Preparing to Digitise your Archives: Training Day #3

Yesterday was the first day of our third PZ Conservation training day at the Cornish Studies Library in Redruth, Cornwall. It was looking at ways to prepare to digitise your archival collections, focusing in particular on bound and flat collections.

As well as informing the attendees about how to identify problematic issues within their collections we covered key preparatory steps to take when planning a digitisation project. We also gave the group a chance to make and use their own re-moistenable tissue. This is a simple repair technique commonly used for conservation of water-sensitive materials such as paper and parchment.

 Liz helping some of the attendees out with their remoistenable tissue

Digitisation is fast-becoming a popular solution for safe-guarding a vast variety of different collections. It can increase accessibility to the collections as well as helping with the preservation by limiting the amount that the collection needs to be handled.

There are a lot of things to consider however when planning your digitisation project including the need to survey, what equipment you will need and how you are going to store and handle your data.

Surveying:

Depending on how large your collections are you may want to conduct a survey of the material you wish to digitise.

This can….
- Give you a better idea of the condition of your collections. What will be able to withstand the handling of being digitised.

- Help you to estimate how long the project might take.

-Highlight potential practical obstacles- large format material, unusual shapes or structures which may not easily lend themselves to being photographed or scanned.

Equipment & Scanning Station:

The Camera/Rostrum set up we have at PZ Conservation

SPACE-

Along with deciding which equipment to use you must make sure you have adequate space. The Library of Congress in the states recommends that your table space (not including your scanning equipment) is 6 times the size of the largest object you are scanning. This is obviously in an ideal world and not always achievable- but you should consider having space to put the objects as they are being imaged- as well as space for their housing if they have any- and space to turn object over if necessary.

LIGHT-

You must make sure your station is sufficiently lit. But try to ensure you have quite good ventilation because heat build up can damage heat-sensitive materials like leather, parchment, photos or prints.

Handling Data:

In order to apply for funding for digitisation projects your images must comply with international open source standards.

Metadata in case you don’t know is data about data. So you can have an image and attach key words which can be used during searches- things such as author, material, binding etc etc.

DUBLIN CORE: Internationally recognised standards for database metadata.

It means that if your images went into another database then the same search terms would apply across the different projects.

You must also make sure that your file format complies: TIFF is the recommended file format, which is an image file that is not compressed.

(A JPEG is a compressed file, which means that not all the data is stored in the file)

Depending on the size of the collection you are digitising you will need to consider a sustainable storage solution for your data.

If a single TIFF file is 18MB, then one 200 page binding will take up 7GB of space!

OMEKA is a free, online, open-source, web publishing platform. It is specifically designed for use by non-IT experts, who work in the heritage sector. You can also use it to create online exhibitions.

If you are thinking of starting a digitisation project, here are a few good places to begin doing some research:

Books:

Preparing Collections for Digitisation by Buelow, Anna & Ahmon, Jess. Facet Publishing, (December 2010)

Managing the Digitisation of Library, Archive and Museum Materials by Youngs, Karla. British Library, National Preservation Office (2001); London

Cedars Guide to Digital Preservation Metadata by Day, Michael. Leeds: Cedars Project, March 2002.

Websites:

http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/digitisation - This company, who are based in Bristol, provide very clear guidance about digitising analogue media (mostly audio, video and photography). It has very comprehensive advice about managing the images and metadata standards as well as choosing your equipment and the advantages and disadvantages of each system. They also offer further training on digitisation which covers using scanners and SLR imaging systems, intellectual property and Metadata to an accredited standard.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/projects-and-work/guidance.htm - A very useful resource which provides access to a series of guidelines regarding data management of digitisation standards.

http://crl.acrl.org/content/63/5/388.full.pdf - Toward Developing a Framework of Cost Elements for Preserving Authentic Electronic Records into Perpetuity by Shelby Sanett. An interesting and comprehensive article which looks at budgeting for digitisation projects.

http://omeka.org - OMEKA (free, online, open-source, web publishing platform)

http://dublincore.org - Dublin Core (metadata interoperability standards)

http://www.porthcurno.org.uk/page.php?id=328 - Local Cornish Digitisation Project: George Spratt Diaries, Porthcurno Telegraph Museum. Part of the Connecting Cornwall project, a great example of a small-scale digitisation project.

