Conservation of Documents in an Exhibit

Original document exhibits meeting sound preservation criteria are difficult to achieve and should not be undertaken lightly. Basic criteria for preservation procedures must first be firmly defined, including conservation work on the materials to be displayed and establishment of a suitable display environment. Once the criteria are fixed, implementation requires constant attention by a trained staff capable of enforcing the criteria while meeting design and content needs of exhibitors. Even when these standards are included in the planning, there are no guarantees of success. Factors beyond the control of the archivist often arise, and the Kennedy Library experience illustrates many of the difficulties that may be encountered. The archivist not only must be an expert in preservation but also must understand the complexities of executing and fabricating the exhibit and must be included in making the manifold decisions concerning the exhibit. Only then can some degree of success in meeting sound preservation criteria be assured.