An analysis of targeted properties of materials used for preservation and storage of heritage collections

The aim of this study was to stress the importance of investigating the prop- erties of preservation enclosure materials in order to identify the ones that are able to protect their contents more efficiently. Since not all information on materials is covered by international standards and technical specifica- tions, nine paper-based materials used for making preservation enclosures (file folders, passepartouts, boxes etc.) were investigated. A selective analysis of the materials' properties was carried out to determine smoothness, water absorptiveness, water wettability, water vapor permeability, tensile strength, folding endurance, bursting strength, puncture strength, as well as loss of bursting strength caused by dry heat and 100% RH. Results obtained from measuring smoothness, water absorptiveness, water wettability and water vapor transmission rate indicate that a material outside of ISO 16245:2009 grammage requirements for making file covers can exhibit more desirable properties than the one that meets multiple standards for storage and preservation. Additionally, results showed that bursting strength of enclosure materials was significantly affected by both extreme microclimate condi- tions. However, 100% RH had affected bursting strength of the investigated materials more than dry heat. The presented procedure proved to be a useful indicator of materials’ properties within the context of heritage collections preservation and storage.

Material Analysis and a Visual Guide of Degradation Phenomena in Historical Synthetic Polymers as Tools to Follow Ageing Processes in Industrial Heritage Collections

Identifying the most vulnerable plastics and monitoring their deterioration is one of the main problems within heritage collections with historical synthetic polymers. Gathering and interpreting data about material and degradation phenomena in a collection reveals its conservation needs. A systematic survey of the collection can help towards this purpose. Surveys aiming at inspecting and documenting damages rely on several tools in order to fulfill their purpose. Firstly, objective descriptions of the damages that may appear, and secondly, the means of acquiring and interpreting material information. To address these needs, this article presents (a) a visual damage catalogue of degradation phenomena in plastic and rubber materials, and (b) the implementation of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (py-GCMS) for the identification of analytically challenging rubber materials and of blooming phenomena. The damage catalogue is based solely on visual and olfactory signs, so that the assessment is independent of possible causes of damages and underlying processes, with the purpose of allowing objectivity to prime over interpretation. The limitations of the use of FTIR in the identification of heavily compounded rubbers in museum surveys is highlighted, and examples are presented. The use of py-GCMS on these cases conveniently allowed the identification of the constituting monomers of several rubber materials where FTIR could not provide a univocal classification of the material present. The study of several cases of blooming allowed the identification of diverse compositions and origins, showing that the description of a degradation phenomenon is only the first step towards its understanding. Unveiling the nature of a particular case of blooming is particularly critical when conservation treatments, such as the removal of a (potentially protecting) layer, are planned. For this purpose, attenuated total reflection-FTIR (ATR-FTIR) as a surface technique was particularly useful.

Private Tastes and Public Desires: Exploring the Perspectives and Practices of Private Collectors who Share their Collections Publicly

<p>Private collectors who share their collections publicly provide a valuable service to the public. They collect and provide access to cultural heritage materials just as public institutions such as museums and galleries within the heritage sector do. While there is a wealth of literature that discusses the significance of publicly funded heritage institutions to the heritage sector there is an absence of literature that explores the private collector’s relationship to the heritage sector from their perspective. Literature on private collectors has tended to privilege the perspectives of publicly funded heritage institutions, affirming these institutions as the best place for the care and access to heritage collections. None of this literature or research has considered the private collector’s perspective as a means to better understand their collecting activities or their position in relation to the heritage sector. This thesis places the private collector at the centre of enquiry. It explores the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector through examining their perceptions and collecting practices relative to publicly funded heritage institutions. Audiovisual interviews were conducted with eight private collectors to achieve this aim. Verbal and observational data captured through this method was analyzed and considered in relation to existing literature regarding the values and practices of public heritage institutions, as well as sociological theories of agency. Findings showed that there is a shared ethos between the private collector and the publicly funded heritage institution. This ethos is founded on common values and collecting practices. Findings also reveal that the individual agency of the private collector offers them autonomy in their collecting activities. This autonomy causes them to enact their collecting practices in accordance with their own subjective tastes. These tastes distinguish the private collector and their collecting practices from publicly funded heritage institutions and assist in identifying the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector. This research contributes to a canon of international and national research into private collectors and evaluative judgments regarding collecting. It enhances the publicly funded heritage institutions potential to collaborate with private collectors through providing a deeper understanding of their perspectives and practices.</p>

Private Tastes and Public Desires: Exploring the Perspectives and Practices of Private Collectors who Share their Collections Publicly

