Being on Twitter is extremely fun for me. People are hilarious and I’m constantly learning from those I follow. As a paleontologist, I am drawn towards fossils, and Twitter is no different. I follow paleontologists, museums, and even SUE the T. rex. I also have another interest, and that is conservation of museum collections. This makes me also follow conservators, organizations, and anyone who tweets about these topics.
A while ago, I signed up to manage the account @RealScientists, hoping to get the word out about my work in #FossilConservation. This account has over 66,500 followers, and these numbers increase weekly with every person curating the account. The idea of doing this felt exciting, but also scary because I was afraid I was not going to be able to manage speaking to such a huge audience. When one of the admins of the account contacted me, I was super happy to have the opportunity to share my work.
Curating the account means you can tweet as often as you want for a whole week. You are free to do polls, engage in Q&As, talk about your science, and even about yourself. It is a great way for others in the Twittersphere to know you, and to learn from you. I tweeted mostly about my experience in paleontology collections, but also focused on conservation.
There is one tweet in particular I want to share because I did not expect it to be so popular, and for people to be so interested. It was a tweet about the 10 agents of deterioration. My idea was to make the tweet accessible to those not working in conservation, by using emojis. This proved to be an excellent choice; the tweet has 330 likes, 146 retweets (plus 25 retweets with comment), and was seen by more than 32,000 users. Who knew people would be so excited about preventive conservation and collections care?
Image by Mariana Di Giacomo
The most exciting part was not only seeing the likes and retweets, but reading and replying to comments. I kept tweeting that day about the different agents of deterioration, and even though those tweets were not as popular as the main one, I received comments on them as well. People were intrigued by the effects of light, as well as by the effects of temperature and relative humidity. The agent “thieves and vandals” felt odd to one user, who thought this was no longer an issue in museums. Money and budgets was also a topic of discussion, as well as participation of conservation professionals when deciding construction and renovation projects. Emergency preparedness and involvement of the inside and outside community were touched upon, and people responded positively. It blew my mind how interested people were in these topics.
One of the short conversations I enjoyed the most was about education in conservation. An educator asked how to support students interested in these topics, and I gave her some suggestions for success in the field, but ended up talking about advocacy for diversity in conservation. This brings me to the last thing I want to talk on this post: the importance of social media.
I know this has been spoken about a million times, and those managing accounts for museums and collections say this all the time. However, all of us working on conservation need to be more active if we want to inspire change. From the 330 likes I had on the post about the agents of deterioration, many came from conservators and museums, but a lot came from people outside the field. People are fascinated by treatments’ “before and afters”, but they also care about collections. Bringing communities into the backstage is something we should all do, and should do more often. In a single week, I had over a million views of my tweets, from people from all over the world. This shows how powerful social media can be for outreach purposes, and why we should be more involved.
Tell people about what you do. Be humble. Recognize when you don’t know something. Be open to comments and suggestions. Learn when to disconnect. Have fun. Inspire. Those are the things I learned during this week. If you’re on Twitter, you should consider signing up for something like this. If you’re not, what are you waiting for?
Emory University Woodruff Library Preservation Office
Reporting to the Conservator, the Conservation Technician performs a wide variety of repair and conservation treatments on research materials in collections in all Emory libraries. Treatments range from simple paper mends, to complex book repairs, as well as production of custom-made protective enclosures to house rare and unique items within the libraries’ collections. This position participates in training Conservation Unit student assistants and other decentralized library staff, as well as interns and volunteers.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Conservation:
Performs a range of conservation treatments for books, paper-based items, and other materials in the general and special collections of Emory Libraries -Treatments include spine repair, re-casing, rebinding, and other book repair; paper repair; construction of custom-fit protective enclosures for fragile or special items; construction of supports for exhibits; and other similar treatments -Maintains quality and quantity standards set for the Conservation Unit -Keeps and reports monthly statistics on work completed and time allocated
Equipment and Supplies:
Assists in maintenance of bookbinding tools and equipment, ensuring that authorized individuals use safety precautions when using tools and equipment -Assists in securing library materials and equipment, ensuring against loss or inappropriate use of the facility by unauthorized persons -Maintains the conservation facility with clean-up activities, monitoring inventory, restocking precut materials and other conservation supplies
Training:
Assists conservation staff in training activities of the unit -May include instructing library staff, librarians, student assistants, interns, or volunteers in the various Emory libraries -Performs collection maintenance procedures, disaster recovery, and salvage techniques in one-on-one and workshop training
Disaster Preparedness and Recovery:
-Assists in monitoring and preparing supplies for disaster recovery -Assists in disaster recovery operations, generally for salvage of water-damaged materials
Other Responsibilities as Needed:
Performs related duties as required
Participates in the work of Library committees -In the absence of the Conservation staff, assumes responsibility for the Conservation Unit
LIBRARY REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Three (3) years of preservation, conservation, bookbinding, or related experience
Demonstration of superior manual dexterity skills and ability to perform delicate, exacting tasks with a high level of productivity
Candidates will be asked to submit examples of their work and/or demonstrate certain hand skills during the interview process
Ability to build and sustain effective interpersonal relationships with library and campus staff, faculty and students
Evidence of organizational, communication, project, and time management skills; demonstrate ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and complete tasks or projects on time, within budget, and in accordance with task/project parameters
Demonstrated proficiency and capabilities with personal computers, software, and library-relevant information technology applications
Working knowledge of standard computer office applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, or other productivity software
Commitment to fostering a diverse educational environment and workplace; an ability to work effectively with a diverse faculty and student population
Capacity to thrive in an ambiguous, future-oriented environment of a major research institution and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities
LIBRARY PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Ability to work successfully in a team environment, coordinate work with others, focus on set priorities, and be flexible in an ever-changing environment
Experience providing preservation or bookbinding services with evidence of progressively increasing scope of skills, knowledge, and responsibility in a large academic or research institution library; evidence of successful record of leadership and ability to foster an organization-wide perspective that ensures effective stewardship of available resources.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A bachelor’s degree in a related field. Three years preservation or related experience.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Performs preservation services for the conservation and reformatting of library materials.
To promote awareness and a clearer understanding of different pathways into specializations that require particular training, The Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is conducting a series of interviews with conservation professionals in these specialties. We kicked off the series with Chinese and Japanese Painting conservation, and now we are focusing on Electronic Media Conservation (EMG). These conservators work with time-based media, which is characterized by artwork with durational elements, such as slide, film, and video, analog or born-digital materials, performance, light or kinetic art, sound or software-based art. We’ve asked our interviewees to share some thoughts about their career paths, which we hope will inspire new conservation professionals and provide valuable insight into these areas of our professional field.
