Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup.
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1. Query: Setting Light Exposure Budgets for Collection Materials on Display
2. Reminder: AICCM webinar: 'Conserving synthetic papers: types, troubles and
techniques'
3. FAIC 50th Anniversary of the Oral History Project
4. Financial Support Opportunities for 2026 Annual Meeting and Conference
Speakers
5. RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
6. RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
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1.From: Nicole Gilroy
Posted: Monday September 8, 2025 7:12 AM
Subject: Query: Setting Light Exposure Budgets for Collection Materials on
Display
Message:
Dear Colleagues,
We're gathering information on institutional practices for managing light
exposure budgets for collection materials on display. We're particularly
interested in how institutions address the challenge of setting these budgets
for popular items which we predict will be in repeated demand in the future.
Specifically, we'd like to learn about:
- Established methodologies for calculating exposure budgets
- Strategies for managing uncertainty in future display requirements
- Whether your institution has an established light budget policy
Please do reply via the list or directly to [email protected]
Thank you for your insights.
2.From: Yuhong Zhang
Posted: Monday September 8, 2025 7:43 AM
Subject: Reminder: AICCM webinar: 'Conserving synthetic papers: types,
troubles and techniques'
Message: Please join us this Friday for the AICCM Book and Paper SIG webinar
on conservering synthetic papers. A great topic with very informative content
presented by Dr. Candy Chu. Conserving synthetic papers: types, troubles and
techniques
Time and Date: 12:30-1:30pm AEST, 12 September 2025
Venue: Online Webinar (this event will not be recorded)
Cost: $10 AICCM Member, $20 Non-Member, $0 AICCM Student Member Event
registration link:
https://aiccm.org.au/events/conserving-synthetic-papers-types-troubles-and-techniques/
<https://aiccm.org.au/events/conserving-synthetic-papers-types-troubles-and-techniques/>
>From the early twentieth century, paper and plastic material components have
>been paired to achieve new functions and product types. These paper and
>plastic composites, as well as fully synthetic paper-like materials, have been
>collected as a reflection of their everyday use in journals, sketchbooks, and
>paperback books. Techniques traditionally used for paper conservation are not
>necessarily suitable for plastic-containing books and documents, due to the
>chemical and physical properties introduced by the synthetic component. This
>talk aims to introduce the audience to identifying synthetic paper types,
>understanding properties and deterioration pathways, and formulating
>compatible interventive techniques based on a study of the repair of matte
>laminated papers.
Dr. Cancy Chu is a Paper Conservator at the National Museum of Australia and
the co-Chief Editor of the AICCM Bulletin. She has a research focus on the
conservation of modern book and paper cultural collections, as demonstrated by
her publications on stone paper, plastics in archives, and plastic-covered
notebooks. She was the inaugural Fulbright-National Archives Heritage Science
Fellow at the National Archives and Records Administration, USA, and holds a
PhD and a Master of Cultural Materials Conservation, both from the University
of Melbourne.
This talk will be followed by a Q&A and discussion time, during which
participants can bring questions for the speaker and share relevant experiences
and observations. Thank you and hope to see you this Friday.
Kind regards,Yuhong Zhang & Hanna SandgrenAICCM Book and Paper Convenors
3.From: Valeria Orlandini
Posted: Monday September 8, 2025 10:27 AM
Subject: FAIC 50th Anniversary of the Oral History Project
Message: FAIC 50th Anniversary of the Oral History Project
Congratulations for the celebration of the FAIC 50th Oral History Project
Anniversary Roundtable at Winterthur!
https://www.winterthur.org/preserving-oral-histories-for-50-years-and-still-going-strong%ef%bf%bc/
<https://www.winterthur.org/preserving-oral-histories-for-50-years-and-still-going-strong%ef%bf%bc/>
Please, contact Molly Mapstone, Project Assistant of the Oral History Project
at the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library to access the recording of this
event.
E-mail: <[email protected] <[email protected]>>
Attached find the presentation entitled "Filling the gaps of our conservation
past with oral histories" by Professor Joyce Hill Stoner and Rebecca A.