<p>Private collectors who share their collections publicly provide a valuable service to the public. They collect and provide access to cultural heritage materials just as public institutions such as museums and galleries within the heritage sector do. While there is a wealth of literature that discusses the significance of publicly funded heritage institutions to the heritage sector there is an absence of literature that explores the private collector’s relationship to the heritage sector from their perspective. Literature on private collectors has tended to privilege the perspectives of publicly funded heritage institutions, affirming these institutions as the best place for the care and access to heritage collections. None of this literature or research has considered the private collector’s perspective as a means to better understand their collecting activities or their position in relation to the heritage sector. This thesis places the private collector at the centre of enquiry. It explores the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector through examining their perceptions and collecting practices relative to publicly funded heritage institutions. Audiovisual interviews were conducted with eight private collectors to achieve this aim. Verbal and observational data captured through this method was analyzed and considered in relation to existing literature regarding the values and practices of public heritage institutions, as well as sociological theories of agency. Findings showed that there is a shared ethos between the private collector and the publicly funded heritage institution. This ethos is founded on common values and collecting practices. Findings also reveal that the individual agency of the private collector offers them autonomy in their collecting activities. This autonomy causes them to enact their collecting practices in accordance with their own subjective tastes. These tastes distinguish the private collector and their collecting practices from publicly funded heritage institutions and assist in identifying the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector. This research contributes to a canon of international and national research into private collectors and evaluative judgments regarding collecting. It enhances the publicly funded heritage institutions potential to collaborate with private collectors through providing a deeper understanding of their perspectives and practices.</p>

Private Tastes and Public Desires: Exploring the Perspectives and Practices of Private Collectors who Share their Collections Publicly

<p>Private collectors who share their collections publicly provide a valuable service to the public. They collect and provide access to cultural heritage materials just as public institutions such as museums and galleries within the heritage sector do. While there is a wealth of literature that discusses the significance of publicly funded heritage institutions to the heritage sector there is an absence of literature that explores the private collector’s relationship to the heritage sector from their perspective. Literature on private collectors has tended to privilege the perspectives of publicly funded heritage institutions, affirming these institutions as the best place for the care and access to heritage collections. None of this literature or research has considered the private collector’s perspective as a means to better understand their collecting activities or their position in relation to the heritage sector. This thesis places the private collector at the centre of enquiry. It explores the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector through examining their perceptions and collecting practices relative to publicly funded heritage institutions. Audiovisual interviews were conducted with eight private collectors to achieve this aim. Verbal and observational data captured through this method was analyzed and considered in relation to existing literature regarding the values and practices of public heritage institutions, as well as sociological theories of agency. Findings showed that there is a shared ethos between the private collector and the publicly funded heritage institution. This ethos is founded on common values and collecting practices. Findings also reveal that the individual agency of the private collector offers them autonomy in their collecting activities. This autonomy causes them to enact their collecting practices in accordance with their own subjective tastes. These tastes distinguish the private collector and their collecting practices from publicly funded heritage institutions and assist in identifying the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector. This research contributes to a canon of international and national research into private collectors and evaluative judgments regarding collecting. It enhances the publicly funded heritage institutions potential to collaborate with private collectors through providing a deeper understanding of their perspectives and practices.</p>

Private Tastes and Public Desires: Exploring the Perspectives and Practices of Private Collectors who Share their Collections Publicly

<p>Private collectors who share their collections publicly provide a valuable service to the public. They collect and provide access to cultural heritage materials just as public institutions such as museums and galleries within the heritage sector do. While there is a wealth of literature that discusses the significance of publicly funded heritage institutions to the heritage sector there is an absence of literature that explores the private collector’s relationship to the heritage sector from their perspective. Literature on private collectors has tended to privilege the perspectives of publicly funded heritage institutions, affirming these institutions as the best place for the care and access to heritage collections. None of this literature or research has considered the private collector’s perspective as a means to better understand their collecting activities or their position in relation to the heritage sector. This thesis places the private collector at the centre of enquiry. It explores the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector through examining their perceptions and collecting practices relative to publicly funded heritage institutions. Audiovisual interviews were conducted with eight private collectors to achieve this aim. Verbal and observational data captured through this method was analyzed and considered in relation to existing literature regarding the values and practices of public heritage institutions, as well as sociological theories of agency. Findings showed that there is a shared ethos between the private collector and the publicly funded heritage institution. This ethos is founded on common values and collecting practices. Findings also reveal that the individual agency of the private collector offers them autonomy in their collecting activities. This autonomy causes them to enact their collecting practices in accordance with their own subjective tastes. These tastes distinguish the private collector and their collecting practices from publicly funded heritage institutions and assist in identifying the private collector’s position in relation to the heritage sector. This research contributes to a canon of international and national research into private collectors and evaluative judgments regarding collecting. It enhances the publicly funded heritage institutions potential to collaborate with private collectors through providing a deeper understanding of their perspectives and practices.</p>

