Session B7
Tracks
Track B: Innovation, sustainable conservation and the next generation.
| Thursday, August 28, 2025 |
| 4:25 PM - 5:25 PM |
Overview
Workshop
Chair: TBC
What is archive conservation in 2025?
Ann Attwood, Gloucestershire Archives
Chair: TBC
What is archive conservation in 2025?
Ann Attwood, Gloucestershire Archives
Speaker
Mrs Ann Attwood
Collections Care Development Officer
Gloucestershire Archives
What is archive conservation in 2025?
4:25 PM - 5:25 PMAbstract
Amid all the specialist technical knowledge, how are we interrogating our choices to safeguard and minimise the risk to our collections?
How do we turn risks and threats into opportunities, making the maximum impact with often limited resources and the ever-present call for income generation?
In this session we will explore options together and revisit responsibilities. Through participation in 3 focussed breakout sessions, we will take a fresh look at our approach in the light of the climate crisis, limited resources and the demands of ethical conservation practice. A fast-paced, and light touch look at the bigger picture.
I started my career in 1984 and over the last 40 years have witnessed many different conservation practices and approaches. All things conservation have shifted and changed, from soluble nylon and silk, ‘Bodleian repair’, ‘Florentine repair’, heat-set tissue mends, hot press lamination, encapsulation, remoistenable tissues, various washing and deacidification methods, iron-gall ink treatment, consolidation, in-situ repairs – the list goes on. We have undertaken restoration, minimal intervention, stabilisation, and preserved ‘the integrity’ of objects and their tangible and intangible properties.
Where do we find ourselves in 2025?
Conservators have an incredible skillset. We have an amazing and privileged job. As well as our practical and craft skills we are creative, inventive, resourceful, adaptive, resilient, and responsible. Add influencing and leadership skills and the driver of the CPD imperative and we are in a position of some power and impact.
How do we navigate preserving the collections in our care in 2025 and beyond?
How do we turn risks and threats into opportunities, making the maximum impact with often limited resources and the ever-present call for income generation?
In this session we will explore options together and revisit responsibilities. Through participation in 3 focussed breakout sessions, we will take a fresh look at our approach in the light of the climate crisis, limited resources and the demands of ethical conservation practice. A fast-paced, and light touch look at the bigger picture.
I started my career in 1984 and over the last 40 years have witnessed many different conservation practices and approaches. All things conservation have shifted and changed, from soluble nylon and silk, ‘Bodleian repair’, ‘Florentine repair’, heat-set tissue mends, hot press lamination, encapsulation, remoistenable tissues, various washing and deacidification methods, iron-gall ink treatment, consolidation, in-situ repairs – the list goes on. We have undertaken restoration, minimal intervention, stabilisation, and preserved ‘the integrity’ of objects and their tangible and intangible properties.
Where do we find ourselves in 2025?
Conservators have an incredible skillset. We have an amazing and privileged job. As well as our practical and craft skills we are creative, inventive, resourceful, adaptive, resilient, and responsible. Add influencing and leadership skills and the driver of the CPD imperative and we are in a position of some power and impact.
How do we navigate preserving the collections in our care in 2025 and beyond?
Biography
An accredited conservator in archive and book conservation, I am currently responsible for collections care development at Gloucestershire Archives. I started at Warwickshire County Record Office in 1984, completed the Society of Archivists training in archive conservation, and moved to The Wellcome Library at the Wellcome Trust in London in 1988. In 1990-1992 I studied the conservation of rare books and manuscripts at West Dean under Chris Clarkson and David Dorning and then returned to the Wellcome Trust. In 2003 I started at Gloucestershire Archives in a part-time post managing the conservation section after becoming a mum for the first time.
As a trustee for the Institute of Paper Conservation (1996-1999), I was a member of the accreditation scheme working group at the set-up of the scheme, I then became a specialist accreditation assessor in Books and Archives and now have over 20 years’ experience. I also chaired the meetings sub-committee and organised a 2-day book conservation conference at the Wellcome Library.
In 2006 I participated in the Future Leaders Programme for Archives. Subjects I have given talks on include accreditation, CPD, book conservation, risk management, collections care training for volunteers and reducing reliance on HVAC systems for environmental control. At Gloucestershire Archives we also provide Collections Care advice for private individuals, heritage organisations and community groups. I completed Carbon Literacy training in February 2024.
