Conservation of Books andManuscripts

A considerable part of the Trust's Library (esp. the Bailey Collection) consistsof unbound volumes, often more than a century old, and as such many arevulnerable, and their preservation sometimes presents special problems.

The Trustees felt it was necessary to establish a conservation program, and thiswas drawn up in consultation with Dr. Nicholas Hadgraft, a distinguishedconservationist and adviser to the Trust, and Dr. Cheryl Porter, an expert in illuminations &pigments. Some of the necessary funding has been raised, more isbeing actively sought.

This program also aims to improve the environment offered by the library,both from the point of view of the storage of books and of their accessibilityto the reader, including the disabled. This includes increasing space availablefor storage of books, installing modern shelving, controlling humidity andimproving the library in various other respects. Some of the recently restored manuscripts (Persian and Armenian) are now stored ina controlled environment in secure storage facilities. Sophisticated fire andsecurity systems have been fitted.