A Guide to the Preventive Conservation of Photograph Collections

More than 30 years of continuing research into the preservation of photographic collections have led to a better understanding of the fragility of these images and the means by which to preserve them. A resource for the photographic conservator, conservation scientist, curator, as well as professional collector, this volume synthesizes both the enormous amount of research that has been completed to date and the international standards that have been established on the subject. The book opens with a description of the principal forms of deterioration that photographs may undergo. It surveys the variety of containers used to house photographs and the environmental conditions each is meant to improve. It also discusses the maintenance of photographic collections and the precautions that must be taken in exhibiting them. Special attention is given to the digital technology and innovative techniques available to manage a photographic collection and ensure its longevity.