• AIC's Collections Care Network

    American Institute for Conservation – Collection Care Network (CCN)
    What is the CCN?
    The CCN is a network within AIC for all AIC members with an interest in collection care. It was conceived in 2011 by a group of collection care practitioners and preventive conservators and officially established by the AIC board in November 2011. The CCN strives to create a voice for preventive care within AIC, form a network for the exchange of preventive care information, and establish a professional home for the wide variety of collection care practitioners, conservators and allied professionals committed to advancing “the critical importance of preventive conservation as the most effective means of promoting the long-term preservation of cultural property” (Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works, #20).
    Who will the CCN serve?
    The CCN aims to join together and assist those who make collection care happen. They are collection managers, collection care specialists, conservators, technicians, preparators, registrars, mount makers, art handlers, librarians, archivists, engineers, architects, entomologists, archaeologists, exhibit designers, preventive conservation material vendors, facilities staff and others. It will work with these people as individuals but also reach out to collaborate with the organizations that represent them as groups of professionals and volunteers.
    What will the CCN do?
    The CCN will offer:
    · Reliable collection care information (e.g. annotated links, bibliographies, best practices, etc.) through AIC’s online platforms.
    · Networking between allied collections professionals and related organizations on a national and international basis.
    · Support for promoting collection care and its practitioners through establishment of best practices documents, exchange of advocacy materials, salary surveys, and more.
    · A professional home for all those committed to collection care.
    · Preventive care workshops and papers at AIC Conferences.
    How can I help the CCN?
    · Join the CCN
    · Provide ideas for projects to share within the community
    · Offer to be a liaison to an allied organization with which you already have a link
    · Be a mentor for emerging and mid-level collections care professionals
    · Offer to work on CCN projects now
    · Make it known you would like to take on a CCN leadership role in the future

    How do I join the CCN?
    · If you are already an AIC member, contact Ruth Seyler at the AIC office or tick the appropriate box on your membership renewal form. As an AIC member you can join the CCN at no additional cost.
    · If you are not an AIC member join the AIC at www.conservation-us.org and then join the CCN. Many CCN resources will be available without fee on the AIC website but joining AIC will offer access to special CCN projects and opportunities for professional leadership within the organization.

    How do I contact the CCN?
    In the future, there will be a variety of ways through which people can communicate with the CCN leadership and CCN members in general. For the time being, please contact a member of the CCN board or a member of the original CCN organizing committee, as listed below:
    Chair
    Joelle Wickens, 2012-2014
    Winterthur Museum
    jwicke@winterthur.org
    Vice-Chair
    Rebecca Fifield, 2012-2014
    Metropolitan Museum of Art
    rebecca.fifield@metmuseum.org
    Secretary
    Wendy Claire Jessup, 2012-2013
    Wendy Jessup and Associates, Inc.

    prevcon@verizon.net
    Treasurer
    Karen Pavelka, 2012-2015
    University of Texas at Austin
    pavelka@ischool.utexas.edu
    Communications & Outreach
    Gretchen Guidess, 2012-2015
    Historic New England
    gretchen.guidess@gmail.com
    Editor
    Robert Waller, 2012-2015
    Protect Heritage Corp.
    rw@protectheritage.com
    AIC Board Liaison
    Cathy Hawks

    National Museum of Natural History
    cahawks@aol.com
    AIC Staff Liaison
    Ruth Seyler
    Membership & Meetings Director

    rseyler@conservation-us.org
    Organizing Committee Member
    Julia Brennan
    Textile Conservation Services
    Julia@caringfortextiles.com
    Organizing Committee Member
    Rachael Perkins Arenstein
    A.M. Art Conservation, LLC

    rachael@amartconservation.com
    Organizing Committee Member
    Patricia Silence, 2012-2015
    Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
    psilence@cwf.org