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Conservation

Core Conservation

LHSA has spent the last nine years establishing a conservation profile and now has an active programme of preservation and conservation work funded by the annual budget. This ranges from surveys to determine the condition of all or parts of the collections to preventive conservation measures to stabilise and, where possible, improve the climate in which the collections are housed, for example environmental monitoring and re-housing. Interventive treatment of individual items is also undertaken as necessary, for example conserving bound volumes and architectural plans. Supplementary work includes photographic and written documentation, writing applications for external funding, and disseminating the results of LHSA’s core and project work via presentations, publications, workshops and tours.

Access to the collections is also supported through the preservation and conservation programme. Examples include the provision of guidelines and training on handling, the production of surrogates or substitutes as necessary, and the preparation and installation of exhibitions.

Core conservation work may be undertaken in-house or contracted-out to specialist commercial companies depending on the material nature and quantity of items to be treated, the treatment required and the availability of funds from the annual budget. All core preservation and conservation work is governed by the LHSA Preservation and Conservation Policy and adheres to professional standards and best practice for both treatment and documentation.