Unique Cornish language manuscripts arrive for conservation

The 15^th May was an exiting day in the studio as Deborah Tritton, Historic Collections’ Manager from Cornwall Record Office bought over for conservation Scawen’s 1668 manuscript Antiquities Cornubritannic and Borlase’s Memorandums of the Cornish tongue compiled between 1748 to 1753.  

This project has been generously funded by the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust http://www.nmct.co.uk/ with support in kind from the Heritage Lottery Fund and PZ Conservation C.I.C.

Scawen’s manuscript, from 1668, contains a discussion on the decline of the Cornish language, which began in the reformation and was made worse by the civil war 1642 - 51

Also contained is a version of the play “Passio Christi’ in ancient Cornish with a literal translation in English and a version in poetic meter.  This passion play formed part of a trilogy and would have been performed in a plen-an-gwari or “playing place” and their purpose was to educate people, most of whom would not have been able to read, about the Bible and the lives of the saints.

Borlase was a Cornish antiquary, naturalist and geologist.  This manuscript can be described as an eighteenth century study of Cornish grammer and vocabulary and is about as close as you can get to a Cornish/English dictionary although only a number of words are translated.

Written records of the Cornish language (Kernewek) are extremely rare and neither of these manuscripts were ever published. Borlase’s Memorandums has been digitized and the Antiquities Cornubritannic will be digitized as part of this project, to enable people to access this manuscript online

We will be putting up progress reports on the conservation work we are doing onto this blog but below are some of the problems that we will need to deal with to enable the manuscripts to be handled more safely. 

Damaged parchment on spine of manuscript

Detached cover boards

Broken sewing

Tears, creases and damaged annotations stitched onto the main text

There is also an opportunity to visit the studio to discuss this project with conservators as part of the Penzance Literary Festival July 17th - 21st.

Travelogue KerNOW - Part 2: Liskeard

After a day back in the studio reflecting on the first leg of the KerNOW Travelogue, we were back on the road...to Liskeard this time. We set up in the Liskerrett Community Centre and almost as soon as we opened the doors there were streams of people wondering in, excited about the proposition of making some books and prints. The printing was hugely successful and Jesse and Bernard were happy to have help from Bristol-based printers Georgina and Alex once the crowds started queueing up at the press.

A hive of activity around the press!

Over in the bookbinding/conservation station, Liz and I were inundated with people of all ages and showed them how to make little pamphlet stitch bindings with decorated marble paper or leather covers. Once completed, they could have a rummage in our tool chest and find some tools to decorate their books with. It was immensely popular, even to the extent that the poor black ink pad was put through its paces and had to be retired about halfway through the first day!!

Liz and Holly helping some kids make little pamphlet stitch bindings

Our old box of tools

Although the pace slowed in the afternoon we had a lovely group of adults set up at our table who were very interested in bookbinding and had some questions about doing their own bit of binding at home. It was great to have a sewing frame set up with all different sewing stations so that they could have a go sewing up multiple sections and learning about the progression from double cords, to tapes.

Holly helping Delphine try out some sewing

Holly

Travelogue KerNOW - Part 1: Wadebridge

We travelled to Wadebridge Town Hall for an early start on Saturday, and set up shop with some example bindings, and some activities for the public. We had a sewing frame set up with different types of sewing supports so that people could have a go at sewing up sections, as well as making and decorating their own little book. Using the tools as stamps proved very popular with the kids!

Saturday was very busy, and Bernard and Jesse had helping hands in the form of Catherine, Claire and John. Sunday was a bit quieter, so we had a chance to work on the mock-up of the Wadebridge book, each of us etching on plates that were to make up the background for the public's prints. Monday was really busy, and we had a local artist Linda come and join us to help out with the printing. It was a really successful couple of days, which produced loads of plates, prints and interest!

Liz overseeing Matilda and Sophie doing some stamping

Catherine and the first of many printers

Our "stall" with the small bindings

Catherine and some eager printers

Scrim, Scrim, Scrim

The Travelogue KerNOW blog can be found here.

