How can science connect with and contribute to conservation? Recommendations and reflections

This paper reports the conclusions and recommendations of the working group that synthesized the discussions on ‘How can science connect with and be of greater benefit to conservation practice?’ during the ICCROM Forum on Conservation Science. The author reflects on these findings from her own perspective and experiences, and places them in the context of two major shifts in heritage research: the first, a shift in focus from conserving materials to managing meaning. The second, a shift in organizational structures from single, centrally funded heritage institutions towards diffuse networks which include new players who have no direct responsibility towards heritage. Both shifts are taking place in an environment of decreased funding and increased accountability to society. Science and conservation connect and contribute to each other most effectively if they together contribute to the societal benefits of heritage. In this regard, heritage science strategies can stimulate collaboration, and direct science and conservation towards innovative, applicable outcomes. Moreover, they can promote a transdisciplinary approach which connects social, economic and business sciences and stakeholders. They should also ensure the creation of sustainable nodes for consolidating knowledge within these dynamic networks.     

Communicating conservation science

What are the key messages conservation science should communicate to the public? Although the profile of conservation science itself can be raised by talking about the process, most feel that the messages should concern what conservation science brings to the focus of its work – cultural heritage. However, it is no longer enough to focus on the needs of heritage in isolation. Demonstrating public benefit is crucial to persuade decision-makers to invest not only in the conservation of cultural heritage but also in the science that informs its care. Conservation science can research the significance of cultural heritage and how to enable access to it, but it now also needs to engage the public actively in its activities. This means continuing to use the traditional ‘hard’ sciences of physics and chemistry but also learning from and collaborating more with less familiar partners such as the social sciences, the medical sciences, and natural heritage to demonstrate how conservation science is good for people, and developing new methods of communication to do this. Conservation science needs to engage with the public not only as a subject for research but also as a means of doing the research, so the end also becomes the means. Public impact should be factored into conservation science projects, with training in communication and the principles of interpretation provided to those involved. A more fundamental shift may be required in the sector however, that puts people's benefit at the heart of conservation science as much as the benefit of the cultural heritage it engages with.     

Conservation science: Reflections and future perspectives

The ICCROM Forum 2013 on Conservation Science resulted in a series of recommendations for improving the relevance and impact of science within cultural heritage conservation. These recommendations are outlined in this paper. Central to the Forum recommendations is the responsibility of conservation science to provide benefit through research and innovation. This relies on shared strategic vision and good governance, to identify priority needs and align efforts accordingly. To enhance the effectiveness of conservation science research, it is imperative to adopt an approach based on needs assessment, collaboration, and sharing. However, to establish whether desired goals are being met, systematic assessment of what is delivered and how it is used is required. Evaluation tools provide a structured way to identify needs and to measure results, offering a basis for learning and improvement. A new initiative is outlined, launched by ICCROM in follow-up to the Forum, to develop a common framework for needs and outcome assessment for heritage conservation science. To achieve this will require participation and support at multiple levels, and collaboration is called for to continue and sustain this effort.     

Use of Louisiana's Digital Cultural Heritage by Wikipedians

Analysis of how cultural heritage institutions' (CHI) digital assets are being cited on Wikipedia can be beneficial to understanding user needs and interests as well as priorities for collection development and digitization. This case study details an analysis of Wikipedia links to online resources from Louisiana cultural heritage institutions in order to determine what types of cultural heritage resources users are citing on Wikipedia, what is the content of the Wikipedia articles with Louisiana CHI citations, and how this can influence the work of CHI. The results of the study include findings that digital library items and archival finding aids are the most cited sources from cultural heritage institutions on Wikipedia and are particularly popular for Louisiana-specific Wikipedia articles on society and the social sciences and culture and the arts. Some possible strategies for determining digitization and collection development priorities based on these findings are also detailed.     

弘扬科学精神传播科学思想——现代科技馆体系实现科学文化价值引领的思考

以《全民科学素质行动规划纲要(2021—2035)》和《现代科技馆体系发展“十四五”规划(2021—2025年)》为主要背景,结合各类科普场馆所诞生的历史背景和各自特点分析了倡导科学方法、传播科学思想、弘扬科学精神和科学家精神的时代使命。在此基础上,分析并提出了科学文化建设对科普场馆的要求,从实现科学文化价值引领的角度对现代科技馆体系建设提出了提升战略意识、加强学术研究、打破专业壁垒等建议。     

Turning a Service Learning Experience into a Model of Student Engagement: The Lighthouse Heritage Research Connections (LHRC) Project in Hong Kong

