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British Library features on BBC2's 'Working Lunch'

Rory McLeod, Digital Preservation Manager at the British Library, was interviewed in the BBC2's Working Lunch studio on 7 October 2008, talking about Electronic readers, and explaining how we all need to adapt to new technology. The interview and programme ‘E-readers put through their paces’ can be viewed from the BBC2 website.

(See external link in the right hand column)

Collection Care Videos – ‘Using Collection Items’

The Preservation Section of the Collection Care Department has made a series of 9 short videos.

The purpose is to introduce new and existing readers to the best way to use a variety of collection items.

By encouraging and demonstrating careful use of collection items, the library and readers can work together to ensure their long term preservation.

Each short video shows material in a particular format with demonstrations of how to handle the items shown.

Click here to view the videos.

Foundation Degree (FdA) in Book Conservation

Camberwell College of Art would like to announce the start of the first UK Foundation Degree (FdA) in Book Conservation. The course, run by Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts, is a new Foundation degree, and will start in October 2007. The course has been designed by conservation course leaders at Camberwell, in close collaboration with the British Library, and staff from other book conservation departments working in major cultural institutions. Practical book conservation work placements for second-year students will be shared amongst the British Library and other institutions with book conservation departments. Training at the British Library will be provided by experts working in book conservation in the new British Library Centre for Conservation. The course was created to help address the need to increase the number of conservators specialising and working in the field of book conservation.

Please see Camberwell College of Arts website for deadlines and application information.

Developing a national strategy for heritage science

A steering working group consisting of representatives from across the heritage sector has been appointed to develop a National Strategy for Heritage Science.

In July 2007 a group of heritage scientists and conservators met at the British Library to start the process of developing a National Strategy for Heritage Science, as recommended by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. The steering working group has now been appointed to take this forward.

The Chair will be Sarah Staniforth, Historic Properties Director at the National Trust, supported by:

  • Peter Brimblecombe, Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry, University of East Anglia
  • Craig Kennedy, Head of Science, Historic Scotland
  • Katy Lithgow, Head Conservator, National Trust
  • Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive, Institute of Conservation
  • Nicholas Merriman, Director, Manchester Museum
  • Sebastian Payne, Chief Scientist, English Heritage
  • Mark Pollard, Professor of Archaeological Science, University of Oxford
  • Helen Shenton, Head of Collection Care, The British Library
  • Jim Tate, Head of the Department of Conservation and Analytical Research, National Museums Scotland
  • Heather Viles, Reader in Geomorphology, University of Oxford
  • David Watkinson, Senior Lecturer in Conservation, Cardiff University

Dr Jim Williams, former Regional Archaeological Science Advisor at English Heritage, has been appointed as Co-ordinator and will produce three reports which will:

  • identify and prioritise areas where lack of scientific or technological knowledge imperils the physical survival of different types of cultural assets;
  • identify and prioritise areas where there are particular reasons or opportunities to improve our capacity to learn more about the physical remains of the past by scientific means;
  • identify and prioritise gaps and opportunities for improvement.

The steering group will formulate the National Strategy for Heritage Science on the basis of these reports. The first draft of the strategy should be completed by summer 2009.

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