Connecting to Collections Care: Collection Facility Planning: Preparing for the Next Renovation

Webinar

10/29/2019 2:00 PM–3:30 PM
Online
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Instructors

Jeffrey Weatherston

Description

The very nature of collecting means ever-increasing demands on the facilities and equipment housing the collected materials and the need for ongoing and sustained planning to meet those demands. For most successful and active collecting institutions, over time, facilities become gradually more and more crowded and access to the collected material more and more challenging. Eventually the need to expand facilities becomes essential to continuing the important work of collecting the valuable materials required for research, education and cultural advancement. Whether that means a simple reorganization of space, major renovation, addition or a new building this webinar will provide an overview of the planning work needed before engaging in the design of new or improved facilities.

Considerations to be discussed include how to translate existing storage conditions into future storage need, how to address existing collection crowding and project collection growth and what is needed to facilitate access while developing an efficient storage system. Equally important is the understanding that a collection facility is not just about storage but also the spaces and tools needed to care for, research and access the collection materials. What is the impact of best practices in collection care, pest management, environment control and workflow on the organization of a collection facility? What are the spaces needed to accomplish the important tasks of curators, researchers, programmers, teachers and collection professionals in their work with collections? All of these will be explored in the course of this webinar.

To sign up see: https://www.connectingtocollections.org/space_planning/