Author Archives: Holly Prochaska, Head Preservation Services and Lab

2019 Preservation Week Open House

Chris Voynovich discussing papyrus and paper with attendees


We celebrated Preservation Week (a week late) with our Annual Preservation Open House, and we want to thank everyone who was able to stop by!  This year we took a step back through time to share a brief history of the book, starting with some examples of cuneiform tablets and ending with modern e-reader and computer technology.  By displaying our staffs models of book structures through time, visitors were able to take a hands-on approach to understanding how these structures were made, used, and evolved.  This is information we use to inform the work we do in preservation every day.

Examples of early codices, including clay tablets, single quires, multi-quires, wooden tablets, rolls and scrolls


14th to 19th century models


We were also able to show recent conservation projects, including a two-volume set of a 17th century German bible, which highlighted what one volume looked like before treatment and what the other looked like after treatment.  Another item in the lab for treatment is an oversized missal, which received RTI to offer a closer look at the metalwork on the binding. 
 

“An obscenely abbreviated History of the Codex by The Preservation Lab” one-page wonder


 
 
Visitors were invited to make a “One Page Wonder,” which covers an obscenely abbreviated history of the codex.  We hope this little book and the hands-on interaction helped spread preservation awareness and inspire a deeper love of the book! 
 
 
 
 
 
If you missed us this year and want to see what all the fuss is about, check out a live video posted to our UC Library Page.  We hope to see you all again at next year’s Preservation Open House! 
 
Kasie Janssen (PLCH) – Senior Conservation Technician

Historic Structures with Julia Miller

For Preservation Week, we decided to treat ourselves to the best staff development imaginable: a five day intensive workshop with Julia Miller on early historical structures.  We learned so much from Julia and we are beyond grateful for her to coming to the Lab for this workshop!  What an amazingly knowledgeable instructor and wonderful human being; thank you Julia for sharing your knowledge with us!
We will probably share a more in-depth post about what we learned later, but for right now I created a compilation video of time-lapse videos I captured during our workshop.  Hope you enjoy!

Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Conservation Tech/Photographic Documentation Tech

Upcoming OPC workshop

Our conservator Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer will be assisting paper conservator Jamye Jamison in an upcoming Ohio Preservation Council workshop.  Seats are still available!  prints in mylar sleeves and backing paper
Workshop description: This course is for archivists, librarians, or anyone who is interested in caring for their family documents, print collections, or other ephemera. The class will begin with a short discussion of materials and what to look for when making archival enclosures for flat paper objects. Each participant will then make a small portfolio of reference samples of various enclosures for paper materials, including a simple four-flap, polyester sleeve, paper envelope and a “back and wrap” enclosure, which can be used for display. Each participant is asked to bring four objects no larger than 4 x 6 inches (roughly postcard size) that can be used to make the reference samples. No previous experience necessary.
Learn more and register at —-  http://opc.wildapricot.org/event-3357153

The Preservation Lab – in the news!

The Preservation Lab and lab staff were in the news twice this week.

UC's newspaper from March 2019

The News Record 3/27/2019


 
Check out a nice write up on the work of the Lab in the student newspaper, The News Record, HERE.
“Below the main floor of Langsam Library, where students bustle about studying, researching and caffeinating, there’s a lab where books with torn pages and cracked bindings fall into the capable hands of a team of technicians who spend their days quietly restoring texts back to working order.”  —- Sami Steward
 
 
 
Cake of an octopus

Edible book by Jessica Ebert


 
Also, Jessica Ebert was interviewed about her participation in the annual University of Cincinnati Libraries’ Edible Book Festival by the local news station.  Check it out HERE.
 
 
Holly Prochaska (UCL) — Preservation Librarian

Happy 20th Anniversary, Holly!

