Conservation and preservation are closely related terms, but they have slightly different meanings and connotations.
Conservation refers to the active process of protecting, preserving, and restoring cultural heritage materials, such as books, manuscripts, artwork, and artifacts. This can include activities such as cleaning, repairing, and stabilizing materials, as well as taking measures to slow down or prevent deterioration. The goal of conservation is to extend the life of the materials, making them accessible to the public for as long as possible.
Preservation, on the other hand, refers to the passive process of keeping materials in their original condition, without actively altering or restoring them. This can include activities such as storing materials in appropriate conditions, protecting them from environmental factors, and ensuring they are not handled excessively. The goal of preservation is to ensure the long-term survival of the materials in their original state.
In summary, conservation is an active process of protecting, preserving, and restoring cultural heritage materials, while preservation is a passive process of keeping materials in their original condition. Both conservation and preservation are important for ensuring the long-term survival of cultural heritage materials.
Conservation and preservation are important for ensuring the long-term survival of cultural heritage materials, such as books, manuscripts, artwork, and artifacts. Here are some examples of conservation and preservation activities:
Conservation:
- Cleaning a book cover that is dirty or stained
- Repairing a torn page in a book
- Stabilizing a manuscript that is in poor condition
- Applying a protective coating to a painting to prevent further deterioration
- Digitizing an artifact to create a digital copy that can be used for research and study, while the original artifact is preserved.
Preservation:
- Storing a book in a controlled environment, such as a temperature and humidity-controlled room, to prevent damage from changes in temperature and humidity
- Using acid-free paper and materials to prevent deterioration of a manuscript
- Placing a painting in a UV-protective frame to prevent damage from sunlight
- Limiting access to a fragile artifact to prevent damage from handling
- Creating a microfilm or digital copy of a book or manuscript, so that it can be used without damaging the original.
As you can see from the examples, conservation activities involve actively repairing, restoring or stabilizing materials, while preservation activities involve passively keeping materials in their original condition, without altering or restoring them. Both conservation and preservation are important for ensuring the long-term survival of cultural heritage materials.
It is important to note that the choice between conservation and preservation will depend on the condition and nature of the materials, as well as the goals and priorities of the institution or organization responsible for them.