In the first interviews for this series, we spoke with emerging conservators starting in the early stages of their careers working in time-based media, which included Alexandra Nichols, Nicholas Kaplan, Brian Castriota and Yasmin Desssem. In this interview, we hear from Christine Frohnert, a conservator who graduated in 2003 from the University of Arts in Berne, Switzerland, where she majored in the Conservation of Modern Materials and Media. Prior to establishing a private practice for Time-based Media (TBM) with colleague Reinhard Bek, Christine served as chief conservator at the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany for twelve years and as chair of the AIC Electronic Media Group from 2008-2012. In 2012, she was named the inaugural Judith Praska Distinguished Visiting Professor in Conservation and Technical Studies at the Conservation Center at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (CC/IFA/NYU), where she now serves as the Time-based Media Art Conservation Curriculum Development Program Coordinator.
Christine Frohnert and Reinhard Bek [Photo: Reinhard Bek]ECPN: Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your current position.
Christine Frohnert (CF): I am a conservator of contemporary art with a specific focus on technology-based art. Reinhard Bek and I founded Bek & Frohnert LLC in NYC in 2012- a conservation studio in private practice specializing in the conservation of time-based media (TBM). We are both German, have been trained in Europe, worked in leading positions in museums, and have been involved in international research projects.
Bek and I focus on the conservation of artworks with a durational element in our practice—such as sound, moving image, performance, light, or movement, that unfolds to the viewer over time via slide, film, video, software, or the internet. Since the studio’s inauguration, we have responded to individual needs for both TBM conservation treatments and consulting requests. However, over the last several years, we have experienced a rising demand to serve as consultants for different U.S. institutions without time-based media conservators on staff, as well as for collectors and artists. As many TBM art collecting institutions are facing rapidly increasing needs to adequately acquire, preserve, exhibit and store TBM works, we are responding to this development and our work is more geared towards long-term collection care and the development of preservation plans, as well as education.
ECPN: How were you first introduced to conservation, what contributed to your decision to specialize in time-based media, and why has been your training pathway?
CF: As with most of my colleagues, I started conservation being exposed to more traditional media such as paintings and sculpture. About 20 years ago, I realized that technology-based artworks can be seriously harmed or lost without a new conservation specialty being established. I became fascinated with TBM, and I learned about the newly established program ‘Conservation of Modern Materials and Media’ at the University of Arts, Berne, Switzerland. I graduated from there in 2003.
ECPN: Are there any particular skills that you feel are important or unique to your discipline?
Christine Frohnert [Photo: Marlies Peller]CF: A complex range of skill sets are needed, which should be solidly grounded in the conceptual framework of contemporary art conservation as a whole. It requires knowledge in electrics/electronics and programming, and an in-depth understanding of each media category, technology and its preservation, documentation and digital preservation needs. As our profession is highly collaborative by nature, soft skills are equally important to collaborate with all the stakeholders in the institutions involved, as well as with affiliated external professionals such as engineers, computer scientists, and technicians. This is important when defining, communicating, and verifying goals with vendors.
As many museums recently formed or are currently forming ‘Media Teams’ in their respective institutions to tackle their individual TBM collections needs, we have witnessed a rapidly increasing need for skilled labor, dedicated TBM lab space, equipment, and the trustworthy storage and management of huge amounts of born-digital or digitized artworks.
ECPN: What are some of your current projects, research, or interests?
CF: Currently our recent projects include consultation with several institutions to analyze their TBM collections and develop custom-designed conservation strategies according to their individual collections needs and skill sets of staff. These consultations may include surveys, assistance with media acquisitions, exhibitions and artwork documentation, storage, and migration. Bringing in external expertise often provides the bridge that many museums and their TBM stakeholders do not find in-house or do not have the capacity to coordinate. This work helps to identify and structure these needs more clearly and often provides the basis for institutional development and the implementation of larger collection care projects.
Recent and current treatment-based activities range from analyzing the ‘mechanical’ programming of a light-based work, the conservation of a seven channel-video wall from 1998 consisting of 207 Cathode Ray Tube monitors, digitization of analog video, and the reverse engineering of custom-designed large format slide projectors, to name a few.
Cathode Ray Tube monitor [Photo: Marlies Peller]ECPN: In your opinion, what is an important need in your specialization?
CF: the most pressing need is education. Technology-based art is considered to be very sensitive to damage, loss, misinterpretation, and incorrect installation, due to its very specific and sensitive relationship to time, space, and concept. Damage or loss of a TBM work cannot be seen by simply examining the physical material and may not be immediately apparent unless the individual has received specialized training.
TBM conservation has been identified as a priority by many museums, collectors, and funding agencies. However, the educational opportunities are still limited, and there is currently no U.S. graduate program offering a degree in this specialty (but this will change soon!). As a result, a huge amount of our most recent cultural heritage is at risk, in an unknown condition, and/or not sufficiently integrated into museums’ missions of collecting, exhibition, conservation, research, and education.
However, thanks to the generous funding provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Conservation Center at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, started the TBM art conservation curriculum planning project in 2016.The new TBM specialization will be integrated within its current curriculum starting in fall 2018. This will be the first conservation program offering this specialty in the U.S. and the graduates will receive a dual degree: an MS in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works and an MA in the History of Art and Archaeology.
ECPN: Have you been involved in any advocacy, outreach, teaching or professional service roles in your specialization?
CF: During my time as EMG (Electronic Media Group) board Chair from 2008-2012, we received numerous request from the membership to offer continuing education opportunities, and in response EMG launched the conference series entitled TechFocus in 2010. The series is designed to provide hands-on guidance and systematic education on different media categories (TechFocus I: Caring for Video Art, Guggenheim Museum, NY, in 2010; TechFocus II: Caring for Film and Slide Art, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC, 2012; TechFocus III: Caring for Software-based Art, Guggenheim Museum, NY, in 2015). In addition, the first periodical worldwide that focuses on TBM art conservation was launched by the EMG in 2012, The Electronic Media Review.
At the (CC/IFA/NYU) I have offered instruction in TBM conservation art in different capacities, including the course Art With A Plug: The Conservation of Artwork Containing Motion, Sound, Light, Moving Images and Interactivity (Fall 2012 and Spring 2015).
Several professional organizations and initiatives have created additional targeted educational opportunities and collaborations. However, despite all these good developments, further training is needed at the graduate level, as well as in continuing education for professionals, to address the fast-increasing demands of TBM conservation.
Under the leadership of Dr. Hannelore Roemich, Professor of Conservation Science and TBM program Director, I have also served as TBM Program Coordinator to assist in identifying skill sets and core competencies of TBM conservators that translate into the educational needs to develop a TBM curriculum. In the fall of 2016 the Conservation Center offered the course and public lecture series Topics in Time-based Media Art Conservation, which included ten lectures by leading art historians, artists, computer scientists, and conservators. These events were an important outreach component of the curriculum development project, and they created the opportunity to promote the field, foster the dialogue between TBM professionals, and build a community.
