Preservation News

A student worker restored historic ice flow charts in the University Libraries' collection, saving irreplaceable data that is part of the climate record while making progress toward her own goal of a career in art conservation and restoration.

Join our Preservation and Collections Care team on a series of hands-on adventures as they restore unique and historic items from our collections.

Conservator Hillary Morgan teaches us how to remove soot and smoke odors from your book collection.

From childhood photos to letters from a loved one, there’s nothing worse than losing access to personal or family memorabilia. That’s why, as part of American Archives Month, archivists with the University Libraries wanted to share tips and tricks on how you can care for and preserve your own personal...

For book borrowers, the COVID-19 pandemic has raised some concerns: What are the best ways to disinfect a book or other items typically found in library collections? The best disinfectant—according to conservators—is “time.” The University Libraries are placing all patron returns in quarantine for 96 hours, says Acting Preservation Manager...

For many people, the smell of a paper book is enchanting. Books can remind us of chocolate, coffee, smoke, wood or vanilla. The aroma is so popular, perfumiers have tried to capture the essence of a book's smell through candles and even cologne or eau de toilette. But why are...

What is Preservation Week? Memories and treasures should last beyond our lifetime and be passed on for future generations to learn from and enjoy. Preservation Week aims to raise awareness of the role conservators play in providing ongoing preservation and conservation services for libraries. What is preservation? Preservation is the...

Looking for a new craft activity to try while at home? Conservators in-training, rejoice! The University Libraries' Preservation unit and the Book Arts League of Lafayette, Colorado can teach you how to make a single sheet pamphlet to further your crafting skills during Preservation Week. To get started you will...

This transcript of the CU at the Libraries episode “Is It Okay To Write In Books?” has been rewritten for the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries news site. Press play to listen to this episode below or find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts...

As incoming and returning students arrive on campus and our faculty make last-minute edits to their syllabi, the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries are also preparing for a successful start to a new school year. Our Circulation Department has kept busy this summer by gathering materials from course reserve requests...