Setting up a Conservation Program

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Setting up a Conservation Program

• by
• 
  Fe Angela M. Verzosa

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CONSERVATION

• program that deals with the physical or chemical
  treatment of documents
• encompasses three functions
• examination
• preservation
• restoration

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conservation functions

• examination - procedure taken to determine the
  original makeup of an item and extent of its
  deterioration, alteration, and loss.
• preservation - action taken to retard/prevent
  deterioration or damage by control of their
  environment and/or treatment to maintain their
  original state, as far as possible.
• restoration - action taken to return a
  deterio-rated or damaged item to its original
  form.

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Implementing a conservation program

• Management Support directive conservation
  committee conservation policy organizational
  structure budget
• Conservation Facilities
• Conservation Staff

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administrative order

• outlines priorities and goals short-term in
  termediate long-term
• provides a conservation policy statement
• designates responsibility for the conservation
  effort

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Conservation Committee

• knowledge of nature of collections
• knowledge of conservation, or
• enthusiasm, interest, willingness to learn
  conservation skills
• formal appointment
• authority to gather information, plan the
  program, review facilities and environment,
  execute the program

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Conservation Policy Statement

• must be written
• approved by the Conservation Committee
• adheres to basic principles in conservation
• contains manual of procedures that should serve
  as helpful guide and training aid
• lists specific dos and donts

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principles in conservation

• rule of reversibility - no procedure or treatment
  should be undertaken that cannot later be undone.
• compatibility of problem and solution - the
  chosen treatment to be applied should not be
  greater or weaker than the problem. It may be
  best to do nothing at all if no acceptable
  treatment solution is compatible to the problem.

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more principles ...

• rule on restoration - how far reconstruc-tion may
  be undertaken without losing or diminishing the
  integrity of the item or document.
• documentation - maintaining a complete and
  accurate record of all treatments. narrative
  description checklist of work
  done photographic record (before, during,
  and after)

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Do not use any measure, treatment, or program
that

• cannot be reversed if necessary
• cannot be used properly
• will not last a long time
• is harmful to people
• changes the physical property of material
• dissolves or damages any part of the material

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Organizational Structure
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Budget

• must be a line item in the institutional budget
• at least 15-20 of total budget
• expenses should include archival storage
  materials extermination services subscripti
  on to literature on conservation expanded
  projects such as establishment of conservation
  laboratory, microfilming, etc.

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Conservation Facilities

• air conditioning
• dehumidifier
• fumigation chamber or vacuum fumigators
• conservation laboratory
• steel shelves (or if wooden, should be painted
  with acrylic latex)

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Conservation Supplies

• Japanese papers
• hygrometers
• acid-free storage boxes
• Mylar polyester sheets
• blotter paper
• soft brushes and cleaning pads

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Conservation Staff

• restoration work must be done only by trained
  personnel
• staff training is an ongoing responsibility
• training and orientation must be directed toward
  staff at all levels
• the number of staff involved will depend on the
  size and type of the institution, and on the
  extent of conservation program

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Conservation Guidelines

• light control
• pest control
• temperature and humidity control

• handling of materials by staff
• handling of materials by users
• acidity control

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Conservation GuidelinesLight control

• store materials away from light
• keep lights off or low
• install ultraviolet filters
• avoid using original items in displays and
  exhibits
• monitor light levels regularly (50 to 150 lux)

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Conservation guidelinesinsects and rodents

• check incoming materials for signs of infestation
• separate infested materials for treatment
• never eat/drink in storage/research areas
• keep archives/library clean and uncluttered
• set traps/poison baits to catch rodents
• contact services of an exterminator

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Conservation GuidelinesAcid

• store materials in acid-free containers
• remove paper clips, staple wires, pins, string,
  tape, etc. while processing (use plastic clips,
  fasteners, etc instead)
• use metal shelving at least 4- 5 inches above
  floor level

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Conservation Guidelineshandling of materials

• handle materials as little as possible
• never use ink
• never use any kind of adhesive tape
• do not write on any part of the material except
  to make notations using soft pencil
• substitute copies for originals
• examine materials after use

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handling of materials when in use

• do not leave users unattended
• only issue a limited number of docu-ments or
  folders, or one box at a time
• do not allow material to be taken out from
  reading room
• do not allow materials to be rearranged
• only staff should take charge of photocopying
• examine materials after use

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Condition Survey

• best means of gathering data needed to evaluate
  treatment priorities
• survey instrument should be as extensive as
  possible
• survey form should be simple to fill out
• survey data may include the following

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Collection Location Date of survey
Conducted by Box and folder no. Type of
material Inclusive dates Format Media
Type/Quality of storage containers Condition of
collection general appearance insect
damage tears/abrasions harmful means of
surface dirt/dust attachment (clips, pins)
water/other stains enclosures (flowers,
clip- discoloration pings, photos,
etc) embrittlement other observations evidence
or mold/mildew __________________ Use of
collection Priority ranking of collection for
treatment _________ Recommended treatment
_____________________
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Conservation Treatments

• Fumigation
• Dry cleaning, washing and bleaching
• Deacidification
• Mending, reinforcement, and support using
  Japanese paper lamination encapsulation

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Basic Conservation Procedures

• relaxing and flattening documents
• removal of paper fasteners (pins, clips)
• appropriate means of attachment
• surface cleaning of paper records
• testing for ink solubility
• ph-testing for acidity
• mending with Japanese paper

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Evaluating conservation services

• use of sympathetic materials in restoration
• use of high quality supplies
• high degree of craft skill
• reasonable time to complete work
• provision of written report of treatment
• provision of security of material
• reasonable estimates of cost

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Questions?
Contact verzosaf_at_dlsu.edu.ph