We are now organizing the upcoming symposium It’s About Time! Building a New Discipline: Time-based Media Art Conservation to be held in May 2018. The two-day symposium will provide a forum for educators, artists, art historians, museum curators and directors, collectors, gallerists, engineers, computer scientists, and conservators to promote TBM art conservation as a discipline on an international level and will conclude the TBM curriculum planning phase.
ECPN: Do you have any advice for prospective emerging conservators who would like to pursue this specialization?
Cathode Ray Tube monitor [Photo: Christine Frohnert]CF: While I am not comfortable issuing general advice, I can say that I personally appreciate working with students and colleagues in our field, and that this has shaped and enriched my professional life. If you are a strong communicator who is interested in the intersection of art and technology, art conservation, and art history– and maybe you even have a background in one or more of the related media fields–why don’t you join the EMG sessions at the AIC annual meetings and/or attend the upcoming NYU symposium to engage with the TBM community and find out if this specialty may be just the right fit for you?
ECPN: Please share any last thoughts or reflections.
CF: We currently see an extremely high demand for trained TBM conservators. This can be measured by the exponentially increasing job offers worldwide and the challenges many institutions face to find qualified candidates. So, it is safe to say that this is the best moment in time for becoming a TBM conservator in this country. If you are interested in pursuing a career in TBM conservation- check out the new TBM curriculum page at the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts at NYU.
To promote awareness and a clearer understanding of different pathways into specializations that require particular training, the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is conducting a series of interviews with conservation professionals in these specialties. We kicked off the series with Chinese and Japanese painting conservation, and now we are focusing on practitioners in AIC’s Electronic Media Group (EMG). These conservators work with time-based media, which can include moving components, performance, light or sound elements, film and video, analog or born-digital materials. We’ve asked our interviewees to share some thoughts about their career paths, which we hope will inspire new conservation professionals and provide valuable insight into these areas of our professional field.
This is the third post from ECPN’s EMG blog series, for which we first interview Nick Kaplan and more recently, Alex Nichols. For our third interview from the EMG series, we spoke with Yasmin Dessem, currently Head of the Audiovisual Preservation Studio at UCLA Library where she serves as the technical lead as the library continues to develop its program of preservation, digitization and access of its moving image and sound holdings. Previously she managed archive deliverables for new feature releases at Paramount Pictures. She has experience working with a wide variety of moving image and sound formats, as well as pre-film animation devices, silent-era cameras, costumes and paper collections. Yasmin holds Master’s degrees in Art History and Moving Image Archive Studies from UCLA.
Yasmin Dessem (left) and Allie Whalen (right) cleaning and relubricating a Betacam deck. [Photo: Walter Urie]ECPN: Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your current position.
Yasmin Dessem (YD): I oversee the preservation of moving image and recorded sound materials at the UCLA Library’s Preservation Department. For nearly 90 years, the UCLA Library has collected audiovisual materials with content such as home movies, oral histories, and radio broadcasts. Examples are home movies of Susan Sontag’s parents sailing to China in the 1920s and field interviews with Watts residents after the 1965 riots. Audiovisual preservation (AV) at the library is a relatively young unit—a dedicated AV preservationist first came on board in 2011. We offer a number of in-house digitization and preservation services and are currently focusing on increasing our capacity and launching a survey.
ECPN: How were you first introduced to conservation, and why did you decide to pursue conservation?
YD: The 1996 re-release of the restored version of Vertigo first made me aware of film restoration and preservation as an actual practice. Later, as I was finishing my Masters in Art History at UCLA, I took a wonderful class on restoration, preservation, and conservation with Professor David A. Scott. The course covered the material care issues and decision-making ethics for a wide breadth of cultural heritage materials. The class struck a deep chord with me, but I was eager to graduate and start working. After graduation, I ended up working in the film industry for about six years. I was tracking down historic stock footage at one job when my mind circled back to the preservation field as I considered how the films were stored and made available. I had entertained the idea of potentially returning to graduate school to study art conservation some day, but around that time the idea of film preservation as a possible career path began to fully materialize for me. As a result, I began exploring potential graduate programs.
ECPN: Of all specializations, what contributed to your decision to pursue electronic media conservation?
YD: My longtime love for film and music intersected with my curiosity for all things historical and technology-related. These were topics that in one form or another always interested me, but I don’t think I had a full grasp on how to combine them meaningfully into a profession. Preservation was the missing key. My exposure to preservation and conservation while studying art history and my later experience working at film studios both helped direct me towards the specialization.
ECPN: What has been your training pathway? Please list any universities, apprenticeships, technical experience, and any related jobs or hobbies.
YD: I pursued my studies in the Moving Image Archive Studies (MIAS) Program at UCLA—which persists today as a Master of Library and Information Science (M.L.I.S.) with a Media Archival Studies specialization. While in the program, I completed internships with Universal Pictures and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and volunteered at the Hugh Hefner Moving Image Archive at the University of Southern California. Throughout the two-year MIAS program, I also worked as a fellow at the Center for Primary Research and Training program at UCLA Library Special Collections, where I learned archival processing. My experiences weren’t limited to preserving moving image and sound media, but included paper-based collections, costumes, and film technology. After graduating I attended the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) Film Restoration Summer School hosted by the Cineteca di Bologna and L’Immagine Ritrovata.
ECPN: Are there any particular skills that you feel are important or unique to your discipline?
YD: Digital preservation will continue to be a key area of expertise that’s needed in museums and archives. Preserving the original source material and digitizing content is not enough. There are more resources than ever for strategies and tools for digital preservation, and it’s important to seek them out. Another valuable skill is developing a level of comfort with handling and understanding the unique characteristics of a wide variety of physical analog formats such as film, videotape, audiotape, and grooved media (LP, 78s, lacquer discs, wax cylinders, etc.). Similarly, it’s helpful to have a familiarity with playback devices for these obsolete media formats (equipment like open-reel decks or video decks.) Lastly, metadata can be an unsung hero in media preservation. Often, we’re the first to see or hear a recording in decades, so capturing metadata around the point of transfer is critical. Metadata standards can be a rabbit hole of complexities, especially when it comes to describing audiovisual media, but understanding their application is an essential skill.
Lacquer disc cleaning and transfer workshop at the Instituto de Historia de Cuba in Havana, Cuba [Photo: Yasmin Dessem]ECPN: What are some of your current projects, research, or interests?
YD: We’re just wrapping up digitization of materials from the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company (GSM), an African American-owned and operated insurance firm established in Los Angeles in 1925 in response to discriminatory practices that restricted the ability of African American residents to purchase insurance. GSM operated for 85 years and their collection is a vibrant resource documenting Los Angeles and the empowerment of a community. We received grants from the National Film Preservation Foundation and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation to support this work. The digitized collection is now available on Calisphere. We’ve just started a crowd sourcing project working with former GSM staffers to describe any unidentified content. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, hearing everyone’s stories and seeing how much it means to everyone involved to have this collection preserved and made available.
