Preventive conservation

Knitting, coding, and the stars: caring for a time-based media artwork in a library collection – Part 2

Knitting, coding, and the stars: caring for a time-based media artwork in a library collection – Part 2

October 9, 2023

Collection Care, Conservation, Preventive conservation:

Through a two-part blog, gain a behind-the-scenes insight into ‘Stargazing’, a contemporary multimedia artwork that was the centrepiece of the Library’s Handmade Universe exhibition. Learn about the process of preparing it for display, a preventive conservation treatment undertaken once the artwork was deinstalled, and considerations for its care and future access.

Preserving the Saunders Family Archive

Preserving the Saunders Family Archive

June 27, 2023

Collection Care, Preservation, Preventive conservation:

The Saunders Family Archive offers an enticing glimpse into the ordinary lives of a working-class family in Melbourne from the early 20th century. Alongside papers and photographs sits an array of objects and textiles that were saved and reused many times over as was befitting of the times. In this blog, the Preservation team shares insights into the work involved in rehousing this extraordinary collection.

Baron Ferdinand von Mueller’s Educational Collections of Australian Plants

Baron Ferdinand von Mueller’s Educational Collections of Australian Plants

May 26, 2023

Collection Care, Preservation, Preventive conservation:

Baron Ferdinand von Mueller served as Government Botanist and Director of the Botanical Gardens in the mid-1800s. He compiled and published ‘The Educational Collections of Australian Plants’ (1873-1876), motivated by a desire to bring botany to the masses. The Library’s edition was recently rehoused by our Preservation team.

A-Z of Collection Care

A-Z of Collection Care

February 24, 2023

Collection, Collection Care, Conservation, Digitisation, Preservation, Preventive conservation, Registration and loans, Tips and tricks:

Curious about the effects of light or the stories behind old repairs? Ever wondered why old books yellow over time? Keen for a peek behind the scenes of Library exhibitions? Read on!

Collection Care from home

Collection Care from home

May 26, 2020

Collection Care, Conservation, Our stories, Preservation, Preventive conservation:

The majority of the work undertaken by Collection Care staff requires physical access to the collections. The recent Library closure as a result of COVID-19 has meant staff are unable to access studios and labs for the time being, prompting a re-imagining of how they normally approach their roles.

Preservation: caring for our collections

Preservation: caring for our collections

December 1, 2016

Collection Care, Our stories, Preventive conservation:

The Library’s Preservation team work to ensure the ongoing care, preservation and access of our collections. Here the team bring you inside their work, from the quarantine room where items are checked for pests and mould, to the preservation studio where an average of 50,000 items are re-housed in any given year.