Preservation Resources

The Indiana State Archives and the Indiana State Library partner to provide an integrated conservation department charged with preserving the cultural and historic record of the state of Indiana. The conservation department fulfills the primary goal of ensuring the long term survival of the collections materials of the State Archives and State Library by undertaking conservation treatment of items from the collections and by implementing administrative and preventative preservation policies.

The Lab also extends its expertise and knowledge to the state community whenever possible. Please see services for the public and services for state agencies and public libraries for further information. The Lab also accepts volunteers, interns and pre-program conservation students who can make a weekly commitment of three hours or more and are eager to learn basic preservation techniques.

For emergency record conservation, see our disaster assistance page.

Treatments carried out in the Conservation Lab

Details of the 1996 treatment of the 1816 manuscript of the Indiana State Constitution

Services for the Public

The Conservation Lab cannot provide treatment, appraisal or authentication for private citizens. See our list of conservators in private practice to find out where to get tips and advice, get an item treated, obtain appraisal or authentication services, or buy archival products. Conservation staff occasionally presents free workshops. Please see the State Library’s calendar of events for upcoming workshops.

Services for State Agencies and Public Libraries

The Conservation Lab is committed to providing on-site disaster assistance, as well as training in how to create and administer a disaster plan for your institution. We can also provide consultation and limited treatment on a cost-of-materials basis for state agencies. Currently, we also offer several LEU approved workshops for librarians and are happy to consider requests to develop new preservation workshops. Contact us for further information.

Seeking Volunteers!

The Conservation Lab happily accepts volunteers, interns and pre-program conservation students to make protective enclosures for collections materials, clean and mend documents, and help in preserving our movie reel film collections. Contact us for further information or if you have a skill not named above that you would like to provide for the Lab. Donations of equipment, materials or monies to support our efforts are gladly accepted through the Friends of the Indiana State Archives.

Contact the Lab: