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Just want to alert potential U.S. nonprofit museums, libraries, and archives about new guidelines and some changes for the Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections grant program, offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Grants will be available to plan and implement preventive conservation projects in ways that are cost effective, energy efficient, and environmentally sensitive …

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is working to create a five-year strategic plan, and would like ideas from museum and library professionals on how best to carry out its responsibility to support these institutions. Please take the time to share your ideas and help IMLS realize how important conservation is to the …

AIC is pleased to announce the sale of AIC PhotoDocumentation Targets (AIC PhD Targets), designed by Dan Kushel, Jiuan-Jiuan Chen, and Luisa Casella, and produced by Robin Myers Imaging. The AIC PhD Targets provide an easy and efficient way to include photographic reference standards as well as image and artifact identification information. Lightweight and of …

AIC has published the long-awaited second edition of the AIC Guide to Digital Photography and Conservation Documentation. This book is a comprehensive guide to digital photographic equipment, software, and processing tailored to the needs of conservation professionals. Authors Franziska Frey, Dawn Heller, Dan Kushel, Timothy Vitale, Jeffrey Warda (editor), and Gawain Weaver have more than …

Also, there is still space available in AIC’s upcoming research trip to Cuba. For nine days explore conservation, preservation, cultural, and humanitarian activities in Cuba, focusing on the UNESCO World Heritage cities of Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad de Cuba, and the countryside between those cultural centers. The trip will be led by AIC member, Rosa Lowinger …

August 26, 2011 Mr. John L. Nua, III, Chairman Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Old Post Office Building 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 809 Washington, DC 20004 Dear Mr. Nau, The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage was adopted by the 31st general conference of UNESCO in November 2001. The Convention …

According to the Wall Street Journal (“Collectors Evacuate Artworks” ,by Erica Ogden, Saturday-Sunday August 27-28, 2011), some art collectors whose summer homes in the Hamptons are in the path of Hurricane Irene had their art works shipped to safer locations well in advance of the storm’s arrival. Other collectors were scrambling around on Friday to …

WASHINGTON, D.C.— With the peak of hurricane season approaching, museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives in coastal regions will be at risk.  The American Institute for Conservation (AIC), the national association of conservation professionals, is offering free emergency response assistance to cultural organizations.  Please help make sure that staff members of collecting institutions know to …

Mix coffee, curiosity, and a high power microscope and scientists now know why coffee rings have clearly defined, darker edges.  Listen to the full story on NPR’s website or read the article and learn more about the implications this may have on the development of inks and paints.

Many face-to-face and online courses, and many books, describe how to organize and manage a small business. The FAIC Online series is the only information source designed specifically for the community of art and artifact preservation specialists. The courses are led by experienced online teachers who have an intimate knowledge of conservation as well as …

According to an article in the August 16, 2011 issue of The Wall Street Journal (“The Dawn of a Faux-Bronze Age?”, by Daniel Grant), due to the rising cost of bronze, sculptors are beginning to use materials like polyester resin, plaster, and terracotta which are either mixed with metal and mica powders or coated in …

MEMBER NEWS FROM CLUB QUARTERS New Club Quarters to Open in London Early 2012Club Quarters will open a fourth London hotel – Club Quarters, Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the beginning of 2012. It is located at Kingsway near Holborn in the heart of London (“Midtown”) and close to Covent Garden and the theatre district. The Hotel …

In recent weeks, Science (the magazine of the American Association for the Advancement of Science) has published a number of short notices on developments of interest to conservators. Among them: “Miniature Art Masters” (July 8, 2011, Vol.333)  which notes that Spanish conservators are using bacteria to remove incrustations from murals; “Modernizing Mummy Maintenance (July 15, …

AIC-CERT had “boots on the ground” Friday, August 5, 2011 to assist the Ward County Historical Society in Minot, North Dakota. The call for volunteers went out on Tuesday afternoon.  By Thursday, we had an Incident Action Plan, a three-person team, and airline tickets, car rental, and hotel rooms booked. This is a real testament …

As of early August, 867 Preserve America Communities have been designated, 34 Preserve America Stewards recognized, 20 Presidential Awards bestowed, and more than $21 million awarded for 281 competitive grant projects throughout the country. While Preserve America Grants were not funded in FY 2011, and it appears unlikely that they will be funded for FY …