The Bartholomew Archive
NLS Project – Printing Record preservation and conservation
The Printing Record is part of the Bartholomew Archive. It contains a number of large bound items in vital need of repair.
The Bartholomew firm created the collection by sticking items on to pages of large pre-bound volumes. Many of the volumes are heavy, distorted and damaged.
The weight, size and poor condition of the collection makes it difficult to access without causing damage to its contents. Because of this we began a project to make the collection more manageable and accessible.
Repairing damaged items
Assistants from our Preservation and Conservation team carry out repairs to damaged and torn maps and papers. They also take protective measures to maintain the archive for generations to come.
A great deal of care and attention goes into this step-by-step process:
Stage 1: Dismantling and cleaning volumes
- The binding is removed from the text block.
- Maps are carefully detached from their acidic backing sheets.
- All traces of loose paper and glue are removed.
- Surface dirt is dry-cleaned.
Stage 2: Repairing damaged maps and papers
- Maps are relaxed and flattened.
- Edge tears are repaired using archival papers and adhesives.
- Maps are mounted on to new acid-free paper sheets.
Stage 3: Box-making
- Archival board is used to make the top and bottom trays.
- The outside of the box is covered using archival cloth.
- The inside of the box is lined with acid-free paper.
- A title label is adhered to the spine of the finished box.
Stage 4: Storage
- Boxes are placed individually on shelves for ease of removal.
- The collection is stored in a controlled environment to maintain the appropriate temperature and relative humidity.
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