I'm excited to share the uniqueness of two fascinating items I worked on during my time with the Conservation for Digitisation Team as part of my internship, and to discuss a specific conservation treatment that proved to be both effective and insightful.  

The items in question are part of the Murray Collection at the British Library and are currently being digitised as part of the Murray Digitisation Project. These items are believed to be among the few surviving examples of Buddhist literature written in Arakanese from the eighteenth century (see Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4).

Figure 1 - Add. MS. 12253-C. ĀNUSĀRA - Instructions and Injunctions. Front page.

 

Figure 2 - Add. MS. 12253-C. ĀNUSĀRA - Instructions and Injunctions. View of inner pages.

 

Figure 3 - Add. MS. 12253-F. LŌKA DHAMMA. Front page.

 

Figure 4 - Add. MS. 12253-F. LŌKA DHAMMA. View of inner pages.

Each item consists of loose pages made from two pieces of paper glued together with an adhesive that, in some cases, had ceased to be effective, causing some of the leaves to delaminate at the edges (see Fig. 5). 

Figure 5 - Add. MS. 12253-C. Page delamination at edges

The aim of the project was to prepare these items for digitisation. Therefore, my focus was on reattaching the layers of the partially separated pages to prevent further damage or complete separation during handling by non-conservation-trained staff throughout the digitisation process. To achieve this with minimal intervention, I used V-hinges made of tissue to reattach the partially separated pages from the inside at the edges, rather than gluing the two layers of paper directly back together. 

Here’s a detailed look at the four-step process I followed: 

1. Surface Cleaning: 

• Prior to the adhesion of any V-hinges, a surface cleaning process using smoke sponges was carried out on the areas where adhesive was to be applied, in order to avoid possible tide lines.
  

2. Cutting and Preparing the V-Hinges: 

• After preparing remoistenable Tengujo Japanese tissue a 1:1 solution of Methylcellulose (MC) and Wheat Starch Paste (WSP), these were cut into several 1 cm² squares (see Fig. 6)

Figure 6 - Preparing 1cm² tissue squares for the V-hinges.

3. Attaching the First Side of the V-Hinges: 

• For the initial attachment of the squares onto one of the two paper leaves comprising each page, I focused on working with only one half of each tissue square, ensuring the other side extended beyond the edge of the paper to be adhered later onto the partnering paper of each page. To do this, each square was placed onto a Melinex piece with the adhesive side facing up, where only half of its adhesive surface was reactivated.
  To achieve this, moisture could have been applied to the desired area to re-activate the MC and WSP solution due to its water-based nature. However, in this instance, I opted to apply an additional layer of the solution to further enhance its adhesive strength (see Fig. 7). 

Figure 7 - Reactivating the adhesive by impregnating half of each tissue square with the 1:1 MC and WSP solution

• Since the treatment aimed to create V-hinges to reconnect the two leaves of paper comprising each page, only one half of each square was reactivated and adhered to the inside edges of the lower paper, leaving the other half of the square extending beyond the leaf (see Fig. 8). 

Figure 8- Add. MS. 12253-F. A tissue square is partially adhered to the inside edge of the lower leaf, with the other half extending beyond the leaf's edge

• The number of squares adhered varied based on the extent of delamination on each page, ensuring sufficient adhesion to keep the two leaves together. 

• A piece of Bondina, a blotter, and a light weight were placed on the area where a hinge was adhered to enhance the drying process and prevent possible paper deformation (see Fig. 9).
  

Figure 9 - Add. MS. 12253-F. Bondina and blotter placed between the delaminated leaves over a newly adhered tissue square, with light weights on top to aid drying and prevent paper deformation

4. Attaching the Second Side of the V-Hinges: 

• Once the first half of the V-hinges had dried, a strip of Melinex was inserted between the leaves of paper and placed onto the adhered half of a square, folding the “untouched” half of the tissue square over itself and the Melinex strip towards the inside of the page (see Fig. 10). Then, the other half of the square tissues was adhered to the upper leaf of paper following the same method as for the first half.
  
  
  

  Figure 10 - Add. 1253-F. The second half of a tissue square is folded over itself and a Melinex strip, ready to be adhered to the upper leaf by reactivating the adhesive on this side of the tissue
  
  
  By inserting a Melinex strip between both halves of a V-hinge during the adhesion of the second side, I prevented the two papers from sticking together as the adhesive dried, ensuring the adhesive on the upper side did not interfere with the one already attached to the lower paper (see Fig. 11).  

