C2C Care: Preserving Artifacts of Free Speech: Caring for Political Memorabilia
Channel: AIC & FAIC
Date: 2019-02-21

Just in time for the mid-term elections, join us in a conversation about caring for political memorabilia, such as broadsides, posters, banners, buttons, pins, bumper stickers, decals, and plaques. Many political materials are ephemeral, made out of poor-quality materials and not meant to last more than a few months. How do we preserve such items in our repositories? In this session we will discuss real-life examples of political memorabilia and solutions for their preservation. Suggested materials and supplies will be offered, focusing on a cost-effective and simple collections care approach.

Presenter
Whitney Baker is the Head of Conservation Services at the University of Kansas Libraries, where she oversees conservation treatment, program-level preservation projects, environmental monitoring, audiovisual preservation, and disaster preparedness and response. In addition, she has taught the preventive conservation class in the graduate program in Museum Studies at the University of Kansas since 2004. She holds an MLIS and Advanced Certificate in Library and Archives Conservation from the University of Texas at Austin. She has published and presented on various conservation topics, from standard book conservation practices, to disaster planning and response, to bumper stickers, and is a Professional Associate member of the American Institute for Conservation.