Conservation research in libraries is a rapidly growing field. This book places analysis within its context in conservation and provides examples of how this expensive resource can be used. Through a series of case studies, it describes major analytical procedures, including visualization, molecular, elemental and separation techniques as well as chemical tests. It is thus a suitable reference work for library conservators and curators. Please note: Despite careful production of our books, sometimes mistakes happen. Unfortunately, the authorship for some chapters wasn’t correct in the original publication. Chapter 5 was written by Andrew Beeby and David Howell as co-author, chapter 6 by Kelly Domoney and David Howell as co-author, and chapter 9 is authored by Anita Quye. This will be corrected. We apologize for the mistake.

Memory institutions such as libraries, archives, galleries and museums all share pressing concerns about preserving heritage, whether in the form of material and documentary cultural artefacts in collections, or in the form of new digitally born material. Recent incidents of natural disaster and cultural genocide, together with the global turn to digitization, have forced librarians, archivists and curators to rethink and restructure their primary modes of operation. Preservation management now sits at the top of the agenda for heritage institutions around the world, as collection development policies and practices are negotiated between libraries, museums, archives, funding agencies and governments. Historically separate cultural institutions are now converging to share limited resources, develop compatible ideologies and co-ordinate distributed collections. This forward-looking collection charts the diversity of preservation management in the contemporary information landscape, and offers guidance on preservation methods for the sustainability of collections from a range of international experts. The authors are connected to a wide international network of professional associations and NGOs, and have been selected not only for their specific expertise, but for the contribution they are making to the future of preservation management. The chapters cover: managing the documentary heritage: issues for the present and future preservation policy and planning intangible heritage: museums and preservation surrogacy and the artefact moving with the times in search of permanence a valuation model for paper conservation research preservation of audiovisual media: traditional to interactive formats challenges of managing the digitally born artefact preserving cultural heritage in times of conflict access and the social contract in memory institutions redefining 'the collection' in the 21st century. Readership: There is urgent need for heritage management initiatives and robust disaster planning that will safeguard our cultural heritage and recognize the right of the end-user to ownership of it. This is an informed and essential guide to managing collection and preservation strategies for anyone working in the library, archive, museum or broader cultural heritage sectors.

The conservation of cultural artefacts, such as buildings, works of art and books presents a fascinating, rich and diverse range of scientific challenges, and the UK has a high reputation in the field, based in large part on past achievements. However, the Committee's report finds that our national standing is now under threat as the sector is fragmented and under-valued, and the DCMS has completely failed to grasp the threat to heritage science, and thus to conservation. The Department's emphasis on widening public access to our cultural heritage is a laudable objective, but this policy needs to be balanced by effective conservation, based on sound science, if we are to leave a sustainable cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations. The Committee also calls on the heritage sector to come together in developing a broad-based national strategy for heritage science, to be championed at departmental level by the newly appointed DCMS Chief Scientific Adviser, and co-ordinated administratively by English Heritage, drawing on input from all bodies active in the sector including those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.