Annotated Bibliography
Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn and Diane Vogt-O'Connor. (2006). Photographs : archival care and management. Chicago: Society of American Archivists.
As the introduction states, this text is a "how-to manual about the preservation and use of photographs." This manual, published in 2006, replaces the Administration of Photographic Collections published by SAA in 1984 with Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler as a co-author. Both Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Diane Vogt-O'Connor are both experts in conservation. Ritzenthaler is currently the Chief of the Conservation Branch at the National Archives and Records Administration while Vogt-O'Connor recently retired as Chief of Conservation for the Library of Congress. This text falls in the discipline of archives as it covers all aspects of preservation and administration for photographs in an archival setting. As leaders in their field, the authors' information is highly accurate and is consistent with other recently published information on photographic preservation. The authors are independent, having published this text for scholarly use by members of the archival profession and without undue influence from or benefit to their professional positions.
Kilde, Katharine. (2001). The photographic activity test: what is it and how is it useful?
In this conservation article, which Kilde wrote as her capstone research project during her residency in photograph conservation at the George Eastman House and Image Permanence Institute, she provides a thorough explanation and analysis of the PAT. Compared to other sources on the test, this is the most thorough and descriptive article available. The Image Permanence Institute, which developed the test and is the primary provider, has very little explanation of what the test actually entails on its website. However, the description is robust enough to confirm that Kilde's article is still accurate despite its age. Due to her association with the Image Permanence Institute, their is some concern that she may be biased in favor of the test; however, her article does not appear that way.
National Park Service, Conserve-O-Grams 14/4-14/5 (1997), 14/7 (1998), 14/10-14/12 (2009)
The Conserve-O-Grams are short newsletters on specific topics published by the National Park Service for internal use by employees at sites across the country. However, they are publicly available through the NPS website and useful for archival and museum practitioners at other institutions. Since they are short, the Conserve-O-Grams generally provide a brief overview of the subject with suggestions for additional sources. Those from the late 1990s are slightly outdated, specifically in their discussion of the use of buffered versus non-buffered paper storage enclosures. While they suggest that buffered materials should be avoided for certain photographic processes, more current research indicates that buffered enclosures are in fact the best choice for all items. The series of three Conserve-O-Grams related to cold storage published in 2009 are the only source which I have located that moves beyond the theory and usefulness of cold storage to an explanation of how to practically institute cold storage at a low cost. As their name suggests, these newsletters are part of the conservation literature. Since their intended audience is the National Park Service, some of their information is not relevant for other readers; however, they do not show bias since their overall aim is education and best practices.
Albright, Gary and Northeast Document Conservation Center. 5. Photographs.
This leaflet series, produced by the Northeast Document Conservation Center, provides a useful overview of photo conservation and storage. Their suggestions agree with those published in other sources. As a private business, there is concern that the leaflets may be used to lure potential customers. Instead, the leaflets are factual with no hidden advertising for the NEDCC. Originally published in the late 2000s, the leaflets have all been revised in the past several years, ensuring that they are up-to-date.
Wilhelm, Henry et al. (2004). High-security, sub-zero cold storage for the PERMANENT preservation of the Corbis-Bettmann archive photography collection.
While this article focuses on the preservation circumstances of the Corbis-Bettmann photographic archive, it provides useful data on the impacts that the environment can have on photo preservation. However, the independence of Henry Wilhelm must be examined. He has been employed as a consultant for Corbis and is a strong advocate for cold storage. Despite this, he backs up his claims with numerical data and has done extensive research on the stability and preservation of images. It is important to note, however, that he suggests much lower temperatures for storage than other sources.
As the introduction states, this text is a "how-to manual about the preservation and use of photographs." This manual, published in 2006, replaces the Administration of Photographic Collections published by SAA in 1984 with Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler as a co-author. Both Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Diane Vogt-O'Connor are both experts in conservation. Ritzenthaler is currently the Chief of the Conservation Branch at the National Archives and Records Administration while Vogt-O'Connor recently retired as Chief of Conservation for the Library of Congress. This text falls in the discipline of archives as it covers all aspects of preservation and administration for photographs in an archival setting. As leaders in their field, the authors' information is highly accurate and is consistent with other recently published information on photographic preservation. The authors are independent, having published this text for scholarly use by members of the archival profession and without undue influence from or benefit to their professional positions.
Kilde, Katharine. (2001). The photographic activity test: what is it and how is it useful?
In this conservation article, which Kilde wrote as her capstone research project during her residency in photograph conservation at the George Eastman House and Image Permanence Institute, she provides a thorough explanation and analysis of the PAT. Compared to other sources on the test, this is the most thorough and descriptive article available. The Image Permanence Institute, which developed the test and is the primary provider, has very little explanation of what the test actually entails on its website. However, the description is robust enough to confirm that Kilde's article is still accurate despite its age. Due to her association with the Image Permanence Institute, their is some concern that she may be biased in favor of the test; however, her article does not appear that way.
National Park Service, Conserve-O-Grams 14/4-14/5 (1997), 14/7 (1998), 14/10-14/12 (2009)
The Conserve-O-Grams are short newsletters on specific topics published by the National Park Service for internal use by employees at sites across the country. However, they are publicly available through the NPS website and useful for archival and museum practitioners at other institutions. Since they are short, the Conserve-O-Grams generally provide a brief overview of the subject with suggestions for additional sources. Those from the late 1990s are slightly outdated, specifically in their discussion of the use of buffered versus non-buffered paper storage enclosures. While they suggest that buffered materials should be avoided for certain photographic processes, more current research indicates that buffered enclosures are in fact the best choice for all items. The series of three Conserve-O-Grams related to cold storage published in 2009 are the only source which I have located that moves beyond the theory and usefulness of cold storage to an explanation of how to practically institute cold storage at a low cost. As their name suggests, these newsletters are part of the conservation literature. Since their intended audience is the National Park Service, some of their information is not relevant for other readers; however, they do not show bias since their overall aim is education and best practices.
Albright, Gary and Northeast Document Conservation Center. 5. Photographs.
This leaflet series, produced by the Northeast Document Conservation Center, provides a useful overview of photo conservation and storage. Their suggestions agree with those published in other sources. As a private business, there is concern that the leaflets may be used to lure potential customers. Instead, the leaflets are factual with no hidden advertising for the NEDCC. Originally published in the late 2000s, the leaflets have all been revised in the past several years, ensuring that they are up-to-date.
Wilhelm, Henry et al. (2004). High-security, sub-zero cold storage for the PERMANENT preservation of the Corbis-Bettmann archive photography collection.
While this article focuses on the preservation circumstances of the Corbis-Bettmann photographic archive, it provides useful data on the impacts that the environment can have on photo preservation. However, the independence of Henry Wilhelm must be examined. He has been employed as a consultant for Corbis and is a strong advocate for cold storage. Despite this, he backs up his claims with numerical data and has done extensive research on the stability and preservation of images. It is important to note, however, that he suggests much lower temperatures for storage than other sources.