Canadian Conservation Institute: Design and Construction of Reusable and Modular Book Cradles

Join CCI for the “Design and Construction of Reusable and Modular Book Cradles,” advanced professional development (APD) workshop at the Canadian Conservation Institute offices in Ottawa on March 6–8, 2024.

The APD will be delivered by Alessandro Scola, Senior Book Conservator at the Department of Conservation and Preservation of the Sheridan Libraries and University Museums, Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

This workshop will focus on an innovative system for displaying books in exhibitions that was developed at the Sheridan Libraries. The system, consisting of a series of reusable and modular structures built with the thermoplastic poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol, aims to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the exhibition preparation process without compromising the safety of the displayed objects.

Since the system was adopted, the JHU conservation lab has experienced a 90% reduction in both the consumption and disposal of the thermoplastic used for cradle-making and has drastically sped up the exhibition preparation process as a whole. Getting a book ready for exhibition using this method can take as little as 15 minutes.

The application deadline is January 3, 2024. Spaces are limited. Prompt registration is recommended.