Paper conservation project in Croatia

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Would anyone be interested in helping me to find some sponsor
interest in this project?; Conservation of Paper Materials and Books
in Central and Eastern Europe National Training Course on
Conservation of Library Heritage (University Library of Pula, Pula,
Croatia, June 2000)

1. Title and starting time of the project: 1st phase. National
Training Course on Conservation of Library Heritage (University
Library of Pula, Croatia, June 2000)

2. Objectives of the project: a) Training staff members from Istrian
museums and libraries at the University Library of Pula on standard
practice of paper conservation and management of archive materials.
b) Establishment of a data base concerning conservation "case
histories".

3. Introduction and justification of the project: The University
Library of Pula, founded in 1919, is a public library. It houses a
large collection of scientific books as well as a great variety of
other titles. Since 1986 it has carried out a co-ordinated
supervisory programme on other public libraries in Istria. It is the
most important library in Croatia due to it valuable historical
collection. It possesses approximately 200.000 books, 100.000
magazine issues and 20 boxes of manuscripts. Included are 60.000
Italian books and the "Histrica" collection around 15.000 books.

In 1975 it received two thirds of the K.u.K. Marine Bibliothek (The
Austrian and Pula Maritime Library). The K.u.K.  was established in
1802 in Venice. The maritime collection  contains approximately
20.000 volumes (starting from the XVI century up to 1918) in German,
English, French, Italian and Spanish.

The Maritime library has had an intricate history belonging to many
different nations since it was founded. Due to its geographical
position, in conformity with who won the wars took possession of the
library. (1802-1865 Venice, 1865-66-1914 Pula, 1944-1950 Chech
Republic, 1950-1975 Wien, 1975 Pula).

On the occasion of this important acquisition of the K.u.K. books by
the Library,  this project aims at training personnel at the Library
on the standard conservation know-how and techniques, so that
cultural patrimony at the Library will be made accessible for large
number of scholars and the public in the world.

4. Duration of the project:
Summer 2000: Preparatory works
1st phase: National training course.
2nd phase: Spring 2001/Autumn 2001: Regional training course

The project is divided into two phases. It will start in summer 2000
and continue the following year.

Summer 2000: the project will start with an introductory course
lasting about 6 weeks for employees already working inside this
library; for employees from regional museum from Porec and Rovinj,
and from teachers and student from the school of Applied Arts in
Pula, who already have some sort of training in manual tasks and who
speak English reasonably well. The personnel will be introduced to
conservation techniques such as: Micro bio-environment control,
Preservation, Restoration, Management of books during exhibitions
and installing a Treatment Data Archive using an internationally
linked computer system, with the intent to share and to exchange
conservation experiences with other European centres. The students
who have participated in the first course are expected to work as
assistants (in a rotary system) to the following course, helping and
guiding the new candidates and assisting the lecture. This is done
to reinforce their learning skills and to prepare them as future
teachers.

Spring 2001/Autumn 2001: the second part of the project will be held
for 8 months (divided in two periods of 4 months each) structured to
train students coming from different countries in Central and
Eastern Europe as well as demonstrating interest in learning a
future profession.

The best students will be given the opportunity and invited overseas
for further training, in order to enhance their skills. This will
give them the sufficient qualifications to teach other possible
members of staff in conservation or teach in other art institutions.

5. Expected results: The expected results are to make Pula a
reference point, in Central and Eastern Europe, for the conservation
of books.  The acquisition of new skills will lead to the opening up
a new job prospect for local experts.  At the first national
training course, 12 experts will be trained.

At the end of both courses there will be a written presentation with
photographs and illustrations published, describing the project and
the results obtained.

6. Previous and on going experiences: Up to now  the Institute Open
Societi Croatia in Zagabria (financed by the American Soros) has
contributed to the project to rescue and preserve the antique
collection of the library. In 1997 they financed the binding of some
books in the "K. u. k. Marine-Bibliothek" collection. The Regione
Veneto, last year financed the project "Recupero Conservativo di un
fondo di volumi antichi" (Conservative rehabilitation of an antique
book collection), which the library is currently carrying out with
other economical backing from the Croatian Cultural Ministry Office
and from our Shire Council also ITOG has worked on a storage plan to
house the Library's books correctly.

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:30
               Distributed: Wednesday, November 17, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-13-30-021
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