INFO-632: Conservation and Preservation; Pratt Institute
Project Description – Based on a finding aid of Charles A. Platt Architectural Records and Papers collection at Columbia University, I recommended a preservation plan of storage materials for the resources in the collection, which included project drawings, photographs, glass negatives, and other types of records.
Methods – The materials I had to work off of included a digital file finding aid, as well as access to the user facing side of their digital database. I worked to create a comprehensive list of all of the items used, including the support and mediums used. This included research on the specific chemical makeup of materials during the time period Charles A. Platt was active, as well as insight into architectural norms and standards of the time. Once it was clear what the materials were in the collection, it was necessary to assess what degradation qualities were at risk and what kinds of materials should be used for storage to maximize preservation. The final deliverable was a paper outlining the collection, what kinds of materials are present and how they might degrade, and what materials I would recommend for storage.
INFO-634: Conservation Lab
Supplementally, in Conservation Lab, I gained hands on experience in conservation with paper materials. In addition to the lab reports, the projects included mylar encapsulation, book rebinding with both cloth and marble paper, and customized book storage.
Marilyn Ray 