Editing Book (section)

=== Conservation ===
[[File:IMA Conservation Technician 4.jpg|thumb|A conservation technician examining an artwork under a microscope at the [[Indianapolis Museum of Art]]]]
The [[conservation and restoration of books, manuscripts, documents, and ephemera]] is dedicated to extending the life of items of historical and personal value made primarily from [[paper]], [[parchment]], and [[leather]]. When applied to [[cultural heritage]], conservation activities are generally undertaken by a [[conservator-restorer|conservator]]. The primary goal of conservation is to extend the lifespan of the object as well as maintaining its integrity by keeping all additions reversible. Conservation of books and paper involves techniques of [[bookbinding]], [[Conservation and restoration of cultural property|restoration]], paper [[chemistry]], and other material technologies including preservation and archival techniques.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Banik|first1=Gerhard |title=Paper and water: a guide for conservators|date=2011|publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann|first2=Irene |last2=Brückle |isbn=978-0-7506-6831-6 |location=Amsterdam}}</ref>

Book and paper conservation seeks to prevent and, in some cases, reverse damage due to handling, [[inherent vice]], and the environment.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schechter |first1=Abraham A. |title=Basic Book Repair Methods |date=15 June 1999 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-1-56308-700-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/basicbookrepairm0000sche |language=en |pages=1–36}}</ref><ref name="CCI418"/> Conservators determine proper methods of [[Cultural property storage|storage]] for books and documents, including boxes and shelving to prevent further damage and promote long-term storage.<ref name="Cloonan-2015">{{cite book |editor-last1=Cloonan |editor-first1=Michele Valerie |title=Preserving Our Heritage: Perspectives from Antiquity to the Digital Age |date=2015 |publisher=American Library Association |isbn=978-1-55570-937-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781555709372 |pages=323–345, 374–378}}</ref> Carefully chosen methods and techniques of active conservation can both reverse damage and prevent further damage in batches or single-item treatments based on the value of the book or document.<ref name="Ritzenthaler-2015">{{cite book |last=Ritzenthaler |first=Mary Lynn |chapter=Excerpts from 'Conservation Treatment' |editor-last1=Cloonan |editor-first1=Michele Valerie |title=Preserving Our Heritage: Perspectives from Antiquity to the Digital Age |date=2015 |publisher=American Library Association |isbn=978-1-55570-937-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781555709372 |pages=323–345, 374–378}}</ref>

Historically, book restoration techniques were less formalized and carried out by various roles and training backgrounds. Nowadays, the conservation of paper documents and books is often performed by a professional conservator.<ref name="CCI418">{{cite web |url=http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/caringfor-prendresoindes/articles/418-eng.aspx |title=How to Care for Paper Documents and Newspaper Clippings |publisher=Canadian Conservation Institute|date=4 January 2002 |access-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312224951/http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/caringfor-prendresoindes/articles/418-eng.aspx |archive-date=12 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="CYT">{{cite web |work=American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works |title=Caring for Your Treasures |access-date=26 April 2014 |url=http://www.conservation-us.org/about-conservation/caring-for-your-treasures#.U13JgK1dX4g |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104085131/http://www.conservation-us.org/about-conservation/caring-for-your-treasures#.U13JgK1dX4g |archive-date=4 November 2014}}.</ref> Many paper or book conservators are members of a professional body, such as the [[American Institute for Conservation]] (AIC) or the [[Guild of Bookworkers]] (both in the United States), the [[Archives and Records Association]] (in the United Kingdom and Ireland), or the [[Institute of Conservation]] (ICON) (in the United Kingdom).<ref>{{cite web|title=What is Conservation|url=https://icon.org.uk/icon-resources/what-is-conservation|access-date=9 March 2020|website=Institute of Conservation|publisher=The Institute of Conservation |archive-date=13 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513005519/https://icon.org.uk/icon-resources/what-is-conservation}}</ref>