Rushfield at the symposium entitled Narratives. Contributions to the History of
Conservation which took place on September 29-30, 2022, at the Academy of Fine
Arts Vienna in Austria. Contributions from a variety of disciplines were
covered in a wide geographical range from Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany,
Turkey and the USA.
Narratives. Contributions to the History of Conservation
<https://www.akbild.ac.at/en/institutes/conservation-restoration/events/conferences/2022/symposium-narratives-contributions-to-the-history-of-conservation>
Professor Dr. Joyce Hill Stoner <[email protected] <[email protected]>>
Rebecca Rushfield <[email protected] <[email protected]>>
------------------------------
Valeria Orlandini
Conservator of Works on Paper and Photographic Materials
Chevy Chase MD
(301) 657-2682
------------------------------
4.From: Tiffani Emig
Posted: Monday September 8, 2025 7:36 PM
Subject: Financial Support Opportunities for 2026 Annual Meeting and
Conference Speakers
Message:
If cost of attendance is making you hesitate about submitting an abstract
proposal for the 2026 Annual Meeting and Conference in Montreal, please review
the following speaker support opportunities to see if you might be eligible.
There is no separate application, you simply indicate eligibility and interest
in being considered for each opportunity during the abstract submission process.
FAIC/Kress Foundation International Speaker Scholarship - Supports speakers
traveling from outside of the US or Canada with up to $1,000 for travel and
registration costs. The Kress Foundation directs funds toward individuals
supporting preservation of European Art in alignment with their funding
priorities (pending funding from the Kress Foundation).
FAIC George Stout Scholarship - Supports student and post graduate AIC members
with up to $1,000 for travel and registration costs. Applicants must be current
students or graduated after December 15, 2023.
AIC Specialty Group Funding - Some AIC Specialty Groups are able to support a
couple of speakers for their sessions to attend the AIC Annual Meeting.
Stipends typically support up to $1,000 toward travel and registration costs.
NEW Tier 3 Nation Presenter Support - AIC will support attendance for no more
than one (1) presenter from countries classified as Tier 3 by the World Bank
(https://www.consumerinterests.org/world-bank-tiers
<https://www.consumerinterests.org/world-bank-tiers>). Stipends include
registration with one ticketed event, 4 nights at the host hotel (or
equivalent), economy air transportation, and airport transfers in Montreal.
Participants will be responsible for visa costs, meals, and any additional
travel costs.
Please note that scholarships and stipends are considered taxable income by the
United States Internal Revenue Service.
CAC members may be eligible for a Conference/Workshop Grant. Applications will
be available at https://www.cac-accr.ca/become-a-member/#grants-and-bursaries
<https://www.cac-accr.ca/become-a-member/#grants-and-bursaries> with an
anticipated deadline of February 2026.
------------------------------
Tiffani Emig
Deputy Director
American Institute for Conservation and Foundation for Advancement in
Conservation
Washington DC
[email protected]
------------------------------
5.From: Dale Kronkright
Posted: Monday September 8, 2025 7:36 PM
Subject: RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
Message:
Michaela - THANK YOU for reminding me (us all) of that marvelous study done by
Colleen Boye, Frank Preusser, and Terry Schaeffer, with experimental assistance
from the Getty Conservation Institute in 2011! A link to the COOL online
version of the article (for us all to ave, print and remember) is:
https://cool.culturalheritage.org/waac/wn/wn33/wn33-1/wn33-105.pdf . There is
an excellent list of suppliers of these films, as well as a great list of
references, including an important article about year earlier by the same
authors, "UV-Blocking Window Films for Use in Museums-Revisited" in the WAAC
Newsletter Vol 32, No. 1, January 2010. That article is likewise available on
COOL, https://cool.culturalheritage.org/waac/wn/wn32/wn32-1/wn32-104.pdf .
I found it especially interesting that one of my favorite UV absorbing window
films, 3M's prestige series, became more opaque after artificial aging. The UV
absorbing quality increased with time, likely the result of the lower
transmission and greater light scattering with the increased opacity,
ultimately losing as much as 40% of its visible transmissibility.
The field definitely needs some first-hand accounts of removing and replacing
these films after a number of years of service, as well as more first hand
accounts of changes in transmission and absorption throughout the vis, UV and
IR spectra. Many thanks for starting this thread!
