AIC's 46th Annual Meeting

This presentation will provide an overview of an in depth study of humidification and flattening of paper based artworks/artifacts conducted during a Cathleen A. Baker Fellowship at the University of Michigan Library. Humidification and flattening of paper is one of the most fundamental components of a book and/or paper conservator’s practice, and while it may seem basic or rudimentary the finesse required when selecting the techniques, materials and methodologies to employee in a given situation should not be discounted. When it comes to determining the appropriate procedure for reducing planar distortions in a paper support Material Matters! Factors inherent to the paper itself including the fiber type, processing, sheet formation and finishing affect how the paper will react with the environment and in treatment; by isolating variables and using a standard set of sample papers that reflect a wide range of paper supports typically seen in museum, library and archival collections a more comprehensive understanding of the treatment process can be achieved. The primary aim of this project was to combine a through literature review with personal interviews with practicing conservators of various career levels and training backgrounds to formulate a series of practical experiments which would inform my personal knowledge of the subject. Comparative data- both quantitative and qualitative in nature- in the form of dimensional measurements, observations of surface texture and planarity and efficacy provide insight into manipulating the vast array of humidity delivery systems coupled with restraint drying set-ups to achieve the desired outcome. In the end there is no silver bullet, there is no one "go to" system that will work for all papers in all situations but there are ways to tailor most any system to achieve the goal for each paper.