Looe Harbour Office Visit

Yesterday we visited Looe Harbour on the invitation of Michael Soady, one of the Harbour Commissioners. We were there to look over their small archive of materials relating to the management of the harbour since 1848. Two representatives from the West Looe Town Trust also sat in on the meeting, hoping to get some advice about their collection. We were able to advise them about some items from the collection, and to let them know to join the Cornwall Archive Network as both organisations are very interested in large scale digitisation projects. We were joined later by the Harbour Master Jeff Penhaligon who showed us the proposed site for a new museum.
The Commissioners have been able to acquire an old Sardine factory along the quayside that they hope to use as a Museum or History Centre where they will properly house and display their archive. They intend to share the space with fishermen (who will use the loft area as a storage space) and an outward bounds project.

Holly has written a brief report of their archive that will be sent to them:

The archive holds a abundance of different types of documents on a variety of materials, which date from the 1840s. The collection holds documents relating to the running of the harbour, minutes of the meetings, transcriptions of letters among the committee members as well as a large number of architectural plans and drawings relating to the town of Looe.

Many of the architectural drawings and plans are of a large format and are hand painted or drawn on to paper, tracings papers, parchment and glassine linen. Due to the constrictions of space, these documents have been stored folded up and are beginning to show wear and tear along the folded edges. The documents on tracing paper which has become brittle over time, a common problem with older paper of this type. They are particularly suffering from being folded and unfolded in order to be seen. The extent of the damage is such that these documents are no longer accessible to be read. There is also evidence of corrosion, which sometimes occurs on the areas where an iron-gall ink has been used to write or draw on the paper. Both of these are issues which will continue to affect the deterioration of the documents and restrict their accessibility if not treated.

The majority of the folded documents would benefit from being carefully opened up by a conservator and stored flat. The more delicate and damaged documents could also be stored in a Melinex (clear polyester film) sleeve which would allow the document to be seen and handled without needing to touch the original document as well as providing additional support to the material.

The collection also holds a number of rolled documents, some of which are lined on linen. This is a very common format for archival maps and plans but the lamination of the cloth and paper in combination with rolled storage can cause stress and damage to the image. Tightly rolled plans benefit from being rolled around a large diameter core, which reduces the rolling angle of the paper, or space permitting, being stored flat.

In terms of books, the collection holds a variety of different bindings with different covering materials, including leather, cloth and vellum. These materials are sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity and should be stored in a stable environment to protect them against damage. If being exhibited or given public access, it is recommended that the books be supported with book supports or rolled up cloths to reduce the opening angle and protect the spine from damage.

Charts on transparent paper.

Oversized items.

Ledger bindings missing their spines.

The Looe Harbour Office collection, with Lizzie and Michael Soady.

Liz

Preparation!

It's been a busy few weeks in the studio preparing for the Travelogue KerNOW.

Bernard came in last week to give us a hand making some model bindings for the exhibition. They're large format concertina bindings that will ultimately be made from lovely thick printmaking paper, and hinged together with white aerolinen. We put together 5 model textblocks so that they can be taken along to Wadebridge, Liskeard, Launceston, Helston and Newquay and prints can be popped into them like a scrap book. We also gave them (Jesse & Bernard) a choice of covers, one with thick board and an extra spine piece, and one with thin board and no spine piece so they could choose which one they'd prefer.

We then had a visit from Gerald from BiC who chatted to us about some possible future training sessions for their members. We are going to provide a weekend course on the wonders of Japanese paper! Demonstrating some repairs to paper and leather, and doing some toning and finishing. We also discussed setting up some workshops in designer bindings, to attract the more artistic, and also younger members to the events.


As well as working on some practical conservation projects, Holly and I have been preparing some DIY bindings for the Travelogue KerNOW, so that whilst people are at the exhibition they can be learning about what we do here at PZ Conservation, as well as getting to grips with doing some bookbinding.

We'll also be taking along some artists books, as well as some of the studio's equipment - a press, sewing frame, finishing tools etc.

As well as all of this Ray's Glass came and fitted our inner doors, which means that on a lovely day like today, we can have the door open, and the sun streaming in!

Liz

ITV News comes to PZ Conservation

"Two unique Cornish language manuscripts, held at the Cornwall Record Office in Truro, will undergo much needed conservation work this spring thanks to a grant from The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust.

The work on the documents, by antiquarians William Scawen and William Borlase, will ensure that both manuscripts are in good condition for future generations to use and enjoy." (from the Cornwall Record Office's website.)