Figure 11 - An outline of a tissue V-hinge structure, designed to enhance understanding of the treatment process

• Again, a piece of Bondina, a blotter, and a light weight were placed on the area where a hinge was adhered to improve the drying process and avoid possible paper deformation. 

5. Finalizing the Attachment: 

• After the adhesive dried, the Melinex strip was easily removed, as nothing adheres to it, and the process was repeated for each V-hinge (see Fig. 12).
  
  
  

  Figure 12 - Ana examining Add. MS. 12253-F for delamination within its pages
  
  
  Although this technique is commonly used in conservation mounting, it was exciting to apply it as conservation-stabilisation work. I appreciated how this technique respected the current condition of the items and the effects of time on them, while also serving to structurally stabilise the partially delaminated pages, preventing further damage during the digitisation process, and preserving their original appearance. Similarly, this technique allows access to the inner area between leaves of paper if a researcher needs to investigate the original adhesive used. In such cases, a conservator could easily slit the V-hinges at the fold and reopen the leaves of paper that were held together by the tissue hinges. 

My name is Ana, and I am delighted to introduce myself as the conservation intern at the British Library Centre for Conservation (BLCC). I began this enriching journey in March 2024, and since then, I have been gaining invaluable experience in the field I am deeply passionate about: book conservation. 

Allow me to provide a brief overview of my professional background. In 2020, amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I completed my BA in Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. During my studies, I developed a strong interest in book conservation, which I further specialized in through a Graduate Diploma and an MA in Conservation Studies of Books and Library Materials at West Dean College in the UK. 

Upon completing my academic training, I was thrilled to embark on this professional chapter at the British Library. This Funded Conservation Internship has been a remarkable opportunity to work alongside leading experts in the field, enabling me to establish my career within such a prestigious institution. 

A distinctive feature of my internship was its rotational structure. Approximately every six weeks, I transitioned between various teams, which allowed me to collaborate with different professionals, learn from their diverse expertise, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the operations within the BLCC’s departments, which significantly enhanced my professional development in book conservation (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Ana working on an illuminated Persian Manuscript as part of her internship at the British Library

I have had the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects, including the conservation of three small children's leather books, a 15th-century Persian manuscript (see Fig. 2), a 19th-century Daoist Rituals manuscript, and six notebooks belonging to G.K. Chesterton.

My work has also involved the preservation of Arakanese Buddhist manuscripts from the Murray Collection for digitisation, as well as volumes from the Adam Matthew Digitisation Project.

Additionally, I rebounded a volume from the Cotton Collection containing fire-damaged pages from the Ashburnham House fire of 29 October 1731.

I have also collaborated with colleagues from the Preventive Department on the preparation of the Medieval Women exhibition and assisted in the conservation and preparation of various items for a touring exhibition. 

Fig. 2: Ana testing pigment solubility on an illumination from a Persian manuscript

Working on such diverse items and alongside experienced professionals has allowed me to deepen my knowledge of various materials and different conservation techniques through hands-on experience. This has refined my decision-making skills, enabling me to approach new projects with greater confidence, adaptability, and a more strategic perspective, while also fostering greater independence in my work. 

 

As my internship comes to an end, I feel more confident in my conservation skills and look forward to applying this newly acquired knowledge to future projects and experiences at the British Library as a book conservator and a contributing member of the team. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the British Library and my line manager, Zoë Miller, for this incredible opportunity, and to Dr Lars Atkin, whose generous support made this dream possible. 

I will forever be grateful for the experiences and knowledge gained during this internship, and I look forward to carrying these lessons with me throughout my conservation career.

In the British Library / Qatar Foundation Project, the Conservation team works closely with the Imaging team. In Phase 4 of the program, new challenges emerged, such as the presence of oversized, attached foldouts in books. These foldouts present unique challenges not only for the Conservation team in terms of handling and treatment but also for the Imaging team when handling and digitising. As the number of foldouts increases within the collection, the Conservation and Imaging teams have worked together to reassess the risk of damage during the digitisation process and handling. 

In a skills-sharing workshop held this March between the Conservation and Imaging teams, one key issue discussed was the difficulty of practically supporting oversized, attached foldouts during digitisation in a standardised, quick, and stable manner. This workshop offered an opportunity to brainstorm solutions and initiate a collaborative effort to create a tool to address this problem by combining the expertise of both fields. Past collaborations between Conservation and Imaging within this project have already yielded innovative tools, such as the widely used book cradle support designed and built by Flavio Marzo.