------------------------------
Dale Kronkright
Head of Conservation
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and Research Center
Santa Fe
United States
------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-05-2025 16:14
From: Michaela Neiro
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
Dale,
I have limited first-hand experience with the deterioration of UV film. At
Historic New England, we began using it 15 years ago and some of those earliest
applications are now failing - bubbling, delaminating and darkening. In the
2011 WAAC Newsletter Vol 33, #1 Ageing Properties of UV Film, they
characterized UV absorption, visible transmission and colorimetric properties
of several films and how the properties of the films changed over time. The
concluding statement recommends that changes in the adhesive (crosslinking)
might make the film intractable such that no film should be left on museum
windows for longer than 7 years regardless of changes in optical properties.
We have yet to remove any old film so it is unclear what, if any, damage will
be done. I have also read not to use UV film on old (historic) glass, but have
heard only a few accounts of problems. I don't want to be alarmist regarding UV
film and would love to hear more about its use and removability including
specific products.
------------------------------
Michaela Neiro
Objects Conservator
Historic New England
Boston
United States
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-05-2025 10:46
From: Dale Kronkright
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
Michaela - I am very interested in your comment above that the UV absorbing
glass films have a lifespan of 5 - 10 years. 3M films are warranted to perform
to specification for 15 years, which suggests that the manufacturers expect a
longer life. Is the "life span" you are referring to a visible quality, a UV
absorbing quality or an adhesion quality? Thanks so much for expanding on this
part of your post.
------------------------------
Dale Kronkright
Head of Conservation
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and Research Center
Santa Fe
United States
Original Message:
Sent: 09-02-2025 12:02
From: Michaela Neiro
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
We have used UV film in certain locations at some sites. My concerns with
film is that it has a much shorter lifespan (5-10 years) than plexi (25+
years), damage can be done to glass upon its removal, and it blocks
significantly less UV than plexi. The film certainly looks better when well
applied and is much easier for staff to maintain and operate windows. This is
the quandary. We will likely continue to use a combination of film and plexi
depending on location, size of window etc. I would love to hear more about
successes or failures with film and plexi. Thank you
Michaela Neiro
She/Her
Director of Conservation
Historic New England
151 Essex St
Haverhill, MA 01832
(617) 994-6635
Become a member
<https://www.historicnewengland.org/get-involved/memberships/> | Support our
work <https://www.historicnewengland.org/get-involved/donate/> | Learn more
<https://www.historicnewengland.org/>
JOIN US at the Historic New England Summit
<https://summit.historicnewengland.org/>
November 13 & 14 in New Haven, CT, and Livestream
<https://summit.historicnewengland.org/>
Original Message:
Sent: 9/2/2025 9:38:00 AM
From: Ian Loughead
Subject: RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
I was wondering if you had considered UV blocking film? We have had good
success using that at our historic homes. Advantages, less obvious to visitors
and allows for the operation of the windows if needed. We found that some staff
would remove the plexi sheet barriers in homes that needed cross ventilation
and therefore we lost all UV protection, while an open window was at least 50%
covered. When temperatures get hot inside homes with no moving air, staff will
find a way to make it cooler. The films usually are available in clear with
only UV blocking, or levels of light blocking as well.
The downsides to the film is the time it takes to install the film, which is
much more labour intensive and possibly (we have not found this to be true) the
chance of damage to very old glass as it is stuck on with an adhesive.
Technically these also come in safety films, which make the windows more
shatter resistant as far as theft and vandalism goes.
------------------------------
Ian Loughead
Senior Conservator
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Halifax
Canada
Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2025 15:18
From: Michaela Neiro
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
I am looking for available brands of Acrylic/plexi sheet to hang in the
windows of our Historic House museums to block UV while the sites are open in
the summer. I currently have quotes for Optix UVF and Acrylite OP-3. Is
anyone familiar with these products or do you have others to recommend?
Thanks for your input,
Michaela Neiro Director of Conservation Historic New England
6.From: Dale Kronkright
Posted: Monday September 8, 2025 7:36 PM
Subject: RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
Message:
Janin - thank you for introducing us to Luminis glass films. I have not yet
seen them mentioned in the US literature and the ease of application is
intriguing!
