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Announcements

2008
September 12-14 (Friday – Sunday).
October 17-19 (Friday – Sunday).
November 21-23 (Friday – Sunday).

The Department of Preservation and Collection Maintenance of Cornell University Library is offering three three-day workshops on the Preventive Care of Historic and Artistic Works on Paper, and Photographic Materials for staff of New York State cultural organizations.

The workshops are partially funded by the New York State Coordinated Preservation Program and are free of charge to the participants. Each participant will receive a preservation studio kit and a set of instructional materials.

Participants are responsible for their travel, meal and accommodation related expenses; for registration, assistance with hotel accommodations, and restaurant recommendations, please contact: Michelle Cowles (MichelleCowles@cornell.edu, or 607-255-5068).

Each workshop will address principle make-up of the artifact and its affect on longevity, mechanisms of deterioration, condition concerns, appropriate handling, compatible storage materials and storage options. Participants will visit the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, the Division of Rare and Manuscripts Collection at Kroch Library, and will have hands-on experience at the Graphics Conservation Laboratory.

Placement is limited to six participants per each workshop. The workshops are ideal for curators, artists, registrars and other personnel responsible for the handling and preservation of these types of works.

An optional day (4th day of the workshop) of hands-on matting and hinging is available. Booking in advance along with the workshop registration is required.

Participants are encouraged to bring a photograph for the first session and a work on paper for the second session of the workshop. These artifacts will be used for the purpose of problem identification, condition or preservation possibilities assessment; they must be in suitable condition (e.g., artifacts affected by fungi are not acceptable) and size (e.g., large dimension artifacts are not recommended). Artifacts with fungal problem generally have odor, water stains and/or discoloration (blue, black, brown or other color).

*Please note: This workshop does not include the theory and practice of digital imaging.


Photographic Materials

Day 1 Location: Room 106 Olin Library

1:00-3:00 Introduction
Safe Handling
Prints and Negatives
Identification
Mechanisms of Deterioration
Condition Concerns
Analysis of Unknowns

3:00-3:15 Break

3:15-4:15 Environment
Storage and Exhibit Guidelines

4:15-5:00 Discussion of Digital Hardcopy Technologies
Preservation Priorities
Discussion of Participants' Photographs

Works on Paper

Day 2 Location: Herbert Johnson Museum of Art
(meeting place: foyer)

10:00-12:00 Artist’s materials used in making works on paper. Methods of the colorants applications. How artist’s materials and methods affect longevity of the artifact.

12:00-1:30 Lunch

Location: The Graphics Conservation Laboratory, 106 Library Annex

1:30-2:30 Artist’s materials session continued.
Means for examination and identification.
Compatible and incompatible artist’s materials, chemically stable and fugitive colorants.

2:30-2:45 Break

2:45-3:45 Structural composition, ambient environment affects on the permanency.

3:45 - 4:00 Break

Location: the Division of Rare and Manuscripts Collection, 2B Kroch Library

4:00-5:00 Tour of the RMC storage facility.

Day 3

10:00-11:00 Mechanism of deterioration and impact of the storage environmental conditions.
Early detection and prevention of problems.

11:00 - 11:15 Break

11:15 - 12:15 Appropriate handling. Improvement of the storage environment.
Reasons for matting. Which artifacts are appropriate to mat.

12:15 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:30 Matting options and materials. Other preventive care options.

2:30-2:45 Break

2:45-3:45 Unusual cases. Viewing of various matting options.

3:45 - 4:00 Break

4:00-5:00 Participant’s works on paper discussion.

Day 4

Optional. Booking is required. Will be cancelled if less than three participants.

• Previous workshop participants have said:

“I gained so much useful information to apply to our collection and the packet of information you provided will be valuable in the implementation.”

“Handbook and hands-on activities were most valuable. Also the flexibility to ask questions and to look at works from our institutions.”

Workshop attendees are learning to identify Intaglio print features.