Art conservation students gain hands-on experience at UD Library

​​​​Undergraduate students in two fall semester art conservation classes have been working on hands-on conservation projects in partnership with the UD Library’s​ Special Collections.​ From an article by Ann Manser for UDaily entitled Special Projects in Special Collections:

The 15 students in ARTC 301, “Conservation: Environmental Conditions,” spent the semester conducting a survey and assessment of the environmental conditions for the storage and management of special collections. They analyzed a year’s worth of temperature and humidity measurements in Morris Library and took light readings to assess the collections’ exposure to potentially damaging conditions.

In ARTC 464, “Photograph Conservation,” the seven students wrote treatment reports and then conducted supervised cleaning and conservation on 19th century photographs of Native Americans and also worked on photographs that were stuck to glass. The class then studied another group of photographs, 20th century portraits from the Beverley Nichols papers, and curated an exhibit focusing on the conservation issues involved in them.

ARTC 301 was taught by Vicki Cassman, associate professor, and ARTC 464 by Barbara Lemmen, an adjunct faculty member, both in the Department of Art Conservation. Both classes worked in the library with L. Rebecca Johnson Melvin, librarian and head of the Manuscripts and Archives Department in Special Collections.

Students from both classes wrote reports and gave presentations about their work to staff members in special collections.

The assessments of environmental conditions found fluctuations in temperature and humidity, often apparently related to times the University was closed during holidays. The students recommended such actions as installing electronic monitors to record more thorough and precise data so that plans could be made for tighter environmental controls.

Class members also measured ultraviolet (UV) light exposure in the areas where special collections exhibits are on display and recommended additional UV filters and rearranging some items to minimize possible damage.

To read the full UDaily article, click here​.