We’ve also been in preparation to launch a large-scale survey that will help us gather data on the Library’s audiovisual collections that can be used for long term-planning. Outside of UCLA, we’ve been involved with ongoing work with cultural heritage institutions in Cuba. Last February, I set up equipment and held a workshop on the digitization of radio transcription discs held at the Instituto de Historia de Cuba (IHC) in Havana. I’m heading back there next week to begin a project to transfer IHC’s open reel audio collections.
ECPN: In your opinion, what is an important research area or need in your specialization?
YD: It’s crucial to preserve the expertise related to the operation and repair of playback equipment. Playback equipment will become more and more difficult to source in the future. Engineers, whose entire careers are dedicated to the use and care of this equipment, are some of the best resources for this knowledge. Their knowledge is shared through conversation, YouTube videos, social media, and professional workshops. Documenting the skills required to handle, maintain, calibrate, and service this equipment in a more formalized way and sharing that knowledge widely will ensure that the preservationists can keep their equipment viable for longer.
ECPN: Do you have any advice for prospective emerging conservators who would like to pursue this specialization?
YD: Try everything. Media preservation requires a wide variety of skills from computer coding to soldering decades-old circuit boards. Depending on where your career takes you, it’s good to have at least a passing familiarity with the full range of skills you may need to call upon. Apply for internships or fellowships with organizations, like the National Digital Stewardship Residency. Volunteer at community-based archives that need help getting their collections in order. Join professional organizations, like the Association of Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) or the Association of Moving Image Archivists. Attend conferences like code4lib, the Preservation and Archiving Special Interest Group (PASIG), or the Digital Asset Symposium (DAS). Network with engineers or preservation professionals to continue to grow your own expertise, but also share your own skills when you can. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are a fundamental part of the profession.
Perforation repair of 16 mm film [Photo: Yasmin Dessem]ECPN: Please share any last thoughts or reflections.
YD: One thing to be aware of, if you’re a woman in the field of audiovisual preservation, is that you may occasionally run into people who are surprised to see a woman working with technology (much less wielding a screwdriver!). This response persists to some degree despite the presence of many successful female professionals in the field. What’s encouraging, however, is seeing the growth of groups like the Women in Recorded Sound collective at ARSC providing support.
Audiovisual preservation is such a gratifying profession. Having the opportunity to make historic content available is incredibly meaningful work that I feel lucky to be a part of everyday. On an even more basic level, figuring out a new workflow or getting a piece of equipment to finally work is just so viscerally satisfying. I’m part of an amazing team whose passion, humor and willingness to try out new things inspires me every day and makes me feel so lucky to be doing this work.
To promote awareness and a clearer understanding of different pathways into specializations that require particular training, the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is conducting a series of interviews with conservation professionals in these specialties. We kicked off the series with Chinese and Japanese painting conservation, and now we are focusing on practitioners in AIC’s Electronic Media Group (EMG). These conservators work with time-based media, which can include moving components, performance, light or sound elements, film and video, analog or born-digital materials. We’ve asked our interviewees to share some thoughts about their career paths, which we hope will inspire new conservation professionals and provide valuable insight into these areas of our professional field.
In our first EMG interview, we spoke with Nick Kaplan. Now for our second interview from the EMG series, we turn to with Alexandra Nichols, currently a Sherman Fairchild Foundation Fellow in the conservation of time-based media and installation art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. From 2016-2017, she was a Samuel H. Kress Foundation Fellow in Time-based Media Conservation at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She earned her Master’s of Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (2016) where she concentrated on the conservation of modern and contemporary objects.
ECPN: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Alexandra Nichols (AN): I received my Master’s of Conservation from Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2016, where I concentrated on the conservation of modern and contemporary objects. I recently completed a one-year fellowship as a Samuel H. Kress Foundation Fellow in Time-based Media Conservation at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, where I was working under Joanna Phillips, the Guggenheim’s Senior Conservator of Time-based Media. Just a few weeks ago, I joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a Sherman Fairchild Foundation Conservation Fellow, where I’ll be working with the Met’s collection of time-based media and installation art.
ECPN: How were you first introduced to conservation, and why did you decide to pursue conservation?
AN: After obtaining my undergraduate degree in art history, I moved to London and landed a job as an executive assistant at the British Museum. While there, I visited the Hirayama Studio, the British Museum’s conservation lab dedicated to the care and treatment of East Asian paintings and works on paper. It’s a beautiful, peaceful room, with tatami mats and walls lined with brushes and different types of paper. I loved how the conservators could develop such a close, tactile relationship with the artworks, and how the treatments were carried out with respect for the cultures that created the works. This led me to seek out internships where I could gain experience in conservation.
ECPN: Of all specializations, what contributed to your decision to pursue electronic or time-based media conservation?
AN: I’m really fascinated by the wide range of materials and methods utilized by contemporary artists. Something I love about time-based media art is its complexity and variability. An artwork may have multiple channels of video, require a very specific placement in the gallery, or be shown differently based on the size or shape of the room.
My training is in objects conservation, focusing on the conservation of contemporary art. During the course of my graduate studies, none of the North American programs offered coursework in time-based media*. Thus, I was able to explore working with time-based media during my graduate internships at the Hirshhorn and the Museum of Modern Art. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that many of the time-based media pieces I’ve worked on incorporate sculptural elements, so my graduate training has been helpful in ways I didn’t expect. Learning how these objects should be placed in an installation and their relationship to electronic and audiovisual elements is really intriguing.
*The Institute of Fine Arts (IFA) at New York University is implementing a curriculum geared towards the conservation of time-based media, and is accepting applications this this year for Fall 2018 matriculation. http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/fineart/conservation/time-based-media.htm
Alexandra and Contract Video Engineer Maurice Schechter conduct a quality check (QC) on a video file. [Photo: Joanna Phillips]ECPN: What has been your training pathway? Please list any universities, apprenticeships, technical experience, and any related jobs or hobbies.
AN: I’ve always had an interest in computers and electronics. In middle school and high school, I learned the programming language C, built computers as a hobby, and took courses in video editing and digital photography as part of my undergraduate degree.
I’m originally from the Washington, DC area, and after deciding to pursue conservation, I completed pre-program internships and contracts at various museums in the Smithsonian system, including the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Museum Conservation Institute, and the National Museum of African-American History and Culture.
In 2013, I began my graduate studies at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, where I specialized in the conservation of modern and contemporary objects. As a graduate student, I completed a summer internship at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, preparing time-based media works in their collection for the 2014 exhibition Days of Endless Time. During my third-year internship at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, I collaborated with Kate Lewis and Amy Brost to treat a pearlescent bead-adorned cathode ray tube television set by Nam June Paik and Otto Piene.