Fig. 1 Example of an attached foldout

Previously, imaging technicians used an ad hoc technique for supporting oversized, attached foldouts during digitisation. This involved cutting smaller foam pieces, assembling them into a larger structure, and placing photography paper on top to create a stable surface. These structures were improvised on the spot, leading to inconsistent results and varying preparation times. 

After reviewing previous methods and studying the digitisation process for oversized foldouts, the team documented key details such as item positioning, available space, options for secure support, and the unfolding process for foldouts. With these factors in mind and following several meetings and discussions with the Imaging team, Conservation proposed a new model designed to standardise the process, offering greater stability and efficiency suitable for a large-scale digitisation project. 

The main principle of the proposal involved creating two L-shaped foam pieces positioned around the item, with an extension piece to form a surrounding C-shape. The idea is that the L-shape would have enough width to compensate for any gaps in between when the foldout is unfolded.

Here is a simple model of the initial idea: 

Fig.2, 3, 4, 5: L-shapes placed around the item with and without extension piece, and with and without foldout

After finalizing the design, I began cutting the foam into the L-shapes with Armando Ribeiro, the Senior Imaging Technician leading the collaboration from the Imaging team. We decided on two foam thicknesses—12 mm and 28 mm Plastazote foam from Preservation Equipment Ltd (PEL)—to keep the process straightforward and efficient. By working with just two thicknesses, it became easier to estimate and adjust the necessary height, simplifying preparation.

Fig. 6, 7: Using previously cut foam blocks as template for next batch and making incision marks on the foam to prepare for cutting.

 

Fig. 8, 9: Visible incision lines on the foam blocks ready to be cut and cutting foam with template above the block using ruler and knife.

With the foam pieces cut, we trialed the new system using an IOR/P book, a common type in this phase of the project. The L-shapes fit neatly around the item, and the small extension piece could be slid into place for additional support as needed. With pre-cut foam blocks, the setup required no additional preparation—just arranging the foam pieces around the item and stacking them until reaching the desired height to match the foldout’s location. However, during our first trial, we found that for longer and wider foldouts, maintaining stable support on all sides was challenging.

Fig.10 a, b, c, d and e Series of stacking and using new tool with IOR/P collection item with a large, attached foldout

We returned to the drawing board to address this issue and collectively decided to add a larger rectangular support piece to the system. This piece would be used for much larger foldouts (A3+), placed alongside the L-shapes to create a uniform platform better suited to these oversized items.

Fig.11, 12: Updated model of L-shape system with additional larger foam piece and with foldout using large foam piece.

 

Fig. 13, 14: Preparing structure with the updated model adding the large rectangular piece, and an oversized attached foldout successfully folded out and supported with photography paper underneath.

After testing the updated model, we found it successfully supported larger foldouts. To demonstrate this, Armando took test shots to compare the captures of attached foldouts using the old system during digitisation and after, implementing the use of this tool to demonstrate the difference. Alongside the demonstration shots, we also made two short films demonstrating the practicality of the new approach compared to the previous method.

Fig.15 a, b, c and d Previously used system for attached oversized foldouts (this example is excluding photography paper usually placed on top of the foam to create an even background)

 

Fig.16 a, b, c and d New system using standardised shapes (this example is excluding photography paper usually placed on top of the foam to create an even background)

Please watch these two videos demonstrating the previous set up preparing attached foldouts and the new setup :

Old setup video:

New setup video:

With the new system, Imaging technicians could place the foam pieces quickly and directly, without constant adjustment to their setup. The three distinct shapes provided a clear, consistent structure, allowing them to work with greater speed and confidence. This tool allowing a streamlined, standardised process is proving  to be particularly valuable in a fast-paced, mass-digitisation environment, where efficiency is essential. 

Collaboration between Conservation and Imaging teams has proven invaluable in the development of this tool. By combining our unique skill-sets and insights, we were able to create a solution that not only enhances efficiency but also leads to a much safer handling practice, providing stability for collection items throughout the digitisation process.  

Collaborations like this foster a deeper understanding of each team’s needs and challenges, inspiring innovations that improve workflows and generate new tools for future projects. I’m thrilled that this collaboration resulted in a more stable, user-friendly support system, safeguarding valuable collection items during digitisation.  

This tool is now also being utilised by other teams within the project. In Conservation it is being used to support treatments of attached foldouts, providing a lot more stable setup and platform for e.g. treatments involving weights. Map curators in the cataloguing department are also benefiting from this tool when studying and cataloguing large, attached maps.