Preservation Needs

AssessmentTamara Lavrencic

Museum Programs and Collections Manager

M&G NSW

CHG 2014

This session covers

•How to choose a conservator

•What to prepare for the conservator

•What’s involved in the assessment

process

•Summary of factors in conservation

decision making

•Prioritising preservation activities

Preservation defined as…

• the protection of cultural

property through activities that

minimise chemical and physical

deterioration and damage, and

that prevent loss of information

Preservation needs assessment

• Evaluates the policies, practices and conditions that affect the preservation of an organisation’s collections

• Identifies specific preservation needs and actions to meet those needs

• Prioritises actions matched to resources

Goal

• to enable your organisation to

identify risks to, and develop a

long-term preservation strategy

for, the collection.

Choosing a conservator

•Qualified conservator with 3-5 years experience

•Get lists of names from Community Heritage Grant Office, AICCM www.aiccm.org.au or your state museum, art gallery, library or archives

•Ask for references and a PNA report

•Check they carry insurance

Previous CHG recipients

Previous recipients 2013

http://www.nla.gov.au/awards-and-

grants/chg

http://www.nla.gov.au/chg/preservation-needs-

assessments

AICCM: www.aiccm.org.au/conservation/need-

a-conservator

AICCM: Directory of conservators in

private practice

Information to provide the

consultant• Organisational history

• Description of building – location, number of buildings, a plan of the layout if possible

• Description of the collection/s

• Details of staff, paid and volunteers and roles

• Opening hours

• Number of visitors p.a.

• Copies of policies and procedures

• Copy of significance assessment report

• Disaster plan

PNA template: www.aiccm.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/AICCMBusinessDocs/PresNeedsTemplate.pdf

Assessing preservation needs

• Building location, construction and condition

• Local environmental conditions

• Internal environmental conditions

• Display methods

• Storage furniture and methods

• Housekeeping

• Visitor impact

• Overall condition of collection sub-types e.g.

books, paintings, textiles, machinery etc.

How well does the building protect

the contents?

Moisture problem

Insects

Is the cleaning schedule

adequate?

Do storage methods or materials pose a

risk to the collection?

Storage- boxed

Displays -risks

Recommendations

• Development of policies and/or procedures

• Building repairs/modifications

• Reducing light levels and UV

• Relocating parts of the collection

• Resting fragile objects

• Allocating appropriate storage space

• Purchasing shelving, plan drawers or display cases

• Rehousing objects in archival quality materials

• Reformatting – making duplicates for display, digitisation

• Conservation treatment for individual objects

• Training

Conservation decision making-

factors• Significance underpins conservation decisions and

priorities

• Signs of wear and tear can be integral to the significance of

an object

• Benefits and risks of treatment

• Reversibility of treatment

• Storage conditions that the object will be returning to

• Fragile documents, photographs and books may need to be

stabilised before they can be digitized

• Potential use and possible limitations

• Alternatives to treatment e.g. reformatting or duplication

• Will the treatment effect future research potential?

End result

•A preservation plan with

prioritised actions

•An independent report to

support future grant/funding

applications