Physical Conservation
Not all books and documents are capable of being digitized without risking further damage. In these cases, digitzation and physical conservation go hand in hand to preserve not only the information found within but also the physical item itself. In these cases, Anderson Archival partners with Noah Smutz of NS Conservation located here in St. Louis.
Conservation vs Restoration
Physical conservation does not restore books to appear like new with no damage showing. Instead conversation is repairing the damage enough that the item can be used without further harming it. The life and history of the document is preserved whlie making it usable once again. Physical conservation is sometimes required before digitzation can be safely performed. In return, digitization can help limit the need for the physical document and reduce additional damage in the future.
Amy Anderson's Family Bible
Our own Amy Anderson, Founding Principal, sent her family bible to Smutz for conservation. The history of the bible is maintained while fixing the damage and making it useable for generation more.
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