Additionally, the chance to work with Joanna Phillips at the Guggenheim has been thrilling—there aren’t many opportunities to learn about time-based media conservation in the American graduate conservation programs, so emerging conservators must gain expertise through internships and fellowships. However, this is changing soon — The Institute of Fine Arts (IFA) at New York University is implementing a curriculum geared towards the conservation of time-based media, and is accepting applications this year for Fall 2018 matriculation (link: https://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/fineart/conservation/time-based-media.htm). I’ll be utilizing the skills I’ve developed over the past year at my current fellowship working with the time-based media art collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
ECPN: Are there any particular skills that you feel are important or unique to your discipline?
AN: Strong documentation skills are important in any specialization, but this is especially true for time-based media. The inherent variability of time-based media requires extensive research and documentation to ensure that it can be installed correctly in the future. It’s also important to know about the history of video production, including film history and the development of various formats. Foundational knowledge of video and other technologies is also crucial and has to be updated continuously, since technology is always evolving. Without this knowledge, media conservators cannot seek out and engage external specialists and vendors who can provide specific technical expertise
ECPN: What are some of your current projects, research, or interests?
AN: I am just getting started at The Met, but I am currently working with Nora Kennedy and Meredith Reiss to help document the 250 time-based media artworks in The Met’s collection. This includes updating questionnaires that are sent to artists during the acquisition process, which help us learn more about the production history and intended exhibition of the artwork, and researching past exhibitions to create retroactive iteration reports. The Met has had a Time-based Media Working Group for many years now, and I am looking forward to collaborating with its members as I conduct my research.
Image of a Skype interview with an artist, in which Alexandra and Contract Video Engineer Maurice Schechter discuss the audio channels of an artist-provided video file. [Photo: Alexandra Nichols]ECPN: In your opinion, what is an important research area or need in your specialization?
AN: I think the acquisition and display of virtual reality (VR) will pose a number of challenges for conservators in the coming years. Artists are increasingly experimenting with these types of works—Jordan Wolfson exhibited a VR work in the Whitney Biennial this year, for example—but as far as I know, no museums have acquired a VR piece yet. This technology is so new and is still being developed, and as a result, there’s so much potential for the obsolescence of file formats and hardware.
ECPN: Do you have any advice for prospective emerging conservators who would like to pursue this specialization?
AN: Try playing around with how to shoot and edit your own video in Final Cut Pro or Premiere! It will teach you about digital video formats and give you some insight into the artist’s process. And, don’t be afraid to reach out to conservators you admire to learn more about what they do!
ECPN: Please share any last thoughts or reflections.
AN: Supervised training under established media conservators is essential to the development of one’s skills as an emerging time-based media conservator. Fellowships and internships provide practical experience with real-life museum scenarios that is not possible to gain through readings or coursework. I am extremely grateful to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and the Sherman Fairchild Foundation for providing me with opportunities to hone my expertise at the Guggenheim and The Met.
*Featured photograph: Alexandra examines a MiniDV tape containing an artwork while working at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. [Photo: Kris Mckay]
I was particularly interested in “Preventive Conservation in the Renovation of the Harvard Art Museums: Before, During, and Ever After” by Angela Chang, Penley Knipe and Kate Smith, as my employer LACMA is currently undergoing a similar museum building project.
Angela Chang, who presented the paper, began her talk with a brief summary of the museum’s history, which concluded with the presentation of the new LEED Gold building by Renzo Piano as well as the new storage facility that housed the entire collection during the museum building’s construction. She demonstrated how Harvard’s conservators successfully integrated the aspect of preventive conservation into an already established design and construction process. She also stressed the importance of cooperation and communication with external groups, such as administrators, donors, architects, and others, for the success of the project.
Angela discussed three main topics in conjunction with the new building.
Samples of all potential and existing materials in the construction of the storage facility and the new museum were tested using the Oddy Test. Results of the tests, among other topics, were discussed in weekly construction meetings held with architects, contractors, engineers, and project managers. Only 50% of 900 tested material samples passed the test and some materials needed to be tested repeatedly due to sample mix-ups. Existing fireproofing material made of cementitious plaster, for instance, was completely removed from the storage facility for the sake of the preservation of the collection and health of humans.
300 computerized and smart, single or double blinds control the light levels in the exhibition spaces and the conservation labs, but the new museum building turned out to be more light flooded than initially expected. A seasonal programming schedule was derived from a light monitoring program based on over 50 readings and requirements from the facility department. Based on the seasonal occurrence of light leaks, conservation staff needed to identify exhibition areas not suited for light sensitive artworks and still works on permanent displayin order to safely exhibit parts of the collection. Light blocking films, for instance, are currently being tested to address light leaks.
For a short time now, visitor incidents are recorded systematically and measured with a program developed by Security, Conservation, Collections Management, and IT called Art Touch Cards. The 46 guards can notify conservation and collection management staff immediately with urgent issues; minor issues are reported by filling out cards that are compiled and reviewed daily. Based on quarterly analysis of the data, artworks and galleries with a high incident rate can be identified and issues can be addressed. Improvements were made by adding colored lines of tape in the galleries as visual barriers, editing label texts, limiting the amount of visitors in one room, staffing galleries, and training guards.
Angela summarized her presentation by pointing out that all departments serve a collective purpose and that how relatively simple management systems, like the Art Touch Cards, can bridge interdepartmental communication gabs.She reiterating how the success of the building process, as well as its maintenance, is dependent on the close collaboration of different departments and external groups.
JOB – ASSOCIATE CURATOR (LATINO DESIGN), Smithsonian Institution (New York, NY, USA)
Applications are due by November 14, 2016
Job Announcement No. 17A-LG-302166-DEU-CHSDM
Work Schedule is Full Time, Permanent – Federal
Salary range: $66,940.00 to $87,021.00 / Per Year
About the Agency SUMMARY
An opportunity to serve as an Associate Curator (Latino Design) for Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, which is the only museum in the country devoted to historic and contemporary design. Candidates must be able to converse in and read Spanish to perform research, writing and other duties associated with the collection and exhibitions. DUTIES
Identifies, locates, and solicits objects for the collection, in addition to researching, interpreting, preparing catalog records, securing image rights, overseeing new photography, and creating web-based content for both new and existing Latino collection objects.
Collaborates with the Education Department to initiate and develop ways to interpret, expand audiences and optimize opportunities to disseminate knowledge about American Latino design.
Conducts in-depth research and develops a Collections/Acquisitions Plan to guide acquisitions of modern and contemporary American Latino design.
Proposes and develops a Latino-focused exhibition and accompanying publication.
Engages with the Digital and Emerging Media Team to create Latino-based content.
Reaches out to curators, researchers, and educators on Latino initiatives and develops collaborative activities.
