Preserving the Collection: Disaster Planning, Response & Recovery

In this webinar by the Registrars Committee Western Region, conservator Özge Gençay Üstün discusses how to determine whether an artifact contains heavy metal contaminants, how to manage collections that contain contaminants, and how to handle and store these objects.   Hands On! Practical Conservation for the Collections Professional Hazardous Materials: https://youtu.be/I8cgdcTUgqY?si=Hhudmklxy3ITpp4U&t=1  

Collections are not the only thing damaged by flood situations - if the incident is large enough, there will be damage to the building that houses the collection as well. This document by the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides great advice on drying, cleaning, and disinfecting historic buildings; much of this advice can be applied to newer buildings as well: https://www.history.nd.gov/hp/PDFinfo/Treatment-of-Flood-Damaged-Older-and-Historic-Buildings_NTHP.pdf

In this webinar by the Registrars Committee Western Region, conservator Francis Lukezic talks about why and how different metals corrode, strategies for handling and storing corroded metal objects, and when to contact a conservator. Hands On! Rust Never Sleeps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DreyOOJo2tY

Climate change is a slow-moving, ever-present threat to cultural heritage. The Carbon Calculator on STiCH (Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage) can help you learn about the carbon footprint different materials leave. Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage has a climate map to help you see how your area is or may be affected by climate, and a page of resources on building resilience. STiCH: https://stich.culturalheritage.org/ Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage: https://www.resilience.culturalheritage.org/