Revising and developing the environmental policy at the British Library

Garside, P. and Bradford, K. (2024) Revising and developing the environmental policy at the British Library. Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 47(1), pp. 22-35. (doi: 10.1080/19455224.2023.2301347)

Abstract

To preserve their collections, heritage institutions must understand and mitigate causes of damage, including environmental factors. Historically at the British Library this was addressed by policies developed over decades—frequently without overarching guidance—and in response to changing requirements. As a result, these policies were often disjointed, complex and unrepresentative of current practice. This article addresses the review, revision and application of policy. This is informed by a focus on collection needs that incorporate human, operational and practical requirements; the pragmatic understanding of contributory issues; and sufficient flexibility to encourage engagement and support Library activities without jeopardising collection safety. The revised policy has afforded a variety of benefits, not least that it is a single, concise document. It provides explicit reference to material types and vulnerabilities, and the requirements of operational activities, emphasising preventive conservation concerns. It is accessible to other stakeholders, encouraging effective collaboration and leading to achievable outcomes, benefitting the institution as a whole. As such it has strengthened the role of preventive conservation within the Library, and provided a solid and adaptable basis for future work.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Garside, Mr Paul
• Authors: Garside, P., and Bradford, K.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > History of Art
• Journal Name: Journal of the Institute of Conservation
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1945-5224
• ISSN (Online): 1945-5232
• Published Online: 15 February 2024
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2024 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of the Institute of Conservation 47(1):22-35
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License