Brodsky Rare Book and Paper Conservation Laboratory Special Collections Research Center
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The Joan Breier Brodsky ’67 G’68 Conservation Lab cares for the Libraries' special collections materials, including exhibit and loan preparation, environmental monitoring, outreach and education, full conservation treatments, and disaster response coordination. Located on the 6th floor of Bird Library within the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC), it is staffed by a full-time conservator and augmented by student assistants and occasional interns from recognized conservation programs.
SCRC and the lab coordinate the annual Brodsky Series for Library Conservation, an endowed educational program featuring prominent library conservators presenting a lecture and related workshop. The program advances knowledge of library conservation theory, practice, and application both on campus and in the region.
The lab is responsible for the conservation and preservation of both individual items and entire collections, carrying out repairs on a wide range of artifacts, including bound and unbound manuscripts, printed books, works on paper, architectural drawings and many other formats such as photographs, films, and plastics.
Working with the curators, the conservator assesses the needs of collections, and contributes to both long and short term preservation planning. The lab prepares material for both in-house exhibitions and external loans, coordinates disaster preparedness and reaction, and monitors environmental conditions throughout the Libraries' sites.