KEY JOB REQUIREMENTS
Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
May need to complete a Probationary Period
Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
QUALIFICATIONS All applicants must meet these Basic Requirements:(You must submit unofficial school transcripts):
1. Degree in museum work; or in art history or museum studies with a specialization in American Latino design.OR
2. Combination of education and experience – courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.OR
3. Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown above. In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you may qualify for this position if you possess the Selective Factor and Specialized Experience below:
All applicants must meet the Selective Factor Requirements: (You application must show written evidence of this requirement) Selective Factor:Experience conversing in and reading Spanish in order to perform research, writing and other duties associated with the collection and exhibitions. In addition to meeting the Selective Factor above, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position Specialized experience is defined as exhibition and curatorial experience with a collection of American Latino design, 1900 to the present, to perform collections management, scholarly research, exhibition planning/production, publishing, public engagement, and administration.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Or Education: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree in museum work; or in art history or museum studies with a specialization in American Latino design. Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.
Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. Security Clearance: Public Trust – Background Investigation
For additional information and job-specific application information requirements, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/453986500/
____________________________________________ JOB – CONSERVATOR TECHNICIAN, National Archives and Records Administration (College Park, MD, USA)
Applications are due by November 15, 2016
Job Announcement No. JD1794184TBD
Work Schedule is Full Time – Permanent
Salary range: $43,057.00 to $55,970.00 / Per Year
Summary: this position is within the Conservation Branch, Preservation Programs Division of Research Services in College Park, MD. The duty location could change to the National Archives Building, located in Washington, DC, as required by workload. Duties: as a Conservator Technician, your duties will include:
Perform conservation treatment on archival records such as: dry cleaning, mending, guarding, humidification and flattening.
Stabilize records prior to digitization.
Perform preventative conservation activities, such as encapsulation and creating custom housing for archival records in loose and bound formats.
Assume responsibility for the safety of all records assigned for treatment.
Follow established standards and procedures for handling and treatment.
Develop efficient and safe work processes for carrying out projects.
Examine and test archival records to determine stability of media and solubility of adhesives.
Perform laboratory activities such as maintaining stock solutions and supplies, preparing paste and adhesive coated repair papers, and provide general support in lab functions.
Key Job Requirements
U.S. Citizenship
Background Investigation or Security Clearance
More than 1 job may be filled if additional vacancies occur within 90 days
Must be physically able to perform the duties of this position
Will use moderately hazardous chemicals in a lab setting
Qualifications: GS-07: Candidates must have had one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position as described above, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.
Examples of specialized experience for this grade level include: carrying out basic conservation treatments on archival records in a laboratory setting and adhering to instructions to ensure documents are handled and treated in conformance with standard, accepted procedures. Treatments include the following: mending paper in various formats (loose, bound, oversized) using long fiber paper and paste, heat-set or remoistenable tissues; humidification and flattening of rolled and folded documents; mold remediation including separation of blocked or fused sheets; separation of adhesive Attachments containing multiple layers; fabrication of custom housings (boxes, folders, polyester L-sleeves); and making stock lab solutions (paste, methylcellulose, heat-set and remoinstenable tissues). Examining records to recognize the fragility and characteristics of paper and other archival media and binding materials; determining vulnerable parts of records that need protection or stabilization. Qualifications by Closing Date: You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification.
For additional information and job-specific application information requirements, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/449618900/
____________________________________________ JOB – BOOK CONSERVATOR, Northeast Document Conservation Center (Andover, MA, USA) This position will remain open until filled. Position Summary: The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) is seeking an innovative and creative Conservator to join its Book Conservation Lab. Reporting to the Director of Book Conservation, the Conservator will perform conservation of diverse and unique bound materials held by NEDCC’s institutional and private clients, including printed books and pamphlets, bound manuscripts, scrapbooks, atlases, record books and photograph albums. Responsibilities include performing all conservation activities including examination of objects and development of conservation proposals; documentation; treatment of text blocks and bindings; consulting with clients; and assisting with assessments and educational programs. All work is performed according to the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Qualifications Required qualifications: A knowledge of physical, mechanical and chemical nature of books and paper as evidenced by graduate degree in conservation or related field of study; knowledge of book and paper conservation principles and practices; an understanding of preservation principles and their relation to treatment options; ability to work independently and collaboratively; ability to work in a productive environment; meticulous attention to detail; documentation skills; excellent written and oral communication skills; and creativity and enthusiasm. Preferred qualifications: Demonstrated ability to contribute to the profession through teaching, research and/or publication.
The successful candidate will be joining a team of experienced and productive book conservators, and will benefit from working alongside imaging specialists and conservators in other specialties dedicated to the care of books and collections of significance and value. About NEDCC: Founded in 1973, the Northeast Document Conservation Center is the first nonprofit conservation center to specialize in the conservation and reformatting of paper-based materials. NEDCC’s mission is to improve the preservation efforts of libraries, archives, historical organization, museums, and other repositories; to provide the highest quality services to institutions that lack in-house conservation and reformatting facilities, or those that seek specialized expertise; and to provide leadership in the preservation, conservation, and imaging fields. Its services include book, paper, and photograph conservation; digital reformatting; audio preservation; assessments and consultations; disaster assistance; and workshops and conferences. NEDCC is located in Andover, MA, twenty-five miles north of Boston. For more information, please visit www.nedcc.org.
Only persons with the legal right to work in the United States are eligible. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Application Process: To apply, please send resume, letter of intent, and names and contact information for three references in PDF format to: Mary Patrick Bogan, Director of Book Conservation, at mpbogan@nedcc.org.
For more information, visit: https://www.nedcc.org/assets/media/documents/2015BookConservator.pdf NEDCC is an equal opportunity employer.
____________________________________________ JOB – MANAGER OF AUDIO PRESERVATION SERVICES, Northeast Document Conservation Center (Andover, MA, USA) This position will remain open until filled. Background: The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) is in the process of expanding its digital audio preservation service for libraries, archives, and museums. This service will build upon NEDCC’s successful implementation of “IRENE,” the IMLS-funded optical scanning technology developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Library of Congress for digitizing grooved audio carriers. NEDCC is now investing in the additional facilities, equipment, and staffing to offer reformatting of audio content on magnetic and other obsolete media using more traditional approaches. NEDCC acknowledges the generous support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for underwriting both the business planning for, and the implementation of, its full audio preservation service. Position Summary: NEDCC is seeking an experienced audio preservation professional to lead its expanded Audio Preservation Services program. The new Manager of Audio Preservation Services will manage the day-to-day operations of the Audio Preservation Services department, which will use both the IRENE technology and traditional methods for digitally reformatting obsolete audio carriers, such as discs, cylinders, analog tapes, digital audio tapes, and unusual formats (e.g., tin foils, Dictabelts, etc.). NEDCC’s service will help fill a much-needed niche of providing 1:1 transfers with 100% quality control, particularly for those highly-valued collections that deserve a specialized (rather than high-throughput) workflow. Because NEDCC is a conservation center, its service will also place emphasis on the preservation of the carrier as well as its audio contents. In addition to digitization, NEDCC will offer collection- and item-level surveys, cleaning, treatment, and re-housing using vetted and transparent (i.e., non-proprietary) approaches. Responsibilities:
The Manager of Audio Preservation Services reports directly to the Executive Director, is a member of NEDCC’s senior management team, and is responsible for:
maintaining NEDCC’s reputation for care in handling of client materials and rigorously following best practices for digital audio preservation;
conferring with clients to evaluate their collections and develop appropriate specifications, workflows, and proposals for their projects;
cultivating prospective clients;
working closely with the heads of NEDCC’s conservation and digital imaging laboratories on joint projects;
hiring, training and supervising a staff of audio specialists and engineers;
setting and monitoring high standards for quality control and workflow;
developing new services to meet the evolving needs of clients;
continually upgrading equipment and software to provide the highest levels of quality and productivity; and
staying abreast of emerging technology by attending and actively participating in conferences held by professional and related associations such as IASA, AES, and ARSC.
