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Posted by: Meg Gray
Luke Ayers reminisces about his summer internship in General Collections Care(GCCS) where he learned techniques on how to care for, preserve, and repair books in both GCCS and the Rare Book Division.
Posted in: Collections Care, Conservation, Internships, Preservation, Rare Books and Special Collections
Posted by: K.F. Shovlin
As we celebrate 125 years of binding at the Library of Congress, our final chapter in this blog series looks at the changes in binding and the industry with the rise of the digital age. The past 40 plus years brought the Binding Office to a new home, created a new partner, and finally, gave it a new name that is more forward looking than past. With quotes from the people that were there and made it happen, we share this retrospective conclusion, on the 125th anniversary of the office first opening its doors.
Posted in: Care and Handling, Collections Care, Preservation
Posted by: Meg Gray
This year the Conservation Division welcomed a brand new addition – a digital box cutter! This tool is crucial to creating collection enclosures in a fast and efficient manner. Farewell, old boxmaker, you served well, and welcome to our newest conservation tool.
Posted in: Collections Care, Conservation, Preservation, Tools of the Trade
Posted by: Amelia Parks
It’s not very often that you have the chance to look at 99 copies of the same book. However, among the Library’s vast collections are an extraordinary 99 copies of Ptolemy’s Geographia, divided between the Geography and Map Division and Rare Book and Special Collections. Book conservators in the Library’s Conservation Division, undertook a survey of every one of these 99 copies of Geographia, and found some fascinating things that provide context for the rich history of book binding and manuscript arts.
Posted in: Conservation, Preservation, Rare Books and Special Collections
Posted by: Kristina Grooms
This summer marks a major milestone in the Library of Congress mission to preserve and provide access to its wide range of collections as the ten millionth item is transferred to offsite storage. Since the Library’s collection is continuously growing, it is essential to rely on offsite storage for managing such a vast and varied …
Posted in: Collections Management, Collections Storage, Offsite Storage, Preservation
Posted by: Meghan Hill
Recently, the Preservation Research and Testing Division created interactive, multisensory activities to showcase how science supports the preservation of the Library’s collections. Focusing on paper, pigments, and audiovisual materials that represent just a part of the Library's eclectic collection, these hands-on experiences engaged the public in understanding how we study, protect, and predict the aging of cultural heritage.
Posted in: Events & Outreach, Heritage Science, Pigments, Preservation, Sound Recordings
Posted by: Chloe Genter
The Library of Congress holds one of the largest collections of globes in the world. Globes present many difficulties when considering aspects of storage and housing, they are an unusual shape, they have moveable or detachable pieces, can be very fragile, and staff and researchers may need to view the entire circumference of the globe. Preservation Specialist James Thurn explains how the Library of Congress houses these globes in an innovative way that makes the globes easier to view and access and creates secure, protective housing.
Posted in: Care and Handling, Collections Care, Collections Storage, Conservation, Preservation
Posted by: K.F. Shovlin
As the United States prepares for its 250th Birthday next year, a piece of America’s Bicentennial Celebration came through for binding. Take a look at how Processing and Preparation handles this binding style and compare how things have changed over the past 50 years.
Posted in: Care and Handling, Collections Care, Collections Storage, Events & Outreach, Preservation
Posted by: Chloe Genter
Papyrus is a unique material among the vast holdings of the Library of Congress, but these early fragmentary texts give us remarkable glimpses into history. Specialized training was undertaken and given to conserve papyri at the Library, resulting in the recent conservation treatment of a collection of papyri from the African and Middle Eastern Division.
Posted in: Care and Handling, Collections Care, Conservation, Preservation