In 2018, the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries upgraded from a tired, twenty-year-old basement space to a new, purpose-built conservation lab for library and archives collections. The new conservation lab, which is housed in the special collections and archives library, quadrupled available lab space for its conservators and fleet of student employees. The move afforded Conservation space in the same library as the most vulnerable collection materials. In addition, rooms in the special collections and archives library were repurposed for audiovisual (AV) preservation, creating two new spaces for film and video workflows and upgrading an existing small audio room. This paper will discuss the conservation and preservation lab construction literature and will serve as a practical exemplar of the challenges and successes of the planning process, including lessons learned and unexpected benefits.
AngelettiMichael. 2014. “Sustaining Playback through Techno-Archaeology: A VTR Refurbishment Project.” Stanford Digital Repository. Accessed May 31, 2014. http://purl.stanford.edu/nv468td2285.
BakerWhitney. 2019. “A Comparison of Standard Practice Treatments in Research Library Book Conservation, 2007 to 2017.” Library Resources and Technical Services63 (2): 82–103.
SamBrylawskiLermanMayaPikeRobinSmithKathlin, eds. 2015. ARSC Guide to Audio Preservation. CLIR Publication 164. Eugene, OR: Association for Recorded Sound Collections; Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information Resources; Washington, DC: National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. http://www.arsc-audio.org/guidelines/ARSC_Guide_Audio_Preservation_5_27.pdf.
9.
CaldwellHeather S.2012. “Ergonomic Considerations for Furniture and Equipment in Book and Paper Conservation Laboratories.” In Planning and Constructing Book and Paper Conservation Laboratories: A Guidebook, edited by TeperJennifer HainAlstromEric, 133–9. Washington, DC: American Library Association.
CoccioloAnthony. 2017. Moving Image and Sound Collections for Archivists. Chicago: Society of American Archivists.
12.
ConnDonia. 2012. “Project Management for the Construction of Conservation Laboratories.” In Planning and Constructing Book and Paper Conservation Laboratories: A Guidebook, edited by TeperJennifer HainAlstromEric, 1–14. Washington, DC: American Library Association.
DaleRobinGertzJanetPeekRichardRoosaMark. 1998. Audio Preservation: A Selective Annotated Bibliography and Brief Summary of Current Practices. Chicago: American Library Association, Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, Preservation and Reformatting Section, Photographic and Recording Media Committee, Audio Preservation Task Force. http://www.ala.org/alcts/sites/ala.org.alcts/files/content/resources/preserv/audiopres.pdf.
RowleyGordonHanthornIvan. 1996. “Designing a Conservation Treatment Facility: Charting a Course into a Less Familiar Region of Planning for Libraries.” Journal of Academic Librarianship22 (2): 97–104.
TeperJennifer HainAlstromEric. 2012. Planning and Constructing Book and Paper Conservation Laboratories: A Guidebook. Washington, DC: American Library Association.
Yale University Library. 2016. “Before and After: Experiences from Newly Built and Renovated Conservation Laboratories.” Jack (‘47) and Betsy O’Neill Preservation Lecture, Preservation Lecture Series. YouTube, filmed May 5, 2016, Accessed December 15, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwB8H00Brb0&feature=youtu.be.