Dale
------------------------------
Dale Kronkright
Head of Conservation
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and Research Center
Santa Fe
United States
------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2025 04:57
From: Janin Bechstedt
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
I have recently moved to a house where all the windows were on the South
side so I was looking for a heat-blocking film. Luminis makes electrostatic
films for windows (heat-, Uv-, view-blocking etc.). No adhesives, you just
apply them with water, peel them off and reapply whenever you want. Which makes
it probably easier to use then the one with adhesives and if bubbles appear,
you can correct that too.
I don't know how long the protection lasts, but they respond very quickly.
Since I didn't use the UV film, I can't say if it is as good or better then the
one from 3M, but the heat-blocking film was quite astonishing.
Here is the link for the UV-film:
https://www.luminis-films.com/films-pour-vitrages/film-solaire/film-anti-uv-et-anti-decoloration/Film-electrostatique-incolore-anti-uv-STAT-101i
<https://www.luminis-films.com/films-pour-vitrages/film-solaire/film-anti-uv-et-anti-decoloration/Film-electrostatique-incolore-anti-uv-STAT-101i>
Kind regards
Janin BechstedtPainting conservatorScientific imagery
Original Message:
Sent: 9/5/2025 10:47:00 AM
From: Dale Kronkright
Subject: RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
Michaela - I am very interested in your comment above that the UV absorbing
glass films have a lifespan of 5 - 10 years. 3M films are warranted to perform
to specification for 15 years, which suggests that the manufacturers expect a
longer life. Is the "life span" you are referring to a visible quality, a UV
absorbing quality or an adhesion quality? Thanks so much for expanding on this
part of your post.
------------------------------
Dale Kronkright
Head of Conservation
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and Research Center
Santa Fe
United States
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-02-2025 12:02
From: Michaela Neiro
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
We have used UV film in certain locations at some sites. My concerns with
film is that it has a much shorter lifespan (5-10 years) than plexi (25+
years), damage can be done to glass upon its removal, and it blocks
significantly less UV than plexi. The film certainly looks better when well
applied and is much easier for staff to maintain and operate windows. This is
the quandary. We will likely continue to use a combination of film and plexi
depending on location, size of window etc. I would love to hear more about
successes or failures with film and plexi. Thank you
Michaela Neiro
She/Her
Director of Conservation
Historic New England
151 Essex St
Haverhill, MA 01832
(617) 994-6635
Become a member
<https://www.historicnewengland.org/get-involved/memberships/> | Support our
work <https://www.historicnewengland.org/get-involved/donate/> | Learn more
<https://www.historicnewengland.org/>
JOIN US at the Historic New England Summit
<https://summit.historicnewengland.org/>
November 13 & 14 in New Haven, CT, and Livestream
<https://summit.historicnewengland.org/>
Original Message:
Sent: 9/2/2025 9:38:00 AM
From: Ian Loughead
Subject: RE: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
I was wondering if you had considered UV blocking film? We have had good
success using that at our historic homes. Advantages, less obvious to visitors
and allows for the operation of the windows if needed. We found that some staff
would remove the plexi sheet barriers in homes that needed cross ventilation
and therefore we lost all UV protection, while an open window was at least 50%
covered. When temperatures get hot inside homes with no moving air, staff will
find a way to make it cooler. The films usually are available in clear with
only UV blocking, or levels of light blocking as well.
The downsides to the film is the time it takes to install the film, which is
much more labour intensive and possibly (we have not found this to be true) the
chance of damage to very old glass as it is stuck on with an adhesive.
Technically these also come in safety films, which make the windows more
shatter resistant as far as theft and vandalism goes.
------------------------------
Ian Loughead
Senior Conservator
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Halifax
Canada
Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2025 15:18
From: Michaela Neiro
Subject: UV blocking Acrylic sheet for windows
I am looking for available brands of Acrylic/plexi sheet to hang in the
windows of our Historic House museums to block UV while the sites are open in
the summer. I currently have quotes for Optix UVF and Acrylite OP-3. Is
anyone familiar with these products or do you have others to recommend?
Thanks for your input,
Michaela Neiro Director of Conservation Historic New England
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