A series of training resources from the Preservation & Conservation Group
Hosted with Rowena Doughty ACR, Conservation Officer, Gwynedd Archive Service.
Gels have been widely used in a cross section of conservation practices for their different properties. This workshop will look at the properties of agar gels and how we can use this to minimise the risks of removing pressure sensitive tape from archival material. Firstly, we will look at the different types of agar, how to make up the solution, look at examples and lastly a quick look at pH Testing.
Rowena graduated with a BA in Art from the University of Reading and an MA in Heritage Management from Bangor University before training as an Archive Materials Conservator at Gwynedd Archive Service’s Conservation Unit for 4 years. She completed the ARA Certificate in Archive Conservation in 2011 and in 2018 became an accredited member of ICON.
Hosted with Zoë Reid A-ICRI, Senior Conservator, National Archives of Ireland.
Ever tried using gelatine as a cold adhesive? What to give it a try? Join us to learn about using gelatine as a cold paste rather than a warm liquid. We will start with a guide to make the gelatine solution and then transform it from a solid gel into a granular paste. We will consider application methods and tips for storage before concluding with a look at the benefits of using this adhesive on archival documents.
Zoë Reid is the senior conservator in Ireland's National Archives, where she has worked since 2002 and specialises in the conservation of historic documents. Zoë became an accredited conservator through the Institute of Conservators-Restorers in Ireland (ICRI) in 2000 and over the past 25 years has been a course provider in collection care and disaster management, and collections recovery.
Hosted by Victoria Stevens ACR, Director-conservator Library & Archive Conservation & Preservation Ltd.
This workshop will show participants the various options for rigid gel preparation and application for poulticing and cleaning, and will include Gellan Gum and Xanthan gel. The materials will be introduced before looking at the different applications under comparative test conditions, including a control of blotter washing, local resizing and the use of gels as a carrier for other solvents, as well as the question of pH and residues.
Victoria is a library and archive conservator accredited by ICON. She has worked in written heritage conservation for over 20 years, mainly in the central library and college collections of the University of Oxford but also in museum, educational and religious libraries and archives. She manages her own UK-wide conservation practice and preservation consultancy from her lovely studio in Reading, UK.
