Volume 17, Number 2
Sep 1993

New Italian Conservation Course for Library Materials

The Istituto Centrale per la Patologia del Libro (ICPL) has organized a two-year academic course for the training of conservators of library materials in Spoleto, Italy. The course is entitled "Corso Europeo di Formazione Specialistica per Conservatori e Restauratori di Beni Librari," and is jointly sponsored by the ICPL, the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Region of Umbria and the European Economic Community (CEE). The ICPL is located in Rome and is the Italian government institute which oversees the conservation of materials in state libraries throughout Italy. The Institute also conducts research in the field of book and paper conservation science. The first year of the course was concluded in June of 1993, and had the following curriculum:

• History and Literature of the Medieval and Renaissance Periods
• Latin Paleography
• Bibliography and Cataloging
• History of the Techniques of Bookbinding
• History and Analysis of Library Materials
• Techniques of Conservation Practice I
• The second year (September 1993 to June 1994) will include the following curriculum:
• Codicology and Cataloging of Manuscripts
• Study of the Art of the Manuscript and Printed Book
• Deterioration Due to Environmental Factors and Biological Agents
• Conservation of Antique Bookbindings
• History and Analysis of Library Materials
• Techniques of Conservation Practice II

Sixteen students were selected from a large pool of European applicants to make up the first class. Instructors for the course come from both Italy and abroad. Recently, Sylvia Rodgers Albro of the Library of Congress and Robert Futernick of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco participated as visiting instructors in the Techniques of Conservation Practice I segment of the course. Their two-week stint included examination, documentation, dry-cleaning, washing, lining, re-sizing, deacidification, pulp fills, mending, mat-cutting and use of the microcomputer in conservation work, all from an American perspective. Students who successfully complete the course in June of 1994 will receive a diploma of professional qualification in Conservation of Library Materials, and will be looking for internship experience.