Special Collections, General Collections, and Hybrid Conservation Laboratories

Abstract

A number of factors determine a conservation laboratory’s design, including the mission of the particular institution, the functions to be carried out in the space, and the collections that will be treated. Some laboratories primarily perform book repairs, others limit themselves to full special-collections treatments and advanced bookbinding work, while still others might incorporate both general collections and special collections workflows in the same hybrid space. In this chapter, the distinctions and similarities among general collections, special collections, and hybrid laboratories will be discussed, along with recommendations from the literature on maximizing functionality of the space, no matter the type of laboratory.