AIC's 45th Annual Meeting

In keeping with the general meeting theme of Innovation in Conservation and Collection Care, the Library Collections Conservation Discussion Group (LCCDG) will feature a panel of speakers, comprised of emerging, mid-career and highly experienced conservators, who will share their experiences facing a variety of professional challenges that fell outside of their immediate area of expertise. In these short talks, listed below, panelists will present examples of single-item treatments, collection care projects, innovative ideas for lab workflows and collaborative strategies, as well as theoretical and ethical considerations inherent in their decision making process. The presentations will be followed by a moderated question and answer discussion session between the panelists and audience.

3-dimensional Objects In The Archives
Sonya Barron, Iowa State University
Description: This talk will focus on preservation concerns and strategies for a variety of 3 dimensional materials in an archives setting, including perishable items. Specific case studies will be supplemented by tips and explanations from a conservator of ethnographic and archaeological objects, with whom I was able to consult. 

Reaching Out: Getting Help When You Need It
Deborah Howe, Dartmouth College
Description: Focusing on two conservation projects which incorporated outside help and input, this talk will explore the different approaches to begin and execute treatment on a collection of papyri and a large Antiphonal. 

To Catch a Tiger: Caring for Stitched Treasures in the Stacks
Elizabeth Stone, University of Iowa
Janet Lee, New-York Historical Society
Description: When confronted with a delightful group of dolls and fabric slippers, Beth sought the guidance of Janet, relying on available technology for long-distance communication. Together they developed examination and storage methods that best suited these textile objects in a library collection.

Developing Leadership Skills in Conservation
Ashleigh Schieszer, The Preservation Lab
Description: As a young professional with new management responsibilities, what do you do if you find yourself well versed in treatment and bench work, but lacking in management and supervisory skills? In this talk, resources and personal discoveries will be shared along with examples of management challenges and the innovative solutions used to overcome them.

I learned it by watching you!
Suzy Morgan, Arizona State University
Description: Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, it's now easier and cheaper to make videos - and the field of conservation and preservation is finally starting to embrace this medium of the moment. I discovered a variety of videos that helped me improve my practices as a conservator, and learn how to safely care for some of the items in my care that were outside of my knowledge area. I also was able to use video as a teaching medium while doing a week-long conservation and preservation workshop in Myanmar, and will share tips on what worked and what needed to go back to the drawing board.

How do I build this?
Justin P. Johnson, University of Washington
Description: This presentation will relate the experience of University of Washington staff in becoming fluent in the language of construction, engineering and design. Specific strategies for overcoming the language barrier and effectively communicating unique equipment design goals will be shared.

What could possibly go wrong?
Susan Russick, Northwestern University
Description: Do I have the knowledge, skills, and logistical ability to treat that object? What will happen to it if I don't? A series of mini-case studies illustrates the risks and benefits of treatment for various objects. In some cases I sought help, while in others I plunged in myself, and in many I gained the wisdom of hindsight.