Student Blog: University of Michigan Library

​The conservation lab at the University of Michigan Library has been brimming with activity over the past three months of my third-year internship: rehousing manuscript folios, preparing for new 2022 exhibitions, treating recent collection donations, and so much more. The University of Michigan Library hosts a collection of over 16 million items across 15 locations, and as part of the Preservation and Conservation Department, the conservation lab is responsible for the preservation and maintenance of all of these collections. My internship has been filled with opportunities to hone my hand skills, learn new treatment techniques, and even host a bookbinding workshop!

​I started my internship working on a 19th-century publishers' binding, The House Servant's Directory: A Monitor for Private Families, and a two-volume set of 18th-century books on the French military, L'ecole de Mars. Both projects had the same goal to stabilize the books so they could be handled, yet provided the opportunity for me to use different treatment materials and techniques. One such technique, developed by conservator Andrew Honey and named the “Honey Hollow", utilized a molded spine former and slotted textile lining to help support the detached leather on both volumes of L'ecole de Mars. Finding a way to address both future use by researchers and the preservation of original materials and structures is common for library conservators, especially when collections are frequently used.​

A totally new experience for me was treating papyrus, an ancient material used for written documents originating in Egypt around 3000 BCE. The University of Michigan has the largest collection of papyri in North America, including: papyrus fragments, papyrus rolls and their clay seals, and items made from papyrus such as sandals and binding boards. My treatments were on small papyrus fragments found at archaeological dig sites. These fragments are often in a variety of conditions, with some being quite flat and stable while others are rolled up tightly and show signs of insect damage. The fragments I treated have not yet been translated by Papyrologists, but it is exciting to know that they could provide a researcher important information in the future.​​

My treatment work will continue with more papyrus fragments, three manuscript folios, 17th- and 18th-century parchment bindings, a set of three volumes of 19th-century German botanical prints, two 20th-century pop-up books, and (much to my delight!) six pocket-sized books dating from 1633-1809. It has been a privilege to be able to get to work on such a diverse collection, especially in getting to learn from the conservators here at the University of Michigan. I enjoy treating a little bit of everything, and I can’t wait to keep learning and growing while here at Michigan!​

— Jess Ortegon​​, WUDPAC Class of 2022​​​​​