Materials   Required

Materials Required for Setting up A Conservation Laboratory

• Handmade paper of various thickness, textures and colours as required for the respective collections
• Lens tissue, Nepalese tissue, Banana tissue etc
• Binding materials
• Acid free mount board
• Flour, gelatin, eraser powders,
• Melinex, polythene
• Pigments
• Paraloid B-72 granules
• Seashell lime
• Other items as per requirement

Chemicals

• Anti fungal agents such as thymol, orthophenylphenol etc
• Solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, methanol, ethanol etc
• Insecticidal powders such as borax etc
• Other items as per requirement

Documentation

• Receipt return registers
• Conservation file
• Treatment record
• Camera for photographic documentation
• Other items as per requirement

Space

• A floor area of at least 500 sq ft. with a water connection and outlet
• The room should be well lighted
• 5 amp electric points including one 15 amp power point
• Fans – 3
• Air conditioners – 2

Trained Staff

• At least one staff trained in curative and preventive conservation
• One assistant trained in preventive conservation and with manual skills and knowledge to be able to follow instructions from the conservator

Furniture

• Tables with matt finish sunmica top preferably of an off-white colour.
• One light table.
• One cupboard with adjustable shelves.
• Additional shelves
• Work chairs for staff
• Drying rack
• Chemical rack
• Tools cabinet
• Furniture for administration, keeping records etc.
• Other items as per requirement
• Boxes
• Cupboards
• Open Shelves

Tools and Equipment

• Flat and round brushes: sable hair, hog hair, synthetic, of various sizes
• Electric heater
• Double boiler pan
• Distillation plant
• Kipps apparatus or carbon dioxide cylinders
• Enamel and plastic trays for different sizes of manuscripts and documents
• Glass or polycarbonate beakers of different sizes
• Glass rods
• Test tubes and holders
• Vacuum cleaner including a small portable one
• Conservation tool kit with scalpels, cutters, swab sticks etc
• pH indicator materials
• Other items as per requirement
• Dry and wet bulb thermometer