Qualifications: Applicants should have: 1) detailed knowledge of, and hands-on experience in, all aspects of digitally preserving audio collections; 2) strong communication skills in listening to clients’ needs and clearly articulating proposed specifications; 3) excellent relationship-building skills; 4) strong production, management and supervisory skills to lead the staff in achieving the highest quality results in strict accordance with the best practices for digital audio preservation; and 5) a solid educational and/or experiential foundation related to digital reformatting in general and audio preservation in specific.
It is anticipated that the Audio Preservation Services department will receive an increasingly steady amount of work from large to small institutions as well as private clients whose primary concerns are quality of deliverables and care in handling. The department is projected to grow to full capacity over a three- to five-year timeline and be able to accommodate projects of most sizes and any complexity. In addition to the services referenced above, the new manager will be expected to explore and develop other specialty services to meet the needs of the library, archives, and museum communities. About NEDCC: Founded in 1973, the Northeast Document Conservation Center is the first nonprofit conservation center to specialize in the conservation and reformatting of paper-based materials. NEDCC’s mission is to improve the preservation efforts of libraries, archives, historical organization, museums, and other repositories; to provide the highest quality services to institutions that lack in-house conservation and reformatting facilities, or those that seek specialized expertise; and to provide leadership in the preservation, conservation, and imaging fields. Its services include book, paper, and photograph conservation; digital reformatting; audio preservation; assessments and consultations; disaster assistance; and workshops and conferences. NEDCC is located in Andover, MA, twenty-five miles north of Boston. For more information, please visit www.nedcc.org.
Only persons with the legal right to work in the United States are eligible. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Application Process: To apply, please send resume, letter of intent, and names and contact information for three references in PDF format to: Bill Veillette, Executive Director, bveillette@nedcc.org
For more information, visit: https://www.nedcc.org/assets/media/documents/2016AudioManager.pdf NEDCC is an equal opportunity employer.
____________________________________________ JOB – ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE CONSERVATOR, Kreilick Conservation (Philadelphia area, PA, USA)
Kreilick Conservation, LLC, is a private firm specializing in the conservation of architecture, sculpture, monuments, industrial artifacts,
and objects. We are seeking a qualified candidate with 3-5 years of experience to fill one full time position with our Philadelphia-area based
firm.
Responsibilities may include conducting condition assessments, research, field investigation and testing, treatment design and implementation, and report writing, as well as project management.
Qualifications for this position include a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from an accredited graduate program.
Strong analytical skills, flexibility and resourcefulness are necessary, as is proficiency in standard software including Microsoft Office Suite. Strong graphic skills also preferred, including proficiency in design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Sketchup and AutoCAD, or equivalent. Ability to work at heights (i.e. scaffolding and high-reach) is required.
The Conservator is expected to work independently and as a team member; and must display both excellent hand skills and strong communication skills. Travel is required.
Kreilick Conservation, LLC offers a salary/benefits package commensurate with experience and skill level.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and contact information for three professional references to Scott Kreilick at skreilick@kreilickconservation.com. Kreilick Conservation, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
–By Marianne Weldon, Objects Conservator and Collections Manager of the Art and Artifacts Collection, Bryn Mawr College
On Sunday, May 29, I attended the panel entitled Power to Preserve: Creating a Collection Care Culture moderated by Rebecca Fifield. This session was developed by AIC’s Collection Care Network (CCN) for the Collection Management track at the Annual Meeting of the American Alliance of Museums in Washington, D.C. The AAM Annual Meeting Theme for 2016 was Power, Influence, and Responsibility, encouraging exploration of “how the themes of power, influence and responsibility shape the work of museums in the U.S. and around the world”.
A goal of the presentation was to share influencing strategies to support development of collection care, as well as to highlight resources and partnerships available through AIC. The three presenters spoke of ways that they have been working at their institutions to foster relationships with partners within and outside their institution to better enable them to care for their collections. Maryanne McCubbin spoke to fostering aligned goals across an institution. She emphasized the importance in finding common ground among museum staff and that most people working in the museum are collections stewards in some way whether directly or indirectly. She outlined the importance of fostering that relationship with others that work in the museum in a variety of ways including:
Avoiding rhetoric and demystifying what collections staff are doing. Avoid terms that people won’t understand, such as agents of deterioration.
Being proactive and available so people don’t feel like they are bothering you or that you are too busy for them.
Provide frequent, regular, repeated communications on many levels and in many directions up and down the chain.
Make sure to demonstrate that you have the “big picture” in mind and that you understand and present things in an inter-disciplinary way.
Kathy Garrett-Cox spoke to the importance of working with community partners to enable smaller institutions to create a collection care culture beyond their institutions. At Maymont, an American estate in Richmond Virginia, the staff numbers 3 full-time and 3 part-time, which is small when considering the needs of institutions during emergency response. Garrett-Cox spoke about the formation of The Museum Emergency Support Team (MEST), which was formed by a group of small local organization in 2006 in response to Hurricane Katrina as an alliance for response to help to share resources, planning and training. She additionally outlined many specific examples of the way the group grew and changed over the years, introducing challenges associated with volunteer group continuity, what worked, and what didn’t. Patricia Silence works at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation where she manages the preventive conservation team of 20 members. She gave numerous examples of ways that demonstrated the power of communication strategies to strengthen staff partnerships in supporting collection care. Overall, these ideas helped create relationships where colleagues in other departments wanted to help further collection care. These strategies included:
Meeting with over 150 site interpreters and supervisors in small groups and explaining the reasons for temperature set points. This included a briefing on dew point and how they use temperature to reduce the possibility of having water in the walls. This has helped their facilities department get fewer calls regarding comfort issues.
Tracking the number of hours spent cleaning gum off of items and cleaning up soda spills in order to explain why these items should not be allowed in historic buildings with collections.
She emphasized the importance of expressing professional “needs and desires” in terms of value. Giving reasons beyond collections value when necessary and aligning the rationale with the goals of colleagues in other departments.
