Conservation and digitisation are often related activities. Of great importance, in this sense, is the restorer’s damage control and mapping activity on the fonds intended for photographic reproduction. This activity is necessary in order to establish which volumes can be subjected directly to digitisation and which ones, on the other hand, present criticalities that would lead to a real risk for the work of further damage during scanning.
These operations are fundamental for the safety of the property and all those involved, as it is often possible to come across microbiological attacks that can be very dangerous to health. Verification of the conservation status of the fonds is carried out by means of a punctual check on the individual volume or archival unit, reporting any situations that may endanger the works and any urgent need for conservation work.
In the case of extremely fragile and damaged media, the restorer acts on the material by carrying out minor partial conservation work in order to stabilise the media and avoid further damage or loss of fragments when using scanners. These interventions, supported by the guidelines provided by the restorer for the correct handling of volumes and documents, allow the photographic operators to digitise the heritage in total safety.
