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Preservation and Conservation Services (P&CS) + Special Collections Technical Services Archival (TS-Archival) Workflow

Updated February 2025

Overview

What to Send to Conservation

If it’s unclear whether something should come to conservation, send the Senior Conservator (Adrienne) a Teams message to ask questions.

If it can be safely processed or housed by TS-Archival but may not be perfectly stable for reading room use, it generally does not need to come to Conservation right away. It can be routed to Conservation through another use-driven workflow: exhibits, digitization, or research room / class use.

Send materials that...

  • Cannot be safely processed by TS-Archival
  • Cannot be safely housed by TS-Archival, including oversized items that need a custom housing
  • Need to be unframed
  • Are being called out specifically in the finding aid, so anticipated use is great, and cannot be safely used in the reading room
  • Are moldy or appear to have active pest infestations

If a damaged page is part of a larger document, the whole document (including undamaged pages) can be routed to Conservation so it can be housed as one unit.

How to Send It to Conservation

  • TS-Archival uses individual account to create Aeon transaction for the item

    • If there is not a preexisting record for the item to use to generate the Aeon request, create a placeholder record
    • Aeon placeholder records for Archival materials may include: collection number, accession number, brief description of what’s being sent and quantity (i.e. 1 rolled item, 10 framed items, etc.)
    • Staff may need to use reading room to complete the transaction and print slips

  • TS-Archival prints Aeon slips

    • ½ of the Aeon slip stays with the item
    • If the item is processed, the other half goes on the shelf where the item would be
    • If the item is not processed, the other half stays in the folder on the shelves next to the vault, or with the materials in the processing room

  • TS-Archival staff completes a conservation form (located on the shelf above the Level 9 conservation cart)

  • TS-Archival places item on cart on level 9

    • Change location in Aeon to “In conservation review area (9)”
    • If the item is a vault item, or there are too many items to fit on the cart, TS-Archival contacts P&CS staff to coordinate getting items to the lab

  • P&CS picks up items from carts on the first and third Mondays of each month

What Happens Once It's in Conservation

  • P&CS completes the following steps in Aeon:

    • Clone the request to the Conservation Aeon account
    • Route the initial researcher transaction to “Request Finished”
    • Change the location in Aeon to “In Conservation”
    • Print call slip from Conservation account

  • P&CS removes and recycles old Aeon slip from the item, places new Aeon slip in the item

  • P&CS takes new shelf slip to Research Services Librarian (Caroline) or puts the new shelf slip in the folder of shelf slips to be replaced

  • P&CS staff assess materials in the lab

    • Standard meeting pattern for this is every other week, but can vary based on staffing levels and other departmental activities

  • P&CS staff determines whether an item needs a minor or major treatment

    • Major treatment: Item is added to deferred treatment list – to be treated when the department resumes major treatment, and in consultation with curatorial and TS-Archival staff
    • If items can be handled as-is: P&CS staff routes back to TS-Archival
    • If items need housing, P&CS will create a housing, then route item back to TS-Archival

  • Minor treatment: Item is treated by P&CS staff

    • If curator has given P&CS permission to go ahead with minor treatment w/o input, P&CS staff proceed with minor treatment
    • If curator has not given P&CS to go ahead with minor treatment w/o consultation, P&CS staff schedule a consultation with the curator

How to Return Items to Technical Services

  • P&CS changes location in Aeon to back to “In conservation review area (9)” and places items back on the cart on 9 during a scheduled pickup time
    • If an item needs to be returned to the vault, or is too large to fit on the cart, P&CS staff will coordinate with the TS-Archival staff member who initiated transaction to schedule delivery
  • TS-Archival picks items up from the cart
  • TS-Archival changes the location in Aeon to “In Technical Services”
  • If labeling is needed, TS-Archival creates labels
  • If catalog record or finding aid needs to be updated based on new physical configuration of items (more or fewer boxes, etc.), TS-Archival makes those changes
  • TS Archival coordinates returning the item to the shelf