Conservation methods

The conservation team look after all aspects of the physical care of the Special Collections which include a range of materials such as paper documents, vellum and parchment documents, rare books, works of art on paper, seals, maps, plans, charts, photographs, pamphlets and other ephemera. The work of the conservation team is divided into interventive conservation and preventive conservation.

Interventive conservation includes the physical and chemical stabilisation of paper based artefacts by means of treatments such as mechanical cleaning, humidification, washing, deacidification and paper repairs. Book conservation treatments may also include stabilisation of the sewing supports and leather repairs. In line with the ethics of the profession all interventive treatment are documented in writing and photographically. The latest research findings and current ethical thought are implemented and the best museum/archive standard repair materials and treatment procedures are used.

Preventive conservation covers the measures taken to monitor or control agents which cause deterioration to the collections such as: temperature, relative humidity, light, pests, handling, storage and disasters. A preventive conservation programme is underway in Special Collections. Pest traffic and environmental conditions are monitored in all areas where the collections are stored and displayed. Special Collections has a written disaster response plan which is updated annually. The Glucksman Conservation Centre contributes to the department's outreach programme to specialist and non specialist audiences and in June 2012 was host to a integrated pest management (IPM) workshop delivered by one of the leading experts on IPM in the cultural sector, entomologist David Pinnegar.

For more information about conservation, conservation training and private conservators please visit the Institute of Conservation website at www.icon.org.uk.