British Library / West Dean college partnership Courses 2016

West Dean College has collaborated with the British Library to deliver a programme of courses in preservation and collection care for libraries. The programme focuses on Continued Professional Development and is aimed at professionals, conservation students and others interested in furthering their skills in this area. For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.

Environment: effective monitoring & management
Jane Henderson
BL16 8 June 2016
Location: The British Library, London

Avoiding a 'one size fits all' approach to environmental parameters, this training day helps you to understand the vulnerabilities and tolerances of your collections and then shows how to set realistic and achievable targets that are appropriate to the materials in your care and the resources available to you. At the end of the day you will be in a strong position to take cost-effective decisions and prioritise actions for maintaining a sustainable environment. The training day is aimed at people with responsibility for the care of library and archive collections, and is led by Jane Henderson, Senior Lecturer in Conservation at Cardiff University.

Course fee: £116
For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.

Dust, dirt: strategies for prevention & management
Caroline Bendix
BL17 15 June 2016
Location: The British Library, London

Dust is a constant presence in most libraries and archives and can be harmful to collections. This training day will focus on understanding the nature of dust and the threat it poses, as well as means by which dust can be cleaned and how collections may be protected from it. At the end of the day delegates will have:

• a clear understanding of how dust forms and from what it is made.
• practical knowledge of cleaning collections.
• awareness of health and safety issues.
• the ability to identify pest and mould damage.
• details of various methods of protecting against dust.
• the ability to set up a housekeeping programme.
• an understanding of using volunteers to help clean collections. 

Course fee: £128
For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.

Essential preservation
Ruth Honeybone, Sarah-Jane Hamlyn
BL18 1 July 2016
Location: The British Library, London

Preservation is a means of ensuring that collections can be used for the long-term. This workshop focuses on the preservation of library and archive collections, with an emphasis on traditional, paper-based collections. The day introduces common terminology and standards, highlights risks to collections, and describes simple steps for minimising those risks. It is targeted at those who are new to the preservation of library and archive collections, and includes group exercises and discussion sessions to address individual needs.

By the end of the day, participants will be able to:

• define what is meant by preservation.
• identify the main threats to library and archive collections.
• identify factors to consider when storing and handling items.
• find other sources of information to support their preservation work.

Course fee: £128
For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.

Preservation Assessment Survey Workshop
Julia Foster, Paul Garside
Ref: BL19 15 September 2016
Location: The British Library, London

Preservation Assessment Survey Workshop designed for library and archive staff (no previous knowledge of preservation is required), the workshop introduces a variety of collection survey methods, explains the benefits of carrying out a survey, provides options for selecting a sample and includes a practical session allowing attendees to plan, measure, and compile survey data. Participants have successfully used the results of collection and condition surveys to support funding bids and to inform internal planning and budgeting for preservation. For further information about the course, please contact the Course Organiser: +44 (0)1243 818219 or [email protected]

Course fee: £128.00
For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.

Preventing pests by IPM
David Pinniger
Ref: BL20 9 November 2016
Location: The British Library, London

Led by David Pinniger, Independent Consultant Entomologist, this one-day workshop provides an introduction to preventing pests through use of integrated pest management. The course is aimed at anyone with any involvement with, or responsibility for care of libraries, archives and collections. Technical handouts will be given to support the course.

Course objectives:

1. To introduce the main insect pests which attack collections. What they need to live. How to identify them. The damage they cause. Ways to prevent them becoming established
2. Understanding pest environments.
3. Selecting the most appropriate treatments to control pests.
4. Making plans to establish an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme.

Course fee: £128
For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.

Preserving Historic Photographs
Susie Clark
Ref: BL21 17 November 2016
Location: The British Library, London

Photographic collections are found in libraries, archives and museums all over the world. Their sensitivity to environmental conditions, and the speed with which images can deteriorate present special challenges. This one day training session is led by Susie Clark, accredited photographic conservator. It is aimed at those with responsibility for the care of photographic collections regardless of institutional context. The day provides an introduction to understanding and identifying photographic processes and their vulnerability, information on common conservation problems and solutions, and the preservation measures that can be taken to prolong the life and accessibility of photographic collections. Contact with real examples of different photographic processes is an important feature of this training session which is therefore limited to only 16 places. At the end of the day participants will be able to:

• identify historic photographic processes.
• explain how damage is caused.
• implement appropriate preservation measures.
• commission conservation work.

For further information about the course, please contact the Course Organiser: +44 (0)1243 818219 or [email protected]

Course fee: £128
For booking information please see West Dean short course web pages here.