Depending on the needs of a particular rare object, conservation methods at the Folger may range from traditional, highly skilled methods of binding and mending to very new, equally demanding, technologies—many of which the Folger has been among the first to develop or adopt.
To see several real-life examples of conservation at the Folger, click on the list of Treatment Examples in the navigation bar at left. While these examples offer a good survey of the department's work, Folger conservators also use a wide variety of other techniques, depending on the task at hand.
The Folger was among the first institutions in North America to employ such techniques as computerized leafcasting, paper splitting, and ultrasonic encapsulation. Folger conservators continue to be at the forefront of new conservation methods, including an ongoing research project with Preservation Technology of Pittsburgh to develop a paper-splitting machine.
