The Collection Care Network (CCN) is AIC’s newest network, established in January 2012. Its members bring together the preservation knowledge and skills of AIC members and link these with institutions seeking best practices for preservation. The CCN is both a reference source and a forum in support of the preservation work of conservators and other collection care practitioners. The CCN works to serve those professionals and volunteers, who are archaeologists, architects, archives staff, art handlers, collection care specialists, collection managers, conservators, curators, engineers, entomologists, exhibit designers, facilities staff, historic house museum staff, library staff, mount makers, preparators, preventive conservation materials vendors, registrars, and technicians as well as many others who aid in preserving our cultural heritage
2:00 – 3:30
Part 1: The Rational-Comprehensive Planners versus The Incrementalists
Introduction
Joelle Wickens, Chair, Collection Care Network; Associate Conservator, Preventive Team Head and Winterthur Assistant Professor, Winterthur Museum/University of Delaware
Overview of CCN’s Collections Managers Survey Results
Rebecca Fifield, Vice-Chair, Collection Care Network; Collections Manager for the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Measure Risk, Then Plan Preservation
Lisa Elkin, Director of Conservation, American Museum of Natural History
Establish Guiding Principles, Then Manage through Incrementalism
Katy Lithgow, Head Conservator, UK National Trust
Group Discussions
Moderated by Robert Waller, Protect Heritage Corp. and Catharine Hawks, Conservator, NMNH Smithsonian Institution
Participants will be asked to discuss, in small group format, the pros and cons, best examples, hurdles and important caveats of the two approaches to preservation planning as introduced by Lisa Elkin and Katy Lithgow.
3:30 – 4:00
BREAK
4:00 – 5:30
Part 2: Prescriptive Standards versus Performance Management
Introduction and Recap of Part 1
Joelle Wickens, Chair, Collection Care Network; Associate Conservator, Preventive Team Head and Winterthur Assistant Professor, Winterthur Museum/University of Delaware
Importance of Standards and Guidelines to Inform Preventive Conservation Initiatives in Museums
Kristen Overbeck Laise, Vice President, Collections Care Programs, Heritage Preservation
Standards Make Us Myopic: We Focus on Specific Values at the Expense of Real Issues
James Reilly, Founder and Director, Image Permanence Institute
Group Discussions
Moderated by Robert Waller, Protect Heritage Corp. and Catharine Hawks, Conservator, NMNH Smithsonian Institution
Participants will be asked to discuss, in small group format, the pros and cons, best examples, hurdles and important caveats of the two approaches to preservation planning as introduced by Kristen Liaise and James Reilly.
Session Wrap-up
Organizers plan to have scribes recording discussions to help frame presentations/sessions/workshops for AIC 2014.
Speakers have been encouraged to prepare their talks for publication, either in print form or as part of CCN web-based resources.
