Like many of their fellow undergraduates, the students in two fall semester art conservation classes have spent a lot of time in the University of Delaware Library.

But unlike their counterparts in other classes, they’ve been doing more than studying. Instead, they’ve been working on hands-on conservation projects in partnership with the library’s Special Collections.

For these students, Special Collections serves not only as a scholarly resource of books, documents and photographs but also as valuable material with which they can develop their conservation skills.

The 15 students in ARTC 301, “Conservation: Environmental Conditions,” spent the semester conducting a survey and assessment of the environmental conditions for the storage and management of special collections. They analyzed a year’s worth of temperature and humidity measurements in Morris Library and took light readings to assess the collections’ exposure to potentially damaging conditions.

In ARTC 464, “Photograph Conservation,” the seven students wrote treatment reports and then conducted supervised cleaning and conservation on 19th century photographs of Native Americans and also worked on photographs that were stuck to glass. The class then studied another group of photographs, 20th century portraits from the Beverley Nichols papers, and curated an exhibit focusing on the conservation issues involved in them.

ARTC 301 was taught by Vicki Cassman, associate professor, and ARTC 464 by Barbara Lemmen, an adjunct faculty member, both in the Department of Art Conservation. Both classes worked in the library with L. Rebecca Johnson Melvin, librarian and head of the Manuscripts and Archives Department in Special Collections.

Students from both classes wrote reports and gave presentations about their work to staff members in special collections.

The assessments of environmental conditions found fluctuations in temperature and humidity, often apparently related to times the University was closed during holidays. The students recommended such actions as installing electronic monitors to record more thorough and precise data so that plans could be made for tighter environmental controls.

Class members also measured ultraviolet (UV) light exposure in the areas where special collections exhibits are on display and recommended additional UV filters and rearranging some items to minimize possible damage.

“I think the best thing about this project was the way it showed us that small things can add up and that something like relative humidity might feel fine to us, but it might not be good for a collection,” said Raychelle Osnato, a sophomore majoring in art conservation. “You want to prevent damage, not worry about it after it happens.”

For Olivia Jaeger, a freshman with a double major in art conservation and chemistry, the class provided a valuable introduction to solving real-world problems.

“It was great to do the kinds of projects that you’d actually be doing in a job in the field,” she said.

Dec. 5-16: Beverley Nichols exhibition

Some of the work done by students in the photograph conservation class is on display in the Special Collections Reading Room on the second floor of Morris Library through Dec. 16.

“Beverley Nichols: Conserving Moments from His ‘Strange and Lovely Life’” consists of seven photographs of Nichols, an English novelist, playwright, journalist, composer and political activist who lived from 1898-1983. His papers in UD’s Special Collections include correspondence, manuscripts and photographs.

The class chose seven portraits of Nichols and prepared them for the student-curated exhibit. The images and descriptions of them show aspects of Nichols’ professional and personal life and also document the conservation issues the students found with the photographs.

“Working hands-on with collections the University has is a great experience,” said Erin Cunningham, a junior majoring in art conservation. “We’re working with things that we know people will actually see.”

Nell Weaver, also a junior in art conservation, agreed: “You’re not looking at a digital image. You’re working with something real.”

To view the exhibition online, visit the library’s exhibit listings.