Soliciting Ideas for Future Research

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

CCI Newsletter, No. 27, June 2001

Soliciting Ideas for Future Research

by Carol MacIvor, Senior Communications Advisor, Information Services and Marketing

In May 2000, CCI once again consulted delegates at the annual meeting of the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property (CAC) about possible directions for future CCI research.1 This feedback also provided an indication of the current concerns of the conservation community. The top 10 suggestions are shown in Table 1.

Although it is not a research topic per se, CAC members again cited advocacy as their most important priority for CCI. This is a clear indication that the conservation community wants to see CCI as a frontrunner in the promotion of conservation to Canadians. CCI agrees, and is actively considering how best to promote the concepts and practices of preservation and conservation within government, the heritage community, and the public.

The concern for the future of the conservation profession is also evident, with the need for both succession planning to safeguard current conservation and preservation knowledge (no. 2) and adequate training programs and employment opportunities for new conservators (no. 5) being mentioned. This is an ongoing problem that cannot be solved overnight. However, when the Queen's University Master of Art Conservation program celebrated its 25th anniversary in March 2001, CCI used the event to solicit input from the preservation community about future directions for conservators, including issues related to training and development.

With regard to iron gall ink, identified as the third most important priority, there has already been a considerable amount of research in Europe where collections are faced with it either fading or eating through paper. Although similar work has not as yet been undertaken in Canada, a starting point might be to make the current information more accessible by gathering it together.

The issue of architectural reproductions was also identified as an area of growing interest. Again, it may be worth exploring what research has already been undertaken in other countries. As architectural reproductions and iron gall ink are primarily archival issues, CCI will be discussing them further with the archival community.

Knowing which issues are most important to the heritage community will help CCI to develop a balanced research program that meets the identified needs. Unfortunately, a lack of expertise in some areas, coupled with commitments to other research projects, means that some of the topics may not be included for several years. In the meantime, CCI remains committed to listening and responding to your suggestions.

  1. A similar consultation was conducted at the 1999 annual meeting of the CAC; see CCI Newsletter No. 24 (November 1999), On the Road to Discovery: CCI Investigates New Directions for Future Research, for details.

Table 1 Summary of suggestions for CCI research by delegates at the CAC annual meeting, May 2000

Rank Idea
1 Increase public awareness and advocacy about conservation and the role of conservators in heritage preservation.
2 Apprenticeships/fellowships to enable the transfer of knowledge and skills from older and soon-to-be retiring conservators to younger ones.
3 Iron gall ink: the deterioration process, evaluation of current treatments, storage applications, etc.
4 Architectural reproductions (blueprints, diazotypes, blueline, brownline): stability, storage, and treatments.
5 Increased opportunities for new conservators.
6 Recommendations for construction materials for architects, engineers, etc. for building new (or renovating old) museums, archives, libraries.
7 Analysis of the materials used by contemporary artists and the creation of an online database of the results.
8 Research into the deterioration mechanisms of rubberized fabrics.
9 Analysis of the stability of digital output media (such as dye sublimation prints).
10 Research into non-aqueous deacidification spray and the effects of residues on aging and future treatments.