The conservation laboratory is located in the lower level of the Main Library. Staff includes the Conservation Librarian, two full-time and one part-time conservation technicians, and student assistants, who have the prime responsibility for physical treatment of the circulating collection.

A broad range of conservation treatments include:

• spine repairs, various enclosures, encapsulation, deacidification.
  full scale complex treatments: washing, mending and recasing for special collection materials
• Special projects include: preparation of materials for digitization projects such as Edward S. Curtis' North American Indian Collection, World War II posters, Winterton collection of East African photographs, deacidification of the John Cage archives, bindery preparation of the United States serial set
• support given to the Library’s Exhibition Committee
• quality control on mass deacidification
• mitigation of the losses that can result from floods, fire, and other calamities

Scott Devine (primary contact) (491-4672)

The conservation laboratory was made possible by a generous donation, which established the Margaret Clover Symonds Preservation Endowment. Book repairs and complex treatments in the lab carry the bookplate commemorating this significant gift.