By DONNA URSCHEL
Millions of holdings in archives, libraries and museums could be lost to posterity without proper preservation care in the 21st century.
The first step in meeting these challenges is opening lines of communications among research scientists, and the Library took the lead in initiating an international dialogue by convening the Summit of Research Scientists in Preservation on July 24 and 25.
The senior scientists represented 30 institutions with strong, established programs of preservation and conservation research, including—in addition to the Library—the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Getty Conservation Institute, Harvard and Carnegie Mellon universities and the British Library.
“Through this summit, we aim to sustain and strengthen communication and collaboration among preservation professionals,” said Robert Dizard, deputy associate librarian for Library Services. “The Preservation Directorate of the Library of Congress has been advancing scientific preservation research for more than 40 years. And we are committed to continuing this.”
Dizard reminded the participants that the “stewardship of the human record relies on the work you’re doing.”
During the summit, the scientists reported on the preservation research projects conducted in their laboratories. The scientists in the Library’s Preservation, Research and Testing Division discussed their work to understand “sticky shed” in magnetic tapes, iron-gall ink corrosion and the life expectancy of paper from recycled fibers. They also talked about their efforts in testing deterioration in oxygen-free exhibition cases; developing preservation strategies for laminated documents; and laser cleaning of documents.
Some of the projects discussed by the visiting scientists included carbon-14 dating of silver gelatin photographic prints; development of portable instruments for nondestructive chemical testing; and digital imaging to recover damaged sound recordings.
The scientists were able to share updates on complementary efforts in various labs, in particular the development of nondestructive analytical techniques and the identification of chemical predictors for book and paper deterioration.
“The symposium provided a rare opportunity for focused information exchange,” said Eric Hansen, chief of the Preservation Research and Testing Division at the Library.
The preservation experts discussed the value of continued information sharing. Giacomo Chiari, chief scientist for the Getty Conservation Institute, said, “We cannot carry out the many lines of research ourselves. That’s why it’s so important to have collaboration.”
Hansen, who organized the summit, said: “Progress in preservation science requires an agreed-upon national research strategy for coordinated effort. We can maximize efforts by clearly identifying areas where collaborative research is most needed, reducing duplicate work, encouraging fiscal responsibility and fostering financial support from grants and funding organizations.”
The scientists agreed on the importance of sharing tips and technology and launching joint projects. They urged the Library to develop a Web-based model, such as a Web site, for broad dissemination of research communication. The site would include information on various institutions’ research goals, projects and results, useful data and even explanations of funding acquired for projects.
Another desired initiative is the development of a joint digital catalog of reference samples available for experiment and analysis and a protocol for accessing the physical samples.
According to the scientists, collaboration is more the norm in Europe than in the United States, partly because the European Commission provides significant funding for joint or cooperative preservation research. In the United States, there are significant limitations because of the modest availability of funds for research.
Generous support for the summit was provided by a grant from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and funds from the Foundation of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training. Additional sponsors included members of the project of the International Federation of Library Associations Preservation and Conservation North American Network, including the Preservation Directorate of the Library of Congress, the Yale and Pepperdine university libraries, and the Kilgarlin Center for the Preservation of the Cultural Record at the University of Texas at Austin.
The next step for the Library of Congress will be to investigate the suggested initiatives, including the Web-based research communication site, and possibly to invite the scientists to return later in 2008 to view the Library’s newly expanded and updated laboratory. The renovation will provide nearly 10,000 square feet of modernized, “green” facilities for optical, chemical and mechanical research, as well as storage of reference samples for study and historical comparison.
Donna Urschel is a public affairs specialist in the Library’s Public Affairs Office. Karen Motylewski, on detail to the Preservation Directorate from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, contributed to this report.