As the Cornwall Record Office doesn't have an in house conservation department, the manuscripts will be worked on by us here at PZ Conservation later on this year.

A very nice guy called Steve Hardy from ITV West Country news came to visit the studio to film us doing some practical conservation and to interview Lizzie about the conservation of the manuscripts.

Holly doing some parchment repairs.

..and from a different angle!

You can watch the full report here.

The BBC also picked up the story and their article can be found here.

TRAVELOGUE KerNOW Coming to a town in Cornwall near you this February

Touring print and bookbinding workshop will help communities to create a unique record of their own towns.

A series of unusual creative events across the county will feature a printmaking workshop complete with presses and book binding facilities and with all the materials and help needed to bring out the artist in everyone. Travelogue Kernow is the brainchild of Penzance based artists Jesse Leroy Smith and Bernard Irwin.

Say Jesse and Bernard: ‘Many people won’t have seen an etching or letter press, with funding from FEAST and Heritage Lottery Fund this project gives everyone the chance to use these presses under the expert guidance of artists and printmakers and working with the highly skilled book studio PZ Conservation we will be able to turn their prints into a fantastic hand made book, a really unusual travelogue of Cornwall.’

The Travelogue Kernow project welcomes the whole community, young and old, artist or not, no experience needed. There will be plenty of expert help on hand and all the work produced will contribute to the creation of a unique hand made book that tells the stories of people and places in Cornwall through images and text created by the communities who live there.

The artists of Travelogue Kernow will be providing lots of source material but are encouraging people to bring along their own images and impressions of their town; photos, drawings, stories, local histories, local characters past and present, information about local fauna, flora and geologies and buildings, in short anything of interest.

The high energy and innovative TRAVELOGUE KERNOW will visit Wadebridge, Launceston, Liskeard, Helston, Art8 Newquay and Trelya Penzance during 2013.

Jesse and Bernard are currently working on a major exhibition for The Exchange gallery in Penzance looking at books made by artists. Travelogue Kernow will continue to tour up to the opening of the exhibition in 2014 when this wonderful book will be launched and feature prominently in the show. It is hoped it will subsequently be shown at venues across the county

DATES & VENUES: FEBRUARY

Wadebridge Town Hall                                     Liskeard

16 Sat 10am to 8pm                                           Liskerrett Community Centre   

17 Sun 9am to 5pm                                            20 Wed 10am to 8pm

18 Mon 9am to 5pm                                           21 Thu 9am to 5pm

Launceston Town Hall                                    Helston Folk Musuem                               

22 Fri 10am to 8pm                                           25 Feb to 1 Mar

23 Sat 9am to 5pm                                            9am to 1pm

APRIL

Newquay Art8                              13^th & 14^th April - venue to be confirmed

CONTACT:

Jesse Leroy Smith     malvern@blue-earth.co.uk

                                   07944262727

Bernard Irwin             studio@bernardirwin.com

                                   01736 731899    



                                           

And what of Monika and Clare?

Monika Stokowiec, who completed her internship in July 2012, stayed on for a few months to work on a letter book from the archive of the  Porthcurno Telegraph Museum and complete a National Manuscript Conservation Trust's funded project for St Nicholas Parish Church, Chiswick. Although reluctant to depart from Cornwall, Monika has now moved to the University of Southampton where she is working conserving the Wellington Archive, the principal collection at the university containing around 100,000 papers of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington.   Apparently they have left the conservation of  the mouldiest and worst damaged until the end and this is what Monika has to do!




Clare Goulbourn our second intern has left early!  Bad news for us but the good news is that she has secured a permanent post at Temple Bookbinders in Headington, Oxford.  With Clare's husband and family based nearby, this was the ideal location for Clare  and she is the  first of our interns to get a job in the private sector which was one of the aims of our training programme.

In this picture, Clare is working on one of 20 volumes the set of  "Description de l'Egypte" the culmination of researches by over 150 scholars and scientists who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt in 1798. Unfortunately a number of these volumes have been flood damaged and Clare has spent many weeks reducing the staining of the embossed covers, flattening the covers and putting in repairs where the moisture has caused the books to distort and the leather to split along the joints of the boards and the spine.