Bryn Mawr College is soliciting brief "ballpark" estimates for consultants to develop a plan for creating a cost-effective and energy-efficient storage area for the College's Special Collections, one of the largest and richest collections of art, cultural artifacts, rare books and manuscripts to be found among liberal arts colleges in the country. Most of our collections, including the historical records of the College, are currently stored in the College's main library, the Miriam Coffin Canaday Library, and in portions of M. Carey Thomas Hall, built as a library in 1910 and now primarily an academic building. Bryn Mawr's small size and location, in combination with local building codes, make the construction of new, dedicated storage spaces impractical, so we have done our best over the years to maximize existing space in these buildings by converting non-contiguous sections of open library stacks to storage and exhibition areas. These converted storage spaces, originally design ed for public access, do not have climate control systems appropriate for storing vulnerable cultural collections. As planning begins for renovating these building, we have an opportunity to re-imagine our collection storage options, and to create spaces with the kind of temperature and humidity controls that are essential for the collections' long-term preservation. To advance this planning, we are requesting funds to engage consultants experienced in retrofitting older buildings for the storage of cultural collections, and asking them to determine what practical and environmentally sustainable options are available for creating appropriate environments for the collections. The project committee, which consists of Special Collections staff members as well as the College Architect, Energy Officer, and Environmental Safety Officer, will use the information collected in the study to develop a strategic plan for prioritizing and implementing recommended measures, and will begin imme diate implementation of transitional steps to create improved storage areas for the most vulnerable collections until the larger-scale renovations can take place.
Marianne Weldon Objects Conservator Collections Manager for Special Collections 202 Canaday Bryn Mawr College 101 North Merion Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 mwel...@brynmawr.edu ****** Unsubscribe by sending a message to consdistlist-le...@cool.conservation-us.org Archives through August 2016 at http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/ Archives from September 2016 onward at https://www.mail-archive.com/consdistlist@cool.conservation-us.org/
