Harvard College Library Collections Conservation Lab
Our Mission
The Harvard College Library Collections Conservation Laboratory houses a production-oriented collections care program for actively circulating collections that largely post-date the 18th century. We are committed to the use of permanent and durable materials, structurally sound treatment techniques, and an efficient approach to production. We are committed to excellence, productivity, and adherence to the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
Our Clients
Conservation Services provides a full range of services for the Harvard College Library, and consulting services for other libraries at Harvard.
Our Facility
The Collections Conservation Laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility occupying 3,400 square feet in Widener Library. It includes areas devoted to sorting, minor repair, intermediate and advanced conservation treatment, and construction of protective enclosures; as well as a reference library and an area for recovery of water-damaged materials.
Our Services
- conservation treatment: preventive maintenance; construction of protective enclosures, and a wide range of minor, intermediate, and major conservation treatments that return worn and damaged 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century library materials to useful condition
- preparation of new acquisitions for use: inserting loose items into bound materials, constructing pockets, mold remediation, inspecting pest damage
- preparation of library materials for commercial binding
- consulting: advice on collections conservation issues, including workbench design, space planning, preservation decision making, program development, and emergency planning
- preservation assessments: site visits, environmental monitoring, and condition surveys
- disaster recovery: assistance with the recovery of materials in Harvard's library collections that have been damaged by fire, water, mold, and/or pests
- equipment: fume hood, ultrasonic welder, and power cutter available for use by conservation staff throughout the libraries at Harvard
- reference library: vendors catalogs, product samples, manuals, books, periodicals, and brochures on collections conservation topics
- training: internships, workshops, and individualized training for library staff at Harvard