Our Preservation Librarian and co-manager, Holly Prochaska, is celebrating her 20th year at UC Libraries today!  Holly is such a great advocate for the Lab and the Lab staff.  She cares so much about the Lab and we wanted to show her just how much we care about her, so we planned a little surprise…See Holly’s reaction here:


Congratulations on this milestone, Holly!
Check out the Lab’s Instagram @thepreservationlab (especially our story highlights) to see more fun photos of the Rock (Dwayne Johnson) around the Lab.
Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Conservation Tech/Photographic Documentation Tech

Lab Featured in New Book & Save the Date!


 
Secret Cincinnati: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure by Kathryn Witt recently came out and you wouldn’t believe who’s featured in it…
 
 
 
 

The Preservation Lab!


When you flip to # 72 you will find a great description of the Lab’s annual Open House, where the Lab opens its doors to the public and shares a little bit about what with do.  Generally our Open House falls on ALA’s Preservation Week (the last week of April).  However, this year it will be held during this first week of May due to a scheduling conflict.
 
 
So mark your calendars!

Thursday, May 2nd, 2019 | 1:30-3:30pm

University of Cincinnati | Langsam Library | 300 Level

 
Jessica Ebert [UCL] – Conservation Technician & Photographic Documentation Tech

*Thank you to Mikaila Corday, a docent at the Lucky Cat Museum (also featured in Secret Cincinnati), for sharing the feature with us and lending us her copy of the book!

 
 

Meet Kasie Janssen, our newest Preservation Lab team member!

Meet Kasie Janssen, the newest addition to the Preservation Lab, located on UC’s Campus. Employed by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, she will be filling the position, Senior Conservation Assistant.
Welcome Kasie!
Chris Voynovich:   What drew you to conservation?

Kasie Janssen:   Actually, I was applying to go to library school at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. My initial interest was in archiving but there was not a graduate assistantship available in the archives, but there was in conservation. That was my first introduction to the field of conservation. The heavens opened because my background was English and studio art. It was the perfect melding of books, literature and tactile materials. After that, I went through two years of library school while working in the conservation lab at UIUCC.

Chris:  You came from a Conservator of Special Projects position at the Newberry. What are you looking for in this Senior Conservation Assistant position in the Preservation Lab at the Public Library of Cincinnati?

Kasie: I am excited and looking forward to concentrating on the technical side of conservation where my responsibilities are focused on collection treatment.

Chris:  Do you like Charles Dickens?

Kasie:  Yes. How did you know that?! My favorite is David Copperfield. I’ve read it almost four times. I love and have read all his novels. My interest started in undergraduate school. It was a kind of a love-hate relationship. To me, they were initially kind of dense, but I loved the humor and that was what hooked me.

Chris:  So you like the Green Bay Packers?

Kasie: Yes. I grew up watching football in Wisconsin. I am a lifelong Packers fan. My husband likes hockey, the Anaheim Ducks, so these are my two main sports to watch.

Chris:  What do you know about Cincinnati or the Tri-State?

Kasie:  Not a lot. I’ve heard about the food scene and I’ve heard of the East side vs. West side rivalry!

Chris:  Do you have a favorite conservation project you have done?

Kasie:  One of the most surprising items I was able to prepare for an exhibit was an Oscar, for Ben Hecht’s screenplay for the 1927 film Underworld, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screen Play.  It was cool to hold an Oscar, which is heavier than you would expect.

Chris:  What kind of treatments do you like doing most?

Kasie:  I like repairing a book from start to finish. It’s a satisfying feeling of accomplishment when I get a book that is completely falling apart and can do all the treatments necessary to repair.

Chris:  Favorite book?

Kasie:  Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.

Chris:  Favorite musical artist?

Kasie:  I like Folk, 80’s, Indie, depends on my mood.

Chris:  Favorite movie?

Kasie:  Shawshank Redemption.

Chris:     If you could travel anywhere where would you go?

Kasie:    I like traveling places that have a lot of nature. I guess New Zealand though it is pretty far away.  The flight is intimidating, and I know it would take a long time to get there.

