Conservation Center - for Art and Historic Artifacts

The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts provides lectures, seminars, and workshops for both the general public and professional audiences. CCAHA workshops are developed primarily for professional staff, such as curators, collections managers, archivists, librarians, or others who have primary responsibility for the care and handling of artifacts.

If you would like to schedule a workshop from the list below, please call our Education Program Manager, Robin Berenholz at rberenholz@ccaha.org.

Building Environments and Basic Care

This workshop focuses on the issues involved in providing basic care for collections and working towards maintaining environmental conditions that prolong the life of collections, including the building, climate control, light, air quality, housekeeping, pest management, stack maintenance, and handling.

Construction of Book Supports for Use in Exhibitions

Responsible exhibition of books requires the use of exhibit mounts and supports to protect them from damage. This is a hands-on session to learn how to construct supports for use in exhibitions. Safe construction materials and mount design will be discussed.

Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Workshop

This workshop will cover the following topics: the disaster planning process and how to successfully write a disaster plan for your collections; hazard mitigation; initial response activities; and practical recovery techniques for water and fire-damaged materials. Information on sources of assistance and service providers will be available. A hands-on component can be included to demonstrate recovery techniques for water-damaged paper materials.

Environmental Monitoring: The Ups and Downs

The provision of stable environmental conditions (temperature and relative humidity levels) that meet conservation standards is always a top priority for the care of collections. Documentation of existing environmental conditions in all exhibitions is necessary to develop appropriate solutions to the establishment of a stable environment. This program will focus on determining monitoring goals and analyzing the data.

This is a half-day workshop.

Housing Solutions for Paper-Based Artifacts

This one day hands-on workshop will instruct the participants in the construction of simple housing methods, which may include encapsulations, simple enclosures, four flap folders, book cradles, and clam shell boxes. Included will be a discussion of archival matting.

Protective Enclosures for Simple Storage Solutions

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to make simple enclosures for paper artifacts, including four flap folders, boxes, and rolled storage. Selection of storage materials will be reviewed.

All collection of items should be stored in ways that minimize damage. The use of proper storage materials is crucial for ensuring the long-term preservation of collections.

This is a half-day workshop.

The Care and Handling of Photographs

This workshop on preserving photographs is illustrated with slides of conservation treatments. This workshop will include an overview of the history of photography and photoprocesses, including examples of common types of deterioration. Examples of appropriate storage and housing materials will be displayed and discussed.

The Care of Maps, Posters, and Oversize Artifacts

In this one day workshop, participants will learn the basic level of skills required to care for oversize paper items such as architectural drawings, maps, and works of art. The presentation includes a review of the characteristics of oversize paper objects and common preservation and handling problems. The workshop will examine storage planning and furniture. A variety of simple storage treatment housings that can be made in-house will be demonstrated and discussed.

The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval: Cleaning the Book Stacks

Good and consistent housekeeping is the first defense for pest and insect control, and clean storage areas, exhibition areas and book stacks significantly aid in the long-term preservation of collections. This program will help institutions develop a housekeeping plan for various types of collections and will address proper cleaning supplies, recommended methods for cleaning, and staffing needs.

Understanding Mold Outbreaks

This workshop gives an understanding of how and why mold blooms occur and gives strategies for prevention. The immediate responses to inactivate an outbreak are reviewed in addition to follow-up procedures to prevent future outbreaks. The health and safety hazards of mold are also underscored.

Half-day workshop