The digital shift has provided easy access to academic library users, and yet, the usage of archival collections continues to be low. At the same time, the need for innovation in library services for cultural heritage scholarship and its advancement is emerging. This paper outlines a library-led service-learning program that connects students with lighthouse artifacts, archival collections, scholars in global academia, and wider communities. Student engagement cases are provided to illustrate the way in which the librarian utilizes the Framework of Information Literacy for Higher Education by ACRL to work closely with students. These cases also demonstrate how students can contribute to knowledge creation and preservation efforts for a specific cultural heritage topic that is not static, but which keeps receiving new contributions or additions to the depository. Thus, this paper is an answer to the ACRL's call for pilot projects to be assessed and shared with the wider community of academic librarians and support staff. It also builds on emerging roles for academic libraries like engaged learning. Librarians must move beyond simply seeing themselves as partners. Instead, librarians should see themselves as prime facilitators that co-create and co-develop cultural heritage research and historical projects by connecting actors and resources more effectively than any single actor can do alone.     

Archival science facing the information society

It is only a few decades ago that archivists befan to redefine their discipline in terms of a science. This redefinition of archives and records management was the consequence of a growing need for an adequate expression referring to a comprehensive new body of knowledge on records and archives. Consensus on how to adequately define archival science has not been achieved yet, however. As information society evolves, records and archives are changing in nature and status. It is an emerging discipline that has to be defined, which is still bears the impress of the mindset and practices of the industrial society. Bruno Delmas shows the archivist some clues to find a way out of this ambiguity and keep communicating human heritage to unknown generations.     

How can we build an impactful future for science in conservation? Essential next steps

This paper presents the outcomes of reflection and debate within the ICCROM Forum (2013) which explored how to build an impactful future for science in conservation. It sets out a number of recommendations to support a vibrant heritage science community with an impactful future. Key recommendations include: adopting the term heritage science as this reflects the growing use of the term in domains not exclusively conservation-focussed, positioning ICCROM as a leader in setting a vision for the heritage science community which would grow capacity, and support a high standard of academic research to underpin an impactful future for this growing discipline.     

Culture Ants Project

Abstract Culture Ants Project is an original, unique educational model, which aims to raise children’s awareness of and sensitivity to cultural heritage. Specially trained Culture Volunteers show children historical sites of the city and provide information about the city’s historical heritage in an educating and entertaining fashion that addresses their emotional intelligence (EI) and elicits their fondness for historical sites. The model is based on a teaching technique that involves “seeing, perceiving, sensing, and acquiring first‐hand experience.” Visiting cultural sites helps introduce children and youth to cultural values.     

Archival science facing the information society

It is only a few decades ago that archivists befan to redefine theirdiscipline in terms of a science. This redefinition of archives and records management was the consequence of a growing need for an adequate expression referring to a comprehensive new body of knowledge on records and archives. Consensus on how to adequately define archival sciencehas not been achieved yet, however. As information society evolves,records and archives are changing in nature and status. It is anemerging discipline that has to be defined, which is still bearsthe impress of the mindset and practices of the industrial society.Bruno Delmas shows the archivist some clues to find a way out of thisambiguity and keep communicating human heritage to unknown generations.     

声像档案视域下非物质音乐文化遗产的保护与传承

非物质音乐文化遗产是一个地区历史进程中风土人情的体现,是当地人民在生产生活中的文化结晶,它凝聚了中国千百年来的历史,是中国非物质文化遗产的重要组成部分。随着社会的不断发展,非物质音乐文化遗产的表现形式与现代审美之间的距离越来越大,直接导致非物质音乐文化遗产的传承面临断层。由此,对非物质音乐文化遗产的保护与传承工作迫在眉睫。本文探讨了应用现代声像技术开展非物质音乐文化遗产的保护工作,希望为传统音乐文化遗产的保护与传承提供一些有价值的参考。     

民族记忆视域下少数民族档案文献遗产保护现状与推进策略——基于云贵地区的调查

少数民族档案文献遗产承载着少数民族的历史文化和精神传统,是少数民族记忆宝库的重要组成。云贵地区少数民族档案文献遗产具有鲜明的地域性特征,是保有其文化特色的“记忆之源”,由此带来了档案文献遗产保护的特殊性和内在需求。基于调查和分析,笔者归纳了云贵地区少数民族档案文献遗产保护面临的遗产保护观念欠缺、管理机构各自为政、官方统计信息不全、民间普查征集困难、文字信息难以读解、库房保护条件有限、专门修复技艺稀缺、数字保护面临瓶颈、组织运行管理不力、工作标准规范缺乏十个方面的问题。针对上述问题,笔者分别从探索基于多元主体协同的保护模式、落实基于客体分级认知的保护策略、优化基于整体环境保护的预防措施、实现基于自主技术创新的方法应用、建立基于区域保护中心的运行机制五个方面提出了整体性的推进策略,最终目标是实现对云贵地区少数民族档案文献遗产的精准保护与记忆传承。     