Approaches to 'place': A study exploring how New Zealand's digital collections conceptualise our social understanding of space

<p>Research problem: The concept of ‘place’ has a clear presence in New Zealand’s digital heritage collections. However, some theorists suggest there is gap between place as a concept relevant to cultural heritage concerns and place as represented by digital technology. This research explores how geospatial and digital technology deployed in New Zealand’s digital collections engage with and conceptualise qualities usually associated with place: social bonds, emotional attachment and subjectivity. Methodology: This two-stage, mixed-methods study has a qualitative weighting. Web Content analysis (WebCA) gathered data from digital collections that demonstrate place inclusive features. An anonymous survey gathered opinions from practitioners who create place-inclusive digital collections. Descriptive statistics developed during quantitative analysis triangulated findings developed during thematic qualitative analysis. Results: New Zealand’s digital collections generate a sense-of-place using strategies that mimic subjective and experience-based understanding of the world. Some collections also engage with place in its ‘common-sense wrapper’ by using the deploying the place in a metadata context or as an overarching thematic structure. New Zealand’s cultural heritage practitioners are very practice-oriented in their consideration of place, and place-inclusive collections are most often impacted by resourcing issues. Implications: This project contributes to the growing ‘body of sustained critical thinking’ focusing on the implications of digital technology for cultural heritage concerns. It suggests place has considerable value and multiple functions within digital heritage collections. When conducting projects using geospatial technology, heritage practitioners can consider supplementing geospatial technology with user-contribution features, content variety, and an emphasis on storytelling to effectively reflect the subjective components of place.</p>

Approaches to 'place': A study exploring how New Zealand's digital collections conceptualise our social understanding of space

<p>Research problem: The concept of ‘place’ has a clear presence in New Zealand’s digital heritage collections. However, some theorists suggest there is gap between place as a concept relevant to cultural heritage concerns and place as represented by digital technology. This research explores how geospatial and digital technology deployed in New Zealand’s digital collections engage with and conceptualise qualities usually associated with place: social bonds, emotional attachment and subjectivity. Methodology: This two-stage, mixed-methods study has a qualitative weighting. Web Content analysis (WebCA) gathered data from digital collections that demonstrate place inclusive features. An anonymous survey gathered opinions from practitioners who create place-inclusive digital collections. Descriptive statistics developed during quantitative analysis triangulated findings developed during thematic qualitative analysis. Results: New Zealand’s digital collections generate a sense-of-place using strategies that mimic subjective and experience-based understanding of the world. Some collections also engage with place in its ‘common-sense wrapper’ by using the deploying the place in a metadata context or as an overarching thematic structure. New Zealand’s cultural heritage practitioners are very practice-oriented in their consideration of place, and place-inclusive collections are most often impacted by resourcing issues. Implications: This project contributes to the growing ‘body of sustained critical thinking’ focusing on the implications of digital technology for cultural heritage concerns. It suggests place has considerable value and multiple functions within digital heritage collections. When conducting projects using geospatial technology, heritage practitioners can consider supplementing geospatial technology with user-contribution features, content variety, and an emphasis on storytelling to effectively reflect the subjective components of place.</p>

Representing and Validating Cultural Heritage Knowledge Graphs in CIDOC-CRM Ontology

In order to unify access to multiple heterogeneous sources of cultural heritage data, many datasets were mapped to the CIDOC-CRM ontology. CIDOC-CRM provides a formal structure and definitions for most cultural heritage concepts and their relationships. The COURAGE project includes historic data concerning people, organizations, cultural heritage collections, and collection items covering the period between 1950 and 1990. Therefore, CIDOC-CRM seemed the optimal choice for describing COURAGE entities, improving knowledge sharing, and facilitating the COURAGE dataset unification with other datasets. This paper introduces the results of translating the COURAGE dataset to CIDOC-CRM semantically. This mapping was implemented automatically according to predefined mapping rules. Several SPARQL queries were applied to validate the migration process manually. In addition, multiple SHACL shapes were conducted to validate the data and mapping models.