Conservation approach in the mass processes at the National Library of Poland: acquiring, disinfection, de-acidification, digitizing of the collections

Abstract

The paper presents activities and procedures developed in the Institute for Conservation of Library Collections (unified conservation departments and the bookbinding division of the National Library of Poland) in the following fields: • ongoing mass de-acidification program as the base for the mass conservation concept • considering the disinfection treatment a conservation and mass conservation process • evaluation of the microbiological condition and disinfection as the element of acquiring of the new collections; example: a new procedure for the employees travelling for acquiring of the new collections • Themersons' case: dividing of the collection based on the different type of the media and technology of the individual objects as well as their conservation needs • conservation activities planned for the digitizing project Patrimonium - developing of conservation standards for digitizing hardware, infrastructure for digitizing, work-flow, conservation duties and posts, conservation and renovation training for not-conservators • conservation and preservation based evaluation of storage rooms and departments handling the different classes of objects – developing of the procedures for storage, access, exposition, digitizing • mass cleaning of the early prints – the applying of the Depulvera system

The Institute for Conservation of Library Collections emerged as a fusion of the following departments: Conservation, Mass Conservation, Laboratory and the Special Bookbinding. It brings an opportunity of creating conservation and preservation standards, task groups of different specialization within a single unit in the structure of the National Library. The Institute is also responsible for publishing of the “Conservation Notebook” - the only one periodical in Poland focused exclusively on the conservation and preservation of the paper objects and collections. Training programs (preservation, microbiological controls, identification and preservation of photographic collections) create opportunity for the employees of the smaller libraries and archives to learn about the procedures and concepts executed in the central library of the state. The Institute cooperates also with the Faculty for Conservation and Restoration of the Works of Arts of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and many other institutions as: libraries, archives, museums.