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Care for my Collection
Caring for and conserving a collection is one of the most important roles of a museum, archive or library. According to the Museums Association, good collections care ensures, 'that objects in a collection are stored, displayed and handled in a way that promotes preservation'.
Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive of Icon, the Institute of Conservation, says, “there have been huge advances in recent years in the science, technologies and expertise available to care for collections. Institutions now have unprecedented opportunities to preserve and present their holdings to maximum effect'.
Collections Care encompasses both ‘preservation' and ‘conservation'. Sometimes these two terms are used by staff in libraries, archives and museums to mean very similar things.
Preservation
This term is commonly used in libraries and archives to refer to the process of caring for collections. It encompasses everything from packaging and creating the right atmospheric conditions through to commissioning running repairs or full conservation and preventing theft, vandalism and damage - often in historic buildings that weren't designed with the sustainable preservation of materials in mind.
Conservation
This term covers the range of activities relating to the management of change to our heritage. Conservation is about minimising long-term risk by understanding and controlling the way objects are stored, transported and displayed to ensure collections have the best chance of survival into the future. It is often divided into two categories:
- Preventive conservation aims to provide the right environment and conditions for an object to minimize its deterioration. It is very similar in meaning to preservation and is commonly used by those working in museums; it includes activities such as handling, packing, housekeeping and pest management.
- Interventive, or remedial conservation involves cleaning or stabilising an object to slow deterioration and safeguard its future. It can also involve an element of restoration for aesthetic or practical purposes.
Condition and collection surveys are an important part of conservation planning. They help to inform both preventive and remedial conservation needs and are often used as part of preparing a bid for funding of collections care projects.
Getting Started
The Scottish Museums Council provides an excellent introduction to conservation and collections care, what they are and why they matter:
What is Collections Care? (SMC) 
The Effects of Storage and Display Materials on Museum Objec (SMC)
Conservation Quality Materials
It is recommended that you use 'conservation' or 'museum' or ‘archival' quality materials for protecting and wrapping objects. They are non-technical term implying that materials are both durable and chemically stable and so less likely to harm your collection..
The Accreditation Resource Directory on Collections Link contains resources which are useful whether or not you are applying for accreditation. Go to 2.4 Collections and associated information and Section four: Collections management for more resources.
Standards in the Museum Care of Collections
The ‘Standards in the Museum Care of Collections' series, although now several years old, is still widely regarded as the best source of professional standards for caring for different types of collection.
Benchmarks in Collection Care
Benchmarks in Collection Care is a self-assessment checklist to help you identify how well you are caring for your collections, give an indication of where and what improvements might be needed, and provide a practical framework for measuring future progress.
How do I ... ?
Conserve Objects
- Find out about remedial conservation, condition surveys, choosing a conservator and caring for different collections.
Improve my Environment
- Environmental monitoring, pest management and housekeeping are covered in this section.
Preserve Library and Archive Materials
- Whether you work in the archives and libraries sector, hold archives in your museum or want to know how to care for books and documents at home, this section contains a wealth of advice.
Search by Subject Specialism
- If you are looking for information on caring for a particluar type of object or collection, the pages here can lead you to useful resources, ranging from basic advice to more detailed guidance.
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