Curriculum

Preservation & Conservation Studies Program

The Certificate of Advanced Study in Conservation of Library and Archival Materials

"emphasizes the application of conservation science and conservation treatment procedures".

Curriculum of Study*

Summer 2001

Two Library & Information Science courses

• Organizing and Providing Access to Information: this means Cataloging, i.e., the MARC
• Introduction to Research in Library & Information Science: a stunning exploration of statistics
... and what this mental exercise can produce, i.e., a huge, interactive, research paper

Fall 2001

Book Laboratory I: introduction to techniques

Technology & Structure of Materials: a survey of materials

Introduction to Preservation: just as it sounds, a survey of the field

Spring 2002

Conservation Chemistry I: the magic of the micelle, the tragedies of degradation,

the mysteries of paper revealed, ligno-hemicellulosic goo, and much more

Book Laboratory II: circulating collection repair, case bindings

Protection & Care of Records' Materials: for which the Environmental Monitoring Report was written

Management of Preservation Programs: for which a Needs Assessment Survey of a Private Collection was done

Summer 2002

Another Library & Information Science course

• Understanding & Serving Users: this means Reference, and issues relating to those who read

Fall 2002

Paper Laboratory I: introduction to treating paper materials

Conservation Chemistry II: more fun than can be described... solvents, enzymes, adhesives, media

Descriptive Bibliography: crosslisted with a graduate English course, for which the scrapbook research paper was written

Spring 2003

Book Laboratory III: special collections repair & historical models

Paper Laboratory II: advanced treatments

Preservation Reformatting: Microforms, Digitization, related issues. CT scanner project begins here.

Summer 2003

Fieldwork: Three month internship at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK

Fall 2003

Treatment Lab IV: more special collection repair & more models

Independent Study: with Olivia Primanis, Senior Conservator, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center;
scrapbook research, starting with a Condition Survey in the Performing Arts Collection at the HRHRC

Spring - Summer 2004

Seven month internship in the library at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY

August, 2004 = Graduation!

... job searching & incredible debt

* The curriculum changed during my first year, but my graduation requirements remained the same.