The Evolving Role of Conservation in Digital Partnership Projects at the National Archives

1. The Evolving Role of Conservation in Digital Partnership Projects at the National Archives Amy Lubick Paper Conservator

3. Record review

8. Conservation Assessment • Condition of records • Estimate of time required for treatment • Document size and format • Items that may require special handling

10. Collaborate with Custodial Archivist • Discuss and determine treatment options • Removal and replacement of fasteners • Approach to ribbons and seals • Attachments

11. Training for Record Processing • Volunteers and/or Staff • General Handling Guidelines • Project Specific Instruction

14. Processing Technician • Sleeving documents and photos • Removing and replacing fasteners • Flagging items for conservation treatment • Torn documents • Documents with glued attachments • Embedded fasteners • Flagging oversize items

15. Oversize documents • Physical oversize (exceeds size of scanning platen) • Digital oversize (document size exceeds what the camera is able to capture at 300 ppi)

16. Conservation Treatment

18. Conservation Project Manager • Performs Conservation Assessment • Drafts guidelines for treatment • Reviews guidelines with conservators and technicians assigned to the project • Assigns boxes of records to staff for treatment • Collects completed boxes • Compiles project data

19. Data Collection • Box number • Treatment performed • Total number of items requiring conservation intervention • Total time spent on box • Special notes

20. Southern Claims Project Statistics • 220 boxes of records • 6362 documents treated • 493 total hours • Approximately 2 ¼ hours per box • Average 5 minutes per document needing treatment

22. Equipment Review • Overall soundness of set-up • Needed components present • Size of the scanning platen

23. Equipment Review • Materials used to construct, cover or extend the platen • Lighting System • Adequate space for handling records

24. Scanning Technician Training

25. Scanning Technician Training • Fasteners • Removal • Replacement • Use of labels • Gloves for photos • Flagging records • Conservation • Oversize • Use of soft weights

26. Use of soft weights

27. As scanning moves forward…. • Check in on scanning technicians • Replenish needed supplies • Answer questions • Determine any further records handling needs • Monitor equipment and work flow on behalf of records needs

28. Conservation Goals for Digital Partnership Projects • Identify risks and needs for records during digitization process • Prepare records so they can be handled safely • Provide training in records handling

29. Conservation Goals for Digital Partnership Projects • Identify options for digitization efficiency and process improvements • Collaborate with other NARA units and the partner • Support digitization process overall and support project goals

30. Doris Hamburg Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler Catherine Nicholson NARA Conservation Staff amy.lubick@nara.gov (301) 837-0681 Thank you