In preparation for the new "Book & Paper Conservation Workshop Series" in the fall, the UNLV Libraries' Preservation/Conservation Laboratory was reconfigured, to help provide a better learning environment.
This was the first major redesign of the lab, since 2001, when the Lied Library was first built. Except for the occasional one-day workshop, the laboratory has never been used extensively as a teaching tool. Many months of planning and discussion came to fruition, with the hopes of turning our working laboratory, into a teaching laboratory.
At first glance, the plan looks like a simple rearrangement of some furniture, but considering that much of the equipment is actually bolted to the floor, there could be no second guessing. Whatever changes took place, had to be right the first time. A lot of planning went into the best utilization of space. The room itself is long and narrow, and the workbenches were re-aligned to contribute to a teaching environment.
In addition, new shelving was installed to create a new processing alcove and to provide a better work flow. Cabinets and equipment were moved. New storage racks for the rolls of book cloth were created by UNLV carpenters. Because the furniture and equipment had not been moved in eight years, extensive cleaning and floor polishing had to be done. All of this created a brighter and more airy environment for the new workshops this fall.
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| Carpenter installing new racks for rolls of book cloth. (click to enlarge) |
Carpenter installing new shelving (click to enlarge) |
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| Moving the book press, and re-bolting it to the floor. (click to enlarge) | Getting a fresh floor polishing. (click to enlarge) |
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| Robert working on eight years of grime, and getting rid of any trace of the old layout. (click to enlarge) |
Theresa and Robert using elbow grease. (click to enlarge) |
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| New shelving (click to enlarge) |
Michelle working a late night. (click to enlarge) |
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| Theresa and Robert using elbow grease. (click to enlarge) |