The potential role of citizen conservation in re-shaping approaches to murals in an urban context

Public visual spaces, populated by a blend of community murals, unauthorised street art, and historic painted mercantile signs, are often the mark of an urban environment that is both progressive and eclectic. Changes in the aesthetic and cultural value of these urban mural forms have led to an increase in the appreciation and, in some instances, promotion of their artistic merit and cultural significance as examples of public art. However, examining the significance of these works, with a view to implementing a conservation approach is problematic. This is due to a number of practical and theoretical considerations that are primarily a result of the ephemeral existence of urban murals outside conventional exhibition spaces, and issues associated with their often fragmented ownership and uncertain authorship. Consequently, larger thinking on the interpretation, conservation assessment, and advocacy for the conservation of urban murals are required. Key to defining and implementing such strategies is contextualising the public visual spaces that these murals occupy and, as part of this, the local and wider communities’ perception of these murals as culturally significant objects as well as fostering awareness and understanding of appropriate measures aimed at their conservation. This paper examines the role of citizen science, or crowd-sourcing, of local community members in establishing a conservation dialogue and generating conservation- relevant data on urban murals. It looks specifically at a project involving a collection of in situ historic painted mercantile signs — also known as ghost signs — in the City of Port Phillip, Melbourne, Australia. The project fostered the establishment of an informed and open dialogue between conservation specialists and participants from the local community on the significance of local ghost signs whilst transferring knowledge on conservation processes and assessment methods. Working directly with community members, a programme was designed in which conservation and community knowledge of these urban art forms, could be collected and exchanged across digital platforms. This enabled researchers to examine how citizen science can be utilised as a research tool as well as a means to advocate for the conservation of collections of urban murals. It created the opportunity to consider the role of non-specialists and shared authorities in the collection and collation of conservation- relevant data and how information generated from what we call citizen conservation projects, can inform the way in which conservators evaluate and prioritize the conservation of urban cultural heritage. The data gathered and interpreted proved to be the most effective means of ‘conserving’ these often ephemeral forms of cultural material.     

Impact of national e-participation levels on inclusive human development and environmental performance: The mediating role of corruption control

Against a backdrop of scant scholarly evidence regarding the effectiveness of E-Participation (EP) in enabling broader macro-level outcomes, we posit that electronic participation use by governments in engaging citizens leads to a more inclusive human development and superior environmental performance, directly as well as indirectly through corruption control. Towards this, we employ human-centered development perspective, the “just” environmental sustainability paradigm, agency theory, and rent-seeking theory to draw linkages between EP, Corruption Control, Inclusive Human Development, and Environmental Performance. Using publicly available archival data for 132 countries, we carry out an empirical analysis and establish that higher EP is positively associated with Inclusive Human Development and subsequently Environmental Performance. Specifically, our results substantiate the role of Corruption Control as an intervening mechanism via which EP's impact on Environmental Performance assumes effectiveness. Our findings contribute to the theoretical discourse on EP by extending the analysis of EP impacts beyond its immediate outcomes (such as Corruption Control) to include higher-order macro-level impacts (such as Inclusive Human Development and Environmental Performance). In doing so, we uncover fresh evidence of EP's effectiveness in enabling Inclusive Human Development and Environmental Performance on a global scale. Based on these observations, we draw implications for theory and practice, and avenues for future research.     

Enhancing Research Impact in Heritage Conservation

This paper examines how research impact is defined, measured, and generated – with a view to understanding how it can be enhanced within heritage conservation. It examines what is meant by ‘impact’ and how it can be promoted within heritage science through effective inter-disciplinary collaboration. Following a general examination of the current discourse concerning research impact, the study examined: (i) active research networks within heritage science; (ii) research planning and evaluation practices within heritage science; and (iii) the experiences of users (i.e. conservators and other heritage professionals) within research collaborations. Terminologies surrounding the notion of impact and the various phases of the research process were reviewed – from the initial identification of a knowledge gap to the eventual application of new findings in practice. Next, the reach and diversity of research collaborations (as identified through publication co-authorship) were studied to characterise the inter-disciplinary nature of heritage science and its connectedness to users. Findings showed substantial growth in international research collaborations over recent years, predominantly involving academic- and research-oriented institutions – although the engagement of heritage institutions has proportionally decreased. In addition, a worldwide survey of institutional planning