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likely that there was any seriously degraded film in the vaults at the time."
During the inspection of building A in October, 30 days before the fire, 34 rolls of film were found to haA'e been deconi]x>sino:. It took about 10 people 5 days to inspect the 41,000 rolls of film. This means that each person inspected approximately 111 rolls an hour or about 1 roll about every half minute.
Was that adequate time to inspect, and to determine whether or not the film was decomposing or safe ?
Dr. RiiOADS. I have not had the opportunity to calculate how many rolls per hour were involved.
We believe that the sight inspection process enables us to catch the material that is degrading.
Mr. Ingram. But the half-minute visual inspection of the can is sufficient and does not require taking the film out of the can and looking at it on a reel to determine whether or not it is deteriorating or decomposing?
Mr. Mui^rnY. I believe that our system of sight inspection, which is what we call our semiannual inspection of the vaults, is similar to other institutions that have large quantities of nitrate film.
Although rewinding a film on a table is preferable, it is just not practical to do it when you have large quantities of film. Sight inspection is deemed veiy appropriate to this type of collection.
I think you might ask the same question of the Library of Congress people because I believe we follow the same procedure as they.
Mr. IxGKAM. Wliat I am trying to get at, and the reason this appears j be i!ni)ortant, is that Chief Estepp, on Tuesday, went through the theory that this material may have decomposed — may have heated up in the can — and caught fire. The question is whether or not there may have been decomposing film in the laboratory out there that might not have come to your attention in that quick, visual inspection.
But I will leave your testimony at that.
Dr. Rhoads. I think that Mr. Hudson, whom we have brought with us, might be able to respond to some of those concerns. If you have any questions along those lines to ask of him, he is an expert in the field.
INIr. Ingram. With your indulgence, Mr. Chairman, I have two last questions.
I will ask the witnesses to provide for the record the following information.
You said, on Tuesday, that you could convert nitrate film to safety film for roughly 25 cents a foot. I understand your estimate is about 22 cents a foot.
[See note at p. 57.]
Mr. Ingram. I wonder if you could factor in for us the cost of the lab that you are proposing to build, and by factoring in the capitalization costs for the new lab, what it would then cost per foot for this conversion.
Dr. Rhoads. We will be happy to do that.
Mr. Ingram. If I am correct, I take it that the 22 cents per foot figure is simply based on your existing lab and not the cost for the new lab vou are proposing.
Mr. PRETEit. Without objection, it will appear in the record at this point.