Read along to see how four members of the Conservation Division at the Library of Congress deployed to Vermont attached to a FEMA response to the massive summer flooding in the state. These four subject matter experts received and conducted on-the-ground training with FEMA and performed outreach and demonstrations to the people of Vermont.
Preservation Science Intern Jessica McKenzie breaks down some applications of analytical chemistry in the Library of Congress, where she uses Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to expand the Preservation Research and Testing Division’s database for pigment analysis. She then demonstrates how she has assisted in applying her work to collection items.
Following the Jikji Colloquium which took place at the Library of Congress in early 2023, Conservation staff member Chloe Genter sits down with Dr. Banda, the UNESCO Chief of Documentary Heritage, to discuss UNESCO’s role in raising awareness of the impact of the Buljo jikji simche yojeol.
The Inks and Skins collaboration studies material aspects of medieval Gaelic manuscripts, fusing scientific analysis with codicology and linguistic study. These manuscripts contain a wealth of tales and poetry, historical, legal, and scientific writing from medieval Ireland. The manuscripts themselves, their creation, and their survival each have their own tales to tell.
This Friday, November 3 is Ask a Conservator Day. This is an annual event organized by the American Institute for Conservation that allows conservators to share their work and their role in cultural heritage preservation with the public. Here is an interview with Kate Morrison Danzis, a preservation specialist in the Conservation Division of the Library of Congress.
Upon closer inspection, things are not always what they seem. When Conservation staff find an unwelcome friend inside an object, learn more about what actions had to be taken to remove it.
The Library of Congress struggles with storage space like any other institution. This blog will highlight the Preservation Directorate’s efforts to create an integrated approach to collection needs assessment and space management for its vast collection.
