Introduction

Conservation and preservation are an essential part of our function of caring for Devon’s documentary heritage. Merely collecting documents into a repository will not ensure their survival for future generations, and a programme of measures which provides for their physical safety and stability is implemented.

Dartmouth Borough Court Book before treatment

and after treatment

The context

The conservation and preservation needs of documents and collections are assessed according to several criteria:

• their historical value

• their contribution and relationship to the archival collection as a whole

• the level of public demand for them

• their physical condition and susceptibility to deterioration.

Conservation staff consult regularly with archivists and other search-room staff, both at staff meetings and informally, and visits are regularly made to the North Devon Record Office and the Exeter Cathedral Archives, to compile and update surveys of the physical condition and environment of collections.

Conservation

Conservation consists of the minimum necessary treatment to archives to stabilise them, prolong their life, and render them fit to be used, without compromising their integrity, in accordance with British Standard 4971, Recommendations for repair and allied processes for the conservation of documents.

Techniques are continually developing and changing, and keeping abreast of these is not an optional extra. Conservation staff regularly attend conferences, seminars, and training courses, in order to learn about new discoveries and procedures, and to pass these on to other staff.

Preservation

Preservation is wide-ranging and covers a number of areas and activities, all of which come under the provisions of British Standard 5454, Recommendations for the storage and exhibition of archival documents:

• monitoring of strongroom environment (temperature, relative humidity, infestation, lighting) and maintenance of buildings

• training of staff in handing and good practice

• replacement of old or inappropriate storage boxes and containers

• packaging all new deposits

• repackaging existing collections according to an established programme

• specialised packaging and storage for photographic prints and negatives, and development of a photographic collection

• inspecting collections and carrying out condition surveys

• cleaning individual documents, collections, containers, and whole strongroom

• keeping up-to-date disaster plans

A guide to preservation and conservation of documents  - Stopping the Rot  - has been produced by the Conservation Studio of the Devon Record Office, Exeter.  To read an on-line version of this guide, please visit Stopping the Rot