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Interns and fellows share findings with Harvard conservation community

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Conservators and preservation specialists from across Harvard gathered to learn about the projects and challenges faced by several interns and fellows working across Harvard, in the museums and libraries.

“It was a great learning experience,” said Kelli Piotrowski, a Kress Fellow working at Weissman Preservation Center. “My background is in rare books, and I got to branch out and work with materials ranging from 14th-century manuscripts to mid-20th-century architectural drawings.”

The Harvard Library hosts up to two graduate level conservation interns each year at the Weissman Center. This year, the library received a grant from the American Institute for Conservation to support a Kress Fellowship in postgraduate conservation work.

Brenda Bernier, head of the Weissman Preservation Center, observed, “Fellows and advanced interns bring fresh ideas and ask insightful questions that keep us on our toes. It also gives us the opportunity to contribute to the education of the next generation of conservators.  Both sides benefit from the exchange. We hope to get sustained funding to continue offering fellowships across all of Preservation Services.”