attenuate—essentially, how long the material needs to be left alone before the virus is undetectable. Key points about the testing:

• COVID-19 virus will be applied to materials and then checked after one (1) hour of drying time (called T0). The samples will then be evaluated for the presence of virus after 1, 3, 4 and 6 days.
• The environmental conditions are being maintained at approximately 72 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 40%.

Direct to Test Plan for the Natural Attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 as a Decontamination Approach
9 pages; PDF.

Direct to REALM Project Website

See Also: IMLS, OCLC and Battelle Launch COVID-19 Research Partnership, New Collaboration Will Inform Safe Handling of Collections, Reopening Practices for Libraries, Museums (April 22, 2020)

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Journal Articles, Libraries, News