

Administrative Planning Intervention Training Treatments Workshops

WORKSHOPS

Available Workshops

DFHCS can offer a one-time workshop designed to address a specific training need, or a series of workshops to meet long-term institutional requirements. We work to meet your requirements. A pre-workshop questionnaire is used to customize workshops and ensure participant needs are defined and incorporated into workshop objectives. Written assignments can be included, where requested, to further develop participant knowledge. A follow-up evaluation can be arranged within 3-6 months after a workshop, to evaluate the effectiveness of the training.

Preventive Conservation (Museums) & Preservation of Archival Media (Archives)

This two-day workshop introduces the role of preventive conservation/preservation in museums, archives and other heritage institutions through an examination of preventive conservation standards and practices. The role of preventive conservation/preservation in policy, facilities, staffing and exhibition is discussed. Topics include:

Causes of artefact and media deterioration
Environmental monitoring
Pest management
Emergency preparedness
Care and handling; and display

Participants are given the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding the introduction of preventive conservation/preservation in their institution. A case study allows them to test that knowledge.

Developing & Implementing a Holdings Maintenance Program

The implementation of a Holdings Maintenance Program is recommended by the Canadian Council of Archives as part of the concept of “responsible custody”.

In this 2-day workshop, participants learn the importance and effect of such a program on the media contained within their holdings. Subjects covered include:

Rehousing with chemically stable enclosures
Use of inert, suitable shelving and storage equipment
Implementation of safe storage and shelving practices
Preservation copying and reformatting

A practical component of the workshop will provide participants with hands-on practice with humidification and flattening, encapsulation, and the construction of spacers and various folders for the different media and formats found in archival holdings. This workshop allows participants to develop projects related to the development and implementation of a Holdings Management Program. These project may be eligible for funding through the National Archival Development Program of the Canadian Council of Archives http://www.cdncouncilarchives.ca/NADP.html .

Emergency Preparedness

Disaster can strike at any time. Your institution, your collections, and your insurance can be affected if you are not prepared. This 2-day workshop provides you with the knowledge and tools to develop a written emergency plan that assists in preventing a disaster from happening, or minimizing the consequences if it does.

Topics include:

Risk assessment and remediation
Development of a written plan, organization of teams and resources
Response procedures
Salvage & recovery
Business resumption

At the end of the workshop, participants return to their institutions with a plan already underway.*

*Please note that this is not a hands-on workshop involving salvage of water damaged records or artefacts. It is an administrative exercise that enables participants to create their own Emergency Preparedness Plan.

Salvage Techniques for Wet and Fire-damaged Collection Material

This one-day workshop will give qualified participants* hands-on experience in salvaging, handling, stabilizing, and cleaning a variety of water-soaked and fire-damaged artifacts and archival media. Topics covered include the theory of packout and salvage; handling and stabilization for packout/salvage; and cleaning water and fire-damaged artifacts and archival media. Emphasis will be on finding low-cost approaches to salvage using commonly available materials. Participants will develop the critical thinking skills for the application of salvage techniques in a team setting, which will allow them to manage small-to-medium size disaster situations. They will develop triage skills and learn appropriate responses for different types of disasters. Appropriate personal protection for salvage situations will also be emphasized.

*Please note that this workshop is intended for heritage professionals who have previous training in emergency preparedness and/or risk assessment.

Mould Remediation

This one-day workshop provides an overview of how mould can become established in heritage buildings or on artefacts. It outlines how to prevent this from occurring, and how to manage the situation should it occur. Topics include:

Identification of mould
Guidelines for mould prevention/treatment
Safety precautions, health & safety, and treatment
Techniques for handling, cleaning, and storage of mould-affected artifacts
Salvage and recovery
Guidelines for building remediation.

At the end of the workshop, participants return to their institutions ready to evaluate their institution’s potential for mould and with the information required to address it.*

*Please note that this workshop does not include a hands-on component on the salvage of mould-affected records or artefacts.

Upcoming Workshops

Past Workshops

Advanced Issues in Emergency Preparedness and Response
Presented in partnership with the Canadian Conservation Institute
Session B: Salvage Techniques for Wet and Fire-damaged Collection Material
Date: 24 May 2011 – Winnipeg, Manitoba

Developing a Holdings Maintenance Workshop
October 21st & 22nd 2010 – Regina, Saskatchewan
Hosted by the Saskatchewan Council for Archives & Archivists www.scaa.sk.ca

Mould Management and Remediation for Heritage Sites
September 10, 2010 – North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Hosted by the Western Development Museum under the Coaching Program of the Museums Association of Saskatchewan www.saskmuseums.org

Collections Care And Preventive Conservation
June 18th & 19th 2010 – Selkirk, Manitoba
Hosted by the Association of Manitoba Museums www.museumsmanitoba.com