Welcome to the Special Collection Sectional blog of the University of Botswana Library!!

We are the home to the University and private archives; The Heritage and Archival Collections. We are located within the University Main Campus in Gaborone-Botswana. 

Browse News in Conservation

Every issue of News in Conservation going back to issue 1 in August 2007 is available for free download from the IIC web-site only. This publication is free to non-members as well as members, thus guaranteeing the widest possible audience for the latest news, developments, opinions, events and anniversaries in international heritage conservation.

link; https://www.iiconservation.org/publications/nic

Conservation programmes at Camberwell College of Arts

You tube link;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qNMcuwVf7M

Readers rules for special collections/archives and manuscripts; Safe handling and security

Special collections/archives and manuscripts within the University of Botswana Library, are our country’s valuable and unique, but often fragile heritage.  Many of the materials in our care are intrinsically weak, and there is a risk of damage whenever they are used or handled. In order to protect these materials, researchers are requested to read and acknowledge some commonsense rules while consulting our collections:

• Readers may bring into the reading room only those materials (iepencils and notepaper, or laptop) needed for research. Books, bags, coats and other personal items should not be brought into the reading room.
• Please maintain quiet in deference to your fellow researchers. Turn off your cell phone
• The reading room is a no-pen zone. Only pencils and laptop computers may be used for taking notes.
• Laptop computers may be used but the Library accepts no liability for damage or loss of data and reserves the right to inspect computers prior to granting permission for their use.
• Handheld photocopiers and scanners are not permitted. Digital cameras are permitted by prior arrangement and are subject to certain restrictions. No flash photography is allowed.
• All researchers must register with the Special Collections staff and provide picture identification (UB members may show their Library or University card). We record name, contact information and research interest. All registration information is confidential. Registration is an acknowledgement of the acceptance of these Readers’ Rules.
• Smoking, drinking and eating (including sucking of sweets or chewing gum) are not permitted. Bottles of water may not be taken into the reading room.
• Readers are responsible for the documents issued to them and must not remove them from the reading room. At the end of the day, as well as prior to an extended period of absence from the reading room, they are required to return the documents they have been using. Readers may only have one file or item at a time. Readers are not allowed into the storage rooms.
• Papers must be handled with great care, kept in their original order and each file returned in a tidy condition. Archives staff can advise on correct handling but in general this means that documents should be placed flat on the table and fully supported at all times, that a reader should not mark the material or erase existing marks, fold, tear or cut documents, make tracings or rubbings, rest elbows, notebooks or other objects on the surface of items, touch the surface of loose sheets or books pages if they can be handled by their edges, turn pages by wetting fingers, apply paper clips, fasteners, rubber bands, tape or ‘Post it’ notes to any material. Pages of bound material should be turned using the corner, not the inner bottom edge. Photographic material might necessitate the wearing of cotton gloves.
• To safeguard the integrity of documents the original order must be maintained. Loose pages must be stacked together neatly as they are finished with.
• We reserve the right to inspect any notes or other materials before the reader leaves the premises.
• Restricted materials: Access to collections and permission to copy from them depend upon the condition of the material. The use of certain documents may be restricted by statute or by donors’ stipulations. The researcher must assume full responsibility for fulfilling the terms connected with the use of restricted material. Materials that are of exceptional value or fragility may also be restricted and we reserve the right to withhold access for the protection of fragile items. However, in these cases, all efforts will be made to either: conserve the item in question to make it fit for production; create a surrogate copy; summarise or transcribe the information within the item.
• For permission to publish or quote from manuscripts and other unpublished materials, and how to make citations, consult Special Collections staff.
• Reprographics: For reasons of preservation, photocopying of archival material may not be possible. However, digital imaging and electronic copies of documents may also be available. Reprography may incur a nominal charge in order to cover costs. Digital, non-flash photography is permissible by prior arrangement. All photocopying is done by Special Collections staff. All reprography is subject to copyright compliance.
• Personal data: Readers agree that any information they obtain from the materials will not be used to support measures or decisions with respect to living individuals, and that it will not cause or be likely to cause substantial damage or distress to any individual who is the subject of the data who is still alive or likely to be alive.

Sustainable Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring equipment

Environmental monitoring and its technology can contribute significantly on sustainability. Environmental monitoring is the process of effective preventive maintenance of light, temperature, relative humidity, at certain ranges, and air-pollutants i.e. air circulation without acidic gas pollutants’ like carbon monoxides, sulfur dioxides, Chlorites etc and air particulates. On the other hand, sustainability in environmental monitoring precisely means the state of being capable of maintaining continued good indoor conditions with minimal long-term negative effects on the environment.  

To this date, the world is wondering whether as Conservation Scientists and Preservation Managers we will find a replacement of Heat Ventilation Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC systems). This is a concern because so far developments on technological environmental monitoring, the escalating micro technology in museums, political and economical developments has not yet shown signs of replacing HVAC systems.  Arguments have been tabled out on different methods of implementing cost effective air-conditioning systems, but the fact remains how many are implementing these methods?

The use of highly expensive to maintain technology on environmental conditioning, Heat Ventilation Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC systems) contributes significantly on unsustainable environmental monitoring. Preservation specialists need to revert to easy, cost effective methods of environmental monitoring. There is a high need of research on the use of air conditioning systems. Technology of air-conditioning still needs improvement. Among others, improper use of air-conditioning systems, unsuitable installation and lack of knowledgeable maintenance specialists on air-conditioning contribute significantly on unsustainable development in environmental monitoring. Buildings are generally closed structures on which the collections are stored. Researchers have revealed that different structural formats, materials used, spacing and the positioning do contribute significantly on environmental monitoring. Therefore, it is very important for Preservation Specialists and Conservation Scientist to run environmental monitoring concomitant with sustainability.

International Course on Conservation of Japanese Paper

Below are details of a course on conservation of Japanese papers as detailed under ICCROM

Dates: 25 August - 12 September 2014

Place: Tokyo, Japan

Organization

• National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo
• ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)

The course Many collections all over the world house Japanese paintings, calligraphic works and other paper–based artifacts. The purpose of this course is to offer those caring for such collections outside of Japan an insight into the materials and techniques of the Japanese paper-mounting tradition, and to the principles guiding the care of such collections in Japan. Through improving their understanding of the basic characteristics of the Japanese paper tradition, the participants will be in a better position to make decisions concerning the care of Japanese artifacts in their collections. The course aims also at offering opportunities to build bridges between the Japanese and the Western paper conservation traditions and to assess the applicability of the Japanese approach, materials & techniques also to non-Japanese cultural heritage.

Details are elaborated under;  

http://www.iccrom.org/eng/01train_en/announce_en/2014_08jpc_en.shtml