Last month, we started a new series that explores the conservation work that cares for LHSA collections. LHSA has spent years establishing a conservation profile and now has an active programme of preservation and conservation work funded by the annual budget. Condition surveys are a pivotal aspect of this work and help us assess and prioritise items in need of interventive treatment and/or re-housing. In this blog, we look at why condition surveys are needed and sneak behind the scenes to enjoy some truly satisfactory before/after photographs of some of our re-housed collections.
Condition Surveys
A full understanding of the condition of the LHSA collections is necessary to inform priorities for preventive and interventive conservation treatment. To date, LHSA has carried out two National Preservation Office (now National Advisory Centre, NAC) Preservation Assessment Surveys; the first in 1999-2000 of the collection as a whole and the second in 2001 of the photographic material only. These surveys have helped establish and develop LHSA’s preservation and conservation programme and have provided supporting evidence for external funding applications.
Once priorities have been identified by the NAC Survey, more in-depth surveys of specific parts of the collections are carried out to determine which particular items need interventive treatment and/or re-housing, and to provide estimates for associated cost and time required. These surveys are not based on a formal model like the NPO Survey. Instead, the criteria for assessment and format for recording the data collated varies according to the type of material and proposed end use for the findings. Examples of this include a survey the Scottish Museums Council were commissioned to undertake in order to determine the condition of the object collection, and an in-house assessment to ascertain how far the repository met the specifications of BS5454:2000: Recommendations for the storage and exhibition of archival documents.
The survey data and written reports based on it are retained for comparison with future condition surveying in order to assess progress. The image below shows a bar chart from the 1999-2000 NAC Survey showing the anticipated impact of improved physical conditions for the collections: most items would be (2) low preservation need.
Re-housing LHSA collections
Many of the collections are
accessioned with little, no or unsuitable housing, putting the items at risk of
accelerated deterioration and/or accidental damage. LHSA has implemented a
boxing policy to ensure that the collections will be provided with appropriate
long-term housing. This will ensure that incident light damage and dust
accumulation are reduced, ameliorate against any fluctuations in the ambient
environment, improve handling and aid access. Boxing may also help ensure the
most efficient use of available storage space.
A range of standard size boxes and folders have been developed to meet the housing needs of the majority of the collections, particularly paper-based items in sheet format. Customised storage solutions for outsize items or those that have specific requirements, for example photographic material, are also provided. Wherever possible, re-housing is coupled with any interventive treatment required by the collection items.
Original storage systems are kept where they pose no risk of damage to the collections contained. When replaced, written and photographic documentation of the original system is produced to record any additional information that would otherwise be lost.
Collections to be re-housed are prioritised according to physical vulnerability, demand for access and historical importance. The highest specification materials within the available budget are used and principles of best practice are adhered to. On entry, all new accessions are assessed and re-housed as necessary, and work continues to provide all collections with suitable secondary protection.
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