Chris:     Do you have any hobbies?

Kasie:    I like hiking and biking. It’s nice to see a hill again after coming from the flat-lands of Chicago. 😀

Chris:     What is your favorite flavor birthday cake?

Kasie:    Chocolate with chocolate icing.

Chris:     Do you prefer coffee or tea?

Kasie:    Coffee.

Chris:     Do you play any musical instruments?

Kasie:    No. I’ve played piano and flute but not in 5 years. I sing sometimes…(when no one hears me).

Chris:     Do you have any pets?

Kasie:    I have a cat and a dog. The cat’s name is Dany, short for Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. My dog’s name is Brie, short for Brienne of Tarth. She is a Greyhound and she is a couch potato.

Chris:     How many cities have you lived in?

Kasie:    Five states; I was born and raised in Wisconsin.  As an adult, I’ve lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Houston, Texas, Wisconsin, and Champagne, Illinois for Grad school.  I moved to Chicago for my first job after Library school – and now to Cincinnati! But my favorite is Wisconsin because it feels like home.

Chris:     What is your favorite book structure to make?

Kasie:    I like Long Stitch bindings. The sewing structure on the outside of the spine is beautiful and so customizable.  But I always like to learn new binding structures.

Chris:     Who do you think has influenced you most personally?

Kasie:    My mom because we are really close. She is a very independent and active person. I feel like I’ve tried to follow those qualities. She is not afraid to try or get involved new things. She is a great lady.

Chris:     Do you lean more toward Vampires or Zombies?

Kasie:    Zombies. I do think the conservation lab would be a great place to be during a Zombie Apocalypse because we have all the sharp tools like a guillotine and scalpels. We know where the “safe house” is!

 
Interview by Chris Voynovich (PLCH) — Senior Conservation Assistant

A Virtual Preservation Lab Tour

Click on the link below for a virtual tour of our newly updated space:

Preservation Lab Virtual Tour Jan 2019

In October, the Preservation Lab welcomed special collections digital imaging to our workflow (for UC Libraries’ materials).  This new function necessitated a small lab renovation:

During (top three images) and after (bottom two images):

 

The results are wonderful and we are so happy to have a new staff member!

Ashleigh Ferguson Schieszer (PLCH) – Special Collections Conservator, Lab Manager

Madisonville Scrapbook

What a joy to have had the opportunity to recreate the Madisonville Scrapbook and make a support for it to be permanently displayed in the Madisonville Branch Library.


I love a challenge, and working with oversized pieces is always exhilarating. I am glad to be part of the team that was instrumental in preserving some of the valuable and exciting history of Madisonville. Props to Ashleigh Schieszer (overseer and mastermind), Jessica Ebert (documenter extraordinaire) Catarina Figueirinhas (artwork holder and pillar of steadfastness) and last but not least, Veronica Sorcher (supplying fun and offering her whole self as practical point of reference for the whole project).

Jessica and Veronica assisting Chris with adhering the turn-ins

Jessica and Veronica assisting Chris with adhering the turn-ins

My hope is that this project will be a catalyst for highlighting the importance of caring for and preserving the valuable history found in each community that the Public Library has the honor to serve. Though this project may seem a bit sizable, in truth it was worth the effort. I am confident that every community has remarkable history that can be cared for, as we preserve these stories we remember the events and individuals that have come before us. Let’s partner together to capture aspects of our culture that make up our past.

Veronica kindly obliged to modeling the scale of the scrapbook and its new cradle.

I am humbled and greatly appreciative for the opportunity to work in this department with such a great staff, and to be instrumental in preserving great works of art and historical information.

Before

After

Please click on the following link to download a one-page wonder zine about the preservation of the Madisonville scrapbook that you can cut, fold, and DIY!

ScrapbookOnePgWonder_CV_withInterior

Chris Voynovich (PLCH) – Senior Conservation Technician