Johns Hopkins Heritage Science for Conservation Project receives Mellon grant

Sheridan Libraries Receive $1.05 M Grant from the Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation

The Sheridan Libraries have been awarded  $1.05 million from the
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to renew the Heritage Science for
Conservation (HSC) Project.  The project, which serves as a bridge
between the art and science of conservation, is based in the
Libraries' Department of Conservation and Preservation in close
collaboration with the Whiting School of Engineering.

   "This is wonderful news, and we are extremely grateful to the
    Mellon Foundation for their belief in our work and their
    generous support," said Sonja Jordan-Mowery, Joseph Ruzicka and
    Marie Ruzicka Feldman Director for Conservation and
    Preservation. "We have quickly established ourselves as a center
    of innovation, and I am excited about the opportunity to deepen
    our partnerships across Johns Hopkins and with conservation
    scientists and conservators around the world."

Launched as a pilot program in 2009 with Mellon support, HSC
provides opportunities for research fellows to collaborate with
faculty and students in the Whiting School of Engineering's
Department of Materials Science, the Johns Hopkins Museums, as well
as other academic programs and area institutions. The investigations
emphasize research relevant to materials in libraries, archives, and
other cultural heritage organizations. Collaboration with
conservators ensures that discoveries from the researcher's lab can
be quickly translated and applied at the conservator's bench.

   "The Mellon Foundation's grant affirms the very valuable
    contributions the Heritage Science for Conservation Project has
    already made, both in advancing the science of conservation and
    in fostering collaboration across disciplines," said Winston
    Tabb, Sheridan Dean of University Libraries and Museums. "This
    kind of work and these partnerships are critical, even in our
    digital age, for ensuring that our collections are preserved for
    future generations."

In addition to enhancing dialogue between conservators and heritage
scientists in the United States, the HSC team has begun
international outreach, including presentations on the project and
research findings in South Korea and Canada. This past spring, HSC
hosted a major conference with Glatfelter Paper on paper performance
and permanence. For the next five years, members of HSC will explore
issues related to book and paper with particular focus on copper
corrosion, paper strengthening, and the role of lignin in paper
permanence.

Sonja Jordan-Mowery
Joseph Ruzicka and Marie Ruzicka Feldman
Director for Conservation and Preservation
Johns Hopkins University
Sheridan Libraries
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-516-4383


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:9
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 4, 2011
                        Message Id: cdl-25-9-001
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