British Library Preservation Advisory Centre Conference
British Library, London
14-15 October 2013
Are changes in the way content is created, acquired and used encouraging collection care departments to adapt their approach--or demanding it?
The British Library Preservation Advisory Centre, in consultation with IFLA, is hosting a two day conference in October 2013 examining the nature and perception of the collection care department in the modern and increasingly digital environment. In particular, are the career paths of collection care practitioners sign-posted well enough to attract the right skills and offer the right opportunities to develop, lead and engage?
Collection care departments are operating in increasingly dynamic environments--not only in respect of resources, but also of technology, information, learning and publishing. Technology is constantly defining and re-defining trends in information and content--what is created and how; how it is acquired; and how it can be accessed and experienced.
For collection care departments, there are new technologies to understand, new risks and benefits to be weighed up, new approaches to be learned; and yet there remain vast, physical collections to be protected, preserved and cared for.
We invite you to join us to discuss the effect of such changes on collection care strategy and practice--now and in the future. What does an effective collection care department actually look like in an increasingly digital environment? What is its purpose, its responsibilities; its business model? Does this represent an evolution or a revolution in practice?
And what is the impact on the individual working in collection care? Do we have enough of the right skills in the right places? Are we managing the expectations of students coming into the profession adequately?
In this context has the role of the conservator changed? If not, does it need to?
What does the term 'conservator' actually mean? Have we come to accept it as a term which identifies and defines an individual with a specific practical skill and nothing more; and is that enough? Or is the modern conservator equipped with other skills--as well as or instead of the traditional bench skills?
In addition to invited speakers, we are calling for papers in two areas. The first area explores high-level perspectives on future approaches to collection care; and the second examines the skills present in today's collection care departments and how they have developed and are deployed
1. The collection care department of tomorrow
Your paper should discuss, from a strategic point of view, the collection care department of tomorrow, considering any of the following issues:
The relationship between conservation, preservation and digital preservation
The balance between single-item conservation and larger/mass treatments or projects
The skills that are needed
The research agenda
Business models
Demonstrating impact
Public engagement
2. The collection care practitioners of today
Do you currently work in collection care? In the context of an evolution or revolution in practice, your paper might discuss and explore your role, considering any of the following issues
What type of training did you undertake and in what format (may or may not be collection care or conservation specific)
Are you working in collection care disciplines now that are relevant to your training?
Have your responsibilities changed to cover other aspects of collection care?
Does your current job in collection care meet the expectations you had when you trained?
Does the work you do define/identify you specifically as a conservator; or do you view yourself as a collection care practitioner with a specific skill?
How relevant are your skills to collection care?
How do you see your role developing?
Important Information
Abstracts must be 250-300 words in length
Abstracts should be submitted as an email attachment to sandy.ryan@bl.uk
Abstracts should contain
Area of discussion (1 or 2)
Full title
Author information--name, position, institution and email
Contact
The deadline for the submission of abstracts is February 28, 2013
You will be notified by March 22, 2013 if your submission has been successful or not
If your submission is accepted, you will be directed at the time of notification to full terms and conditions for presenting at the conference, but please note in the meantime that presentations are expected to last for approximately 20 minutes long and must be made freely available on the British Library website after the conference.
Conference registration will open in May 2013
Caroline Peach
Head of Preservation Advisory Centre
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
United Kingdom
+44 20 7412 7798