Additionally Patricia spoke of areas for improvement, where things haven’t gone as well as she would like. One specific example was in the area of excessive lighting, where additional buy-in by leadership and security staff is still needed.
As a result of all the panelists discussing both things that worked well and areas that needed improvement, discussion with the audience then centered around how we respond to hearing “NO” at our institutions and what are the most compelling arguments to win institutional support for preservation programs. Several members of the audience responded with ways that they build partnerships with allies within their institution or develop data to support their argument before again attempting to implement change.
The panelists presented a variety of examples, both successful and unsuccessful, to promote collection care cultures at their institutions. It contributed renewed energy to go back to our institutions to continue to forge stronger relationships to support collections care in a variety of creative ways.
Find out more information about the activities of AIC’s Collection Care Network.
SPEAKER BIOS:
Rebecca Fifield is Head of Collection Management for the Special Collections at the New York Public Library. She is a graduate of the George Washington University Museum Studies program and a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation. A 25-year veteran of large and small art and history institutions, she is Chair of AIC’s Collection Care Network and an Advisory Council Member of the Association of Registrars and Collections Specialists.
Maryanne McCubbin is Head, Strategic Collection Management at Museum Victoria. Maryanne has worked in archives and museums for close to thirty years. An expert in history and care of heritage collections, her work has centered on the development, care and preservation, use and interpretation of collections. Her current position involves addressing the big, tough issues around managing a major, complex state collection.
Patty Silence is Director of Preventive Conservation at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, responsible for preservation in the historic area, museums, storage, and loans. Her focus is on site maintenance, environmental management, emergency preparedness, exhibit preparation, pest control, and safe transport of collections. Patty has over 30 years of experience in encouraging colleagues to gain and use expertise in collections care.Kathy Garrett-Cox is Collection Manager of the Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island and formerly Manager of Historic Collections at Maymont in Richmond, Virginia, where she worked for 11 years. She currently serves as President of the Virginia Conservation Association and as Chair of the Richmond Area Museum Emergency Support Team. Kathy speaks frequently on coordination of conservation projects and writing disaster plans. She recently coordinated the Central Virginia Alliance for Response program.
There are only 2 days left to submit your specialty, joint, pre-session and workshop papers.
We would like to remind you that the final deadline is 11:59 p.m. onFriday, September 23, 2016. You still have time to submit your 500-word maximum paper abstracts, workshop proposals, and pre-session programming. How to apply
For more information on the theme of the Annual Meeting, the different types of programing and how to submit, please visit the Annual Meeting webpage. If you are ready to submit your abstract, pre-session, or workshop proposal please follow the links below to submit directly to our online system:
Submit an abstract for a General, Specialty, Joint Specialty, Interest Session, or Poster presentation
Construction projects have been on my mind lately and I thought this would be a good complement to Angela Chang’s presentation about her experiences during two major construction projects at the Straus Center (she spoke at the Conservation & Exhibition Planning: Material Testing for Design, Display, and Packing conference in DC in November 2015). Jeffrey Hirsch and Angela Matchica from Ewing Cole (an architect-design-engineering-planning firm) put together a clear and useful review of how conservators and collections care professionals can be active participants in a construction planning process. They took turns speaking, with Jeffrey giving an overview of each issue or area of collaboration, and Angela providing the in-practice examples from her experience as a lighting designer. The concrete examples were helpful in illuminating how collaboration goals can be translated into actual practice and decision making.
Jeffrey emphasized the complexity of the team on both sides of a museum construction project, with a wide variety of interests being represented. He noted that while those from Facilities departments are probably used to talking to architects and designers, the rest of the museum representatives may not initially be as comfortable, but need to make the time to stay at the table and speak up whenever they have questions. The slide below started out as just two dots – Design Team and Museum – and then grew and grew to encompass all the different roles that are part of the discussions around planning a new space or changes to an existing space.
In this diverse group, achieving consensus can be difficult, and knowing everyone’s individual needs is important. Angela discussed one instance in which repaired dinosaur skeletons were going on view, and light levels were initially assessed for the bones themselves, though it turned out that the most sensitive material present was the adhesive in the repairs. She also mentioned that they built a standalone mockup so that lighting levels could be experienced by all stakeholders, to get a real sense of what the space would feel like with different lighting, to achieve consensus. I thought this slide was helpful in illustrating all the sub-questions from different stakeholders that are a part of one major design decision.
Jeffrey noted that what looks like one construction project is really a number of simultaneous and interdependent projects – structural, exhibit design, conservation, and so on – all coming out of basically one pot of money. Scheduling all of this was likened to a symphony, in which it’s very difficult to get the multiple instruments to finish the piece at the same time.
As always, communication was underscored as the most essential element. Each group should be aware of how the other groups are progressing, and know if someone’s end date is shifting, and what that means for all the others. On this point, he stressed how important it was to have a contingency amount of funds specified in the budget very early on. Changes cost a lot more at the end then they do at the beginning, so it’s also important to assess all your options early on and make choices then, with full information about the long-term costs of each option. Here, Angela presented the choices between various types of light bulbs, some of which are low cost but require frequent replacement, while spending a bit more at the beginning can lead to major savings in time and materials later in the life of the building – value engineering.
The end message for all involved parties was to stay at the table, attend all meetings, read and familiarize yourself with all the minutes and notes, and keep track of what decisions are made. No sweat! I still feel like the only way to really know how to predict and prepare for all the things that can go wrong in a construction project is to go through one and learn from your own mistakes – but it was great to hear from the other side of the table, especially from a team that has a real sense of the wide-ranging and diverse concerns of working in a museum setting and the energy to work towards collaboration.
Image by Mariana Di Giacomo![Christine Frohnert and Reinhard Bek [Photo: Reinhard Bek]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/image-1.jpg)
![Christine Frohnert [Photo: Marlies Peller]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_2175-e1527178447657.jpg)
![Cathode Ray Tube monitor [Photo: Christine Frohnert]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/image-4.jpg)
![Yasmin Dessem (left) and Allie Whalen (right) cleaning and relubricating a Betacam deck. [Photo: Walter Urie]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Misc_00641.jpg)
![Lacquer disc cleaning and transfer workshop at the Instituto de Historia de Cuba in Havana, Cuba [Photo: Yasmin Dessem]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/yasmin.jpg)
![Perforation repair of 16 mm film [Photo: Yasmin Dessem]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Capture.png)
![Alexandra and Contract Video Engineer Maurice Schechter conduct a quality check (QC) on a video file. [Photo: Joanna Phillips]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/QC_Yang_Fudong.jpg)
![Image of a Skype interview with an artist, in which Alexandra and Contract Video Engineer Maurice Schechter discuss the audio channels of an artist-provided video file. [Photo: Alexandra Nichols]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/skype-call.jpg)
