Collections Care

The following organizations have information rich websites that deliver a broad range of collection care advice, as well as, in depth information about specific topics.

American Alliance of Museums (AAM) [formerly called the American Association of Museums]
AAM Members have access to an extensive library of Professional Resources

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)  Here are just a few of AIC's helpful resources:

• AIC Conservation WIKI  is an ongoing collection of conservation resources for a variety of material types.  It is created by various AIC Specialty Groups and Commmittes.  Several of the resources began as "AIC Conservation Catalogs," but were transferred to a wiki plataform so that the information could continue to grow, collaborative updating would be facilitated, the latest innovations in technique and technology could be captured.  Be sure to check out the various specialty group WIKIs.
• AIC Research and Technical Studies Group page a WIKI created by the AIC Research and Technical Studies RATS) Specialty Group
• Caring for Your Treasures  advice for care of your family heirlooms and works of art
• Conservation videos
• Find a Conservator and How to Choose a Conservator
• Sustainability Resources  environmentally sound practices for conservation

Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI)

• CCI produces fee-based technical bulletins on a variety of conservation issues
• CCI Notes advice on care, handling, and storage of collections; more than 100 PDFs
• Environmental Guidelines for Museums by David Grattan and Stefan Michalski

Center for History
Archival Advice for your family heirlooms, photos, and documents

Conservation OnLine (CoOL)  searchable database of its extensive library of documents

Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA)
Specializes in paper: art, artifacts, books, documents, maps, photographs, wallpaper, etc.
Preservation Resources many downloadable PDFs

Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)
Library Preservation and Conservation Tutorial by CLIR and Cornell University

Heritage Preservation

Illinois Collections Preservation Network (ICPN)
Check out the ICPN webinars

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
Connecting to Collections Guide to Online Resources for "Manage a Collection"  prepared by Heritage Preservation

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in partnership with other organizations (Heritage Preservation, the Getty Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)
Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, served on the AASLH website, provides a multitude of useful resources that teach you how to care for your collections.  Resources include texts, webinars, online resources, and others.  Topics address a variety of issues ranging from general collections care, to care of paper objects, to care of digital media, to grants, to the legalities of collection management.

The Iron Gall Ink Website hosted by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE).  Everything you would want to know about ink corrosion, including treatment methods for your documents.

Library of Congress
Preservation Resources

Midwest Art Conservation Center (MACC)
Resources MACC provides consultation and conservation treatments of objects, runs workshops, loans equipment and books, and has a list of available technical leaflets

Minnesota Historical Society
Artifact and Rare Book Handling: To Glove or Not to Glove

National Park Service, Museum Management Program

• NPS Museum Handbook
• Conserve O Grams 

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET), Nebraska's PBS and NPR Stations
Saving Your Treasures LOADS of information, which is expecially accessible through this website's many videos and printable files

Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)

• Preservation Leaflets advice on a variety of preservation topics, suitable for novice and professional preservationist.
• Suppliers List searchable database of supplies, services, and equipment
• Preservation 101: Preservation Basics for Paper and Media Collections  This free, self-guided online course discusses many issues related to collections care and disaster planning.  Be sure to look at the lists of Resources and PDFs  that accompany this course.

NEDCC also offers fee-based webinars and workshops.

Northern States Conservation Center provides collection care, preservation and conservation treatment services to collectors and collecting institutions.  Emphasizing practical solutions to common collection care problems, it believes conservation treatment is part of a process that preserves our cultural heritage.  Northern States Conservation Center offers training, consultation on museum expansion and new construction, support in grant writing and editing, and regular updates on developments in collection care.
How to label or tag your objects

Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP)
RAP is a national network of nonprofit organizations whose members "present training programs, provide conservation and preservation services, create publications to assist institutions in caring for their collections, and provide free technical advice to collecting institutions across the country."

• Educational Opportunities list and links to training and educational programs
• Publications & Resources

Smithsonian
Museum Conservation Institute

Wheaton Historic Preservation Council
see Center for History, above