Cornell University Library's most valuable holdings-from a handwritten copy of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to a rare folio of Shakespeare's early plays, to a 15th century encyclopedia from imperial China-all pass through the hands of conservation experts who stabilize and prepare these materials for exhibition, digitization, and viewing by generations of scholars from all over the world. And, yet, much of the work of the library's Conservation Lab happens away from the public eye, in a quiet corner on the lower level of Olin Library.
Recently, the Conservation Lab's physical space received important upgrades with financial support from Cornell alumni. The lead gift came from Jim Irish and Andrea Glanz, both from the Class of 1974, known for their volunteer leadership and their generosity to many areas at Cornell. In 2009, they made a gift to expand the Caribbean studies collection at the John Henrik Clarke Africana Library. In honor of their 50th class reunion in 2024, the couple created an endowment fund to support Cornell University Library's conservation efforts.
"Our latest gift is to an area that's not going to attract a lot of attention but we think is important," said Irish, an investor and retired attorney. "We know that the function of conservation is essential not only at Cornell but at other libraries and museums as well."
"Over the years, Cornell has amassed really important collections that are used for research purposes," said Glanz, a retired marketing executive and former art museum curator. "The Conservation Lab and the people that work there are what ensures the collections are going to stay in good condition and be accessible to future users."
The financial support from alumni enabled the library to make much-needed improvements to the Conservation Lab in line with recent renovations at Olin Library, said Jon Ladley, facilities director for Cornell University Library: The lab's walls and ceiling have been repainted to better match Olin Library's new color scheme. The original floor tiles were replaced with a more resilient and easier to clean material. Power outlets were added above the conservators' work areas for more convenient access. Fully dimmable LED lights were installed above each workstation so that the conservators can adjust their own level of illumination. Increasing security, the Conservation Lab's doors were also outfitted with a card-access system.
"A major aspect of the refresh has been reorganizing the surface spaces on which conservators work," said Haven Hawley, associate university librarian for Special Collections and the interim director of the library's Digitization and Conservation Services. "This allows for us to have a more efficient workflow and also provides work surfaces for handling a variety of sizes and types of manuscripts and photographs, as well as oversized materials like prints and maps."
Hawley emphasized the vital work of the Conservation Lab in building the library's collections and the importance of financial support from the library's champions. "When we bring in materials, we make a very long-term commitment, and conservation is at the heart of our ability to fulfill that commitment," she said. "It's necessary for us to have partners in that commitment because the conservation of rare materials will outlive all of us."
