© Laurent Dubois, BCUL

© Laurent Dubois, BCUL

© Laurent Dubois, BCUL

In late June 2013, the globes were taken to the Radiodiagnostics and Interventional Radiology department of the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) for a series of tomodensitometry (CT) scans. The purpose of this probe was to determine the inner structure of the spheres and the state of conservation of the constituent materials.

This first major transfer raised the question of how to protect the globes generally during transport. Two safety crates were built to transfer them in the best possible conditions, protect them from dust and ensure stable levels of temperature and humidity.

The Cantonal and University Library of Lausanne funded the transfer and the safety crates’ construction by a specialist firm. These would continue to be used very frequently for all the globes’ later transfers and, of course, for their storage as well.