Project Publications and Presentations

Grayburn, Rosie, and Melissa Tedone. “From Poison Books to Bibliotoxicology” (poster). Hazardous Heritage Congress, University of Antwerp, Belgium. October 23, 2023. Safety & Cultural Heritage Summit, Washington DC. October 27, 2023.

Grayburn, Rosie, and Melissa Tedone. “Searching for Arsenic: The Scientific Approaches of The Poison Book Project.” Papers presented during the General and Concurrent Sessions, AIC’s 51st Annual Meeting, Vol. 2 (2023) 77-79.

Grayburn, Rosie, and Melissa Tedone. 2024. “From Poison Books to “Bibliotoxicology”: Highlighting Hazards in Paper-Based Library Collections.” Collections, 0 (0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15501906241255706

Tedone, Melissa. “The Evolution of the Bibliotoxicology Working Group.” Papers presented during the General and Concurrent Sessions, AIC’s 51st Annual Meeting, Vol. 2 (2023) 73-75.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. 2023. “Toxic Tomes: Understanding the Use & Risks of Heavy Metals in 19th-century Bookcloth.” Collections: a journal for museum and archives professionals. Vol. 19 (2). 189-201.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. 2022. “Arsenic and Old Bookcloth: Identification and Safer Use of Emerald Green Victorian-Era Cloth Case Bindings.” Journal of the American Institute for Conservation. Vol. 62, Issue 1.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. “Arsenic and Old Bookcloth: The Safe Handling, Treatment, and Storage of Victorian-Era Cloth Case Bindings.” Book and Paper Group Annual 39 (2020).

Tedone, Melissa. “Poison Book Project”. IIC News in Conservation 77. April-May, 2020. 10-13.

Tedone, Melissa. “Arsenic: A Collection Component.” Panel for Objects Specialty Group/Preventive Conservation Network Joint Session. American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. May 24, 2024.

Tedone, Melissa. Emerald Green Pigment in Book and Ephemera Collections. Show & Tell with the American Trust for the British Library. Winterthur Library. December 5, 2023.

Tedone, Melissa. “The Poison Book Project: Toxic Heavy Metals in Mass-Produced, 19th-C. Euro-American Bookbinding.” American Bookbinders Museum, San Francisco, CA. Virtual. November 18, 2023.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. “The Poison Book Project.” Invited Key Note Speakers. Cleveland Poison Symposia. American Chemical Society. November 2, 2023.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. “The Poison Book Project: The Legacy of Arsenic Use in Victorian-Era Bookbinding.” Northland Society of Toxicologists. Twin Cities, MN. Virtual. October 6, 2023.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. “The Poison Book Project: What You Need to Know About Heavy Metals in Historical Bookbindings.” FAIC Connecting to Collections Care Webinar Series. September 20, 2023.

• The Poison Book Project investigates potentially toxic heavy metals used in 19th-century, mass-produced Euro-American bookbindings, a common object type found across small and mid-sized institutions. This webinar shares practical advice on how to identify these potentially toxic books, as well as health and safety recommendations institutions large and small can use when they have identified poison books in their collections.

Tedone, Melissa. “The Evolution of Bibliotoxicology.” Poison Book Panel, AIC Annual Meeting, Jacksonville, FL. May 19, 2023.

Tedone, Melissa. “The Poison Book Project: Heavy Metals in 19th-century Euro-American Bookbinding.” Ex Libris Lecture Series. Providence Athenaeum. Providence, RI. March 24, 2023.

• This lecture was recorded live at the Providence Athenaeum for a general audience.

Tedone, Melissa. “Heavy Metals and 19th-Century Euro-American Bookcloth Manufacture.” Fred Bearman Memorial Lecture. ICON. London, UK. August 25, 2022.

• This lecture for the UK Institute of Conservation is geared toward book and paper conservators and book historians.

Tedone, Melissa. “If Books Could Kill: Toxic Textiles in 19th-Century EuroAmerican Bookbinding.” Material Evidence: Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Symposium. Recorded June 28, 2022. Release on YouTube expected November 11, 2022.

Tedone, Melissa. “The Poison Book Project.” Preservation Webinar Series, National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS), Trinidad & Tobago. April 27, 2022.

Tedone, Melissa. “The Poison Book Project.” Lunchtime lecture series, Philadelphia Athenaeum. April 19, 2022.

Tedone, Melissa. “The Poison Book Project: Arsenic in Victorian-Era, Mass-Produced Bookbindings”. Friends of the University of Delaware Library Fall Faculty Lecture. November 16, 2021.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. “It Ain’t Easy Being Green: The Poison Book Project”. The Grolier Club. May 11, 2021.

Tedone, Melissa. Toxic Tomes in Context: 19th-century Decorated Cloth Bindings. Objects Up Close series (virtual). Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. March 16, 2021.

Tedone, Melissa. “Toxic Tomes: A Hidden Hazard in the Victorian Home.” Pre-recorded lecture. Virtual Delaware Antiques Show Lecture Series. November 7-14, 2020.

Tedone, Melissa. Arsenic and Old Bookcloth: A Hidden Hazard in Victorian-Era Books. Presentation for Winterthur Collector’s Circle Virtual Salon Series. September 2, 2020.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. Arsenic and Old Bookcloth: The Safe Handling, Treatment, and Storage of Victorian-Era Cloth Case Bindings. American Institute for Conservation 48th Annual Meeting. June 30, 2020.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. Winterthur Poison Book Project. Presented virtually at the ICON Book and Paper Annual General Meeting. June 3, 2020.

Tedone, Melissa, and Rosie Grayburn. Poison Book Project: Analyzing Toxic Pigments in Victorian-Era Bookcloth. Lightning-round presentation at Safety and Cultural Heritage Summit, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC. October 30, 2019.