Lendrum Graduate Internship in Book Conservation

A post by Susan Hull

In 2021 I began the Lendrum graduate internship in Book Conservation at Durham University. I applied for this post whilst completing an MA in Conservation of Fine Art with a paper specialism at Northumbria University, having had previous voluntary experience in object conservation based in museums. This internship was essentially my first taste of book conservation. For the next two years I worked alongside the conservation team at Palace Green Library, home of the Durham University Archive and Special Collections. The team comprised of book, paper and collections conservation specialists, all of whom were generous in sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm.

The studio at Palace Green is well equipped with all the tools and equipment necessary for book binding. Books and bookbinding have a long history, and I had the opportunity to explore their literature using the Palace Green collections on the topic. Furthermore, making historical models was an essential way to understand the mechanics and structure of books, the mindset of the binder, and the evolution of the codex through the years. Model making is also an excellent way to trial conservation treatments before they are attempted on the historical object. Examples of models I created included those of sewing, endbands, limp vellum binding, springback, leather tightback and case bindings.

During the internship I was fortunate enough to attend various conferences and workshops. These included Archives Records Association (ARA) Conferences, Care and Conservation of Manuscripts, London Rare Book School, and workshops with my internship external mentor, book and archive conservator Bridget Warrington ACR. I also attended Ligatus Summer School 2022 in Dublin’s Worth Library, involving a fascinating and intense week with Nicholas Pickwoad taking us through ‘European bookbinding 1450-1830’, and Georgios Boudalis and Athanasios Velios teaching ‘Eastern Mediterranean bookbinding structure and linked data for bookbinding description’. Ligatus gave me a thorough insight into the features that are significant in bindings and highlighted the importance of accurate observation and recording of these features.

Over the course of the internship, I completed a number of conservation projects that involved learning a variety of skills and problem solving. For example, a reverse leather springback which was being treated for red rot with Klucel G, also suffered from a torn spring at the head end. Rather than completing a re-back, it was felt the original spring could be repaired, to retain much of the original material and appearance. By taking advantage of the spring’s construction – layers of paper – a supportive paperboard splint was inserted between the layers to conjoin the torn elements. The spring was then built up with layers of archival quality wove paper and wheat starch paste to achieve a smooth surfaced solid form. Repair leather was prepared by choosing suitable thickness calf, dyeing sympathetically and paring it to the correct proportions. Once complete, a phase box was constructed to prevent mishandling and to contain any future leather deterioration caused by red rot.

Working as part of the conservation team meant getting involved in wider conservation activities. These included pest monitoring as part of the Integrated Pest Management of the library building, decontaminating new arrivals of archival materials, and being involved in training and work experience events – to name but a few examples. A highlight was participating in the survey of Cosin’s 17^th century historic library, for which each of the book’s features were recorded and condition checked. This gave me a valuable insight into characteristics of bindings from a range of European traditions, and an understanding of the different ways in which bindings fail or are best preserved over time.

In addition to practicing a wide range of techniques, I have enhanced my understanding of the nuances of ethics and decision making specific to book conservation, which built on my previous experiences working with works of art and museum objects. The main difference to consider is that in the majority of situations books will not be kept within a glass case or viewed from a safe distance. They are primarily mechanical objects created and designed for handling, and their functionality is an essential part of their character.

The decision to repair an item and to what extent is an aspect that is always debatable. The method and materials used should aim toward preserving the historical integrity and functionality of the book, and such choices provide ongoing interest and challenges.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Lendrum internship, and I gained a huge amount in knowledge, theory and practice from being in such a positive learning environment. It was a unique opportunity where the valuable skills – essential to a future in book conservation were taught, and I feel very privileged to have benefitted from this experience. I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in the internship, including Chris & Margaret Lendrum, Tony King, Lauren Moon Schott, Bridget Warrington, and the excellent conservation team at PGL.