IN CASE OF EMERGENCY PLEASE CONTACT OUR DISASTER TEAM
Our Mission
To support the research and teaching needs of the scholarly community through the preservation, conservation, and continuing accessibility of research library and archival materials.
Operations
The program of conservation at Cornell University is concerned with the physical conservation treatment, safe handling of the collection, and reformatting if needed.
About the Program
The Conservation Unit was established in its present form in August 1985 with the appointment of the Cornell University Library's first preservation and conservation librarian, John F. Dean. The New York State landmark Library Omnibus legislation of 1984 (Chapter 917) provided for the designation and funding of eleven comprehensive research libraries to establish and maintain preservation programs. The eleven research libraries: Columbia, Cornell, Rochester, Syracuse, New York Public Library, New York University, New York State Library, State University of New York Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook, initially received an annual award of $90,000 later growing incrementally to its current $126,000. Each of the Eleven Comprehensive Research Libraries must submit a Five-Year plan to the State, with the most recent being for the period 2005-2010.
The Cornell program grew rapidly, with the early appointments of a Conservation Reference/Liaison Librarian quickly followed by a book conservator and a paper conservator. Timely grant awards from the Mellon Foundation and New York State provided some of the impetus and allowed the establishment of a well-equipped conservation facility. Radical changes in the University Library's periodical binding styles and organization of new acquisitions helped to streamline existing operations and enable the re-allocation of funds for program development.
All operations are located in Olin Library.
For more information or if you have questions, please write to conservation@cornell.edu.
Due to a recent reorganization of our department, some areas of our web site are currently under construction. We apologize for any errors or inconsistencies within our web site.
Comments or concerns regarding this site should be directed to jmb7@cornell.edu
