Spiros Zervos

Paper conservation methods: a literature review

The main paper conservation methods are presented, classified in the following categories: preparation of the intervention, disinfestation and disinfection/sterilization, surface/dry cleaning, wet cleaning, chemical stabilization, paper repairs, consolidation and strengthening. Treatment documentation is also discussed. The targets, the historical aspects, the general principles, the materials and equipment, the acceptance and criticism pertaining to each method are briefly reviewed, and the most important research for their evaluation is presented. Several paper stabilization strategies, such as deacidification and iron gall ink stabilization, applicable to paper are elucidated. Specific consolidation and strengthening methods for paper, such as lamination and paper splitting are also discussed. The review mainly focuses on the established methods, but experimental, abandoned or insufficiently documented methods are also included. Shortcomings and limitations of several methods were found in the literature, concerning health issues, limited effectiveness, adverse side-effects on the treated artefacts and restricted applicability.

International Survey on Paper Conservation Methods

 Spiros Zervos: Research Supervisor, Assistant Professor, Department of Library Science and Information Systems, Faculty of Management and Economics, Technological Educational Institute of Athens [TEI-A], Agiou Spiridonos & Pallikaridi, Aegaleo 12210 – Athens, Greece. szervos@teiath.gr, http://users.teiath.gr/szervos/ Irene Alexopoulou: Researcher, Department of Library Science and Information Systems, Faculty of Management and Economics, Technological Educational Institute of Athens [TEI-A], Agiou Spiridonos & Pallikaridi, Aegaleo 12210 – Athens, Greece. alexopoulou.irene@gmail.com

Teaching information as an integrated field: Assessing the curriculum of the LIS Dept of the TEI of Athens

This study focuses on assessing the results of the implementation of a curriculum based on the aforementioned principle. The study collected data from the student work experience program which took place after a three year implementation of the new curriculum. The work experience program took place in diverse information organizations and both parties involved, i.e. students and employers participated in the research. The research was designed to explore the degree of knowledge gained and the ability of students to apply it to diverse information organizations. Furthermore, it attempted to determine the needs of information organizations in specific areas of knowledge. The methodology used included two surveys with cross corresponding questions, one addressed to the students during the work experience program and the other to the hosting organizations. Results highlight the emerging students’ professionalism and indicate that students can manage at a good level all major information science tasks independently of the type of organization or the form of their collections. It became evident that students are able to work and implement professional tasks likewise in libraries, archives and museums. Similarly, organizations perceive their abilities and knowledge in the same way, independently of their nature. Suggestions for further improvement of the curriculum, deriving from the research described here, include the incorporation of a course or a module within a course regarding user education/information literacy.

CIDOC-CRM extensions for conservation processes: A methodological approach

This paper aims to report the steps taken to create the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CIDOC-CRM) extensions and the relationships established to accommodate the depiction of conservation processes. In particular, the specific steps undertaken for developing and applying the CIDOC-CRM extensions for defining the conservation interventions performed on the cultural artifacts of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Greece are presented in detail. A report on the preliminary design of the DOC-CULTURE project (Development of an integrated information environment for assessment and documentation of conservation interventions to cultural works/objects with nondestructive testing techniques [NDTs], www.ndt-lab.gr/docculture), co-financed by the European Union NSRF THALES program, can be found in Kyriaki-Manessi, Zervos & Giannakopoulos (1) whereas the NDT&E methods and their output data through CIDOC-CRM extension of the DOC-CULTURE project approach to standardize the documentation of the conservation were further reported in Kouis et al. (2).

Significance of clustering and classification applications in digital and physical libraries

Applications of clustering and classification techniques can be proved very significant in both digital and physical (paper-based) libraries. The most essential application, document classification and clustering, is crucial for the content that is produced and maintained in digital libraries, repositories, databases, social media, blogs etc., based on various tags and ontology elements, transcending the traditional library-oriented classification schemes. Other applications with very useful and beneficial role in the new digital library environment involve document routing, summarization and query expansion. Paper-based libraries can benefit as well since classification combined with advanced material characterization techniques such as FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy) can be vital for the study and prevention of material deterioration. An improved two-level self-organizing clustering architecture is proposed in order to enhance the discrimination capacity of the learning space, prior to cl...

Standardizing NDT& E Techniques and Conservation Metadata for Cultural Artifacts

Conservation activities, before and after decay detection, are considered as a prerequisite for maintaining cultural artifacts in their initial/original form. Taking into account the strict regulations where sampling from art works of great historical value is restricted or in many cases prohibited, the application of Non-Destructive Testing techniques (NDTs) during the conservation or even decay detection is highly appreciated by conservators. Non-destructive examination include the employment of multiple analysis approaches and techniques namely Infrared Thermography (IRT), Ultrasonics (US), Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), VIS–NIR Fiber Optics Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS), portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (ESEM-EDX), Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and micro-Raman Spectroscopy. These produce a huge amount of data, in different formats, such as text, numerical sets and visual objects (i.e. images, thermograms, radargrams, spectral data, graphs, etc). Moreover, conservation documentation presents major drawbacks, as fragmentation and incomplete description of the related information is usually the case. Assigning conservation data to the objects’ metadata collection is very rare and not yet standardized. The Doc-Culture Project aims to provide solutions for the NDT application methodologies, analysis and process along with their output data and all related conservation documentation. The preliminary results are discussed in this paper.

Library bookbinding in Greece

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current status of library bookbinding in Greece. Design/methodology/approach – Two surveys were circulated among libraries and bookbinders. They aimed at determining the extent of use of bookbinding, the necessary characteristics of durable library bookbinding according to the respondents’ opinions and the relationship between bookbinders and libraries. Findings – The gathered data reflect the attitudes of Greek librarians and bookbinders and outline the current status of library bookbinding in Greece. They showed that bookbinding is extensively used as part of the preservation strategy for the majority of the Greek libraries. Most libraries resort to outsourcing. The specifications set by libraries are usually minimal, and it is left to the bookbinders to recommend the best solutions. Both librarians and binders emphasised openability and durability as the most important qualities of the bound volumes and quoted several relevant technical details....

Teaching conservation and preservation at the Department of Library Science and Information Systems of the Technical Educational Institute of Athens (TEI-A)

Abstract The objectives, the learning outcomes and the curriculum of the course “Conservation and Preservation”, taught in the Department of Library Science and Information Systems of TEI of Athens are presented. Zusammenfassung Der Kurs Konserveriung/Restaurierung und Bestandserhaltung am Department fur Bibliothekswissenschaft und Informationstechnologie am Technical Educational Institute, Athen (TEI-A) Die Entwicklung des Kurses „Konserveriung/Restaurierung und Bestandserhaltung“ sowie die Lehrziele und das Curriculum des am TEI-A eingerichteten Programms werden vorgestellt und diskutiert. Résumé Cours sur la conservation/restauration et la preservation au Departement des Sciences en matiere de Bibliotheque et de Technologie de l’Information au Technical Education Institute d’Athenes (TEI-A) Les objectifs vises, les resultats de l’enseignement dispense ainsi que le curriculum du cours « Conservation/ Restauration et preservation » proposes dans le programme du Departement des Sciences en matiere de bibliotheque et de technologie de l’information au Technical Education Institute d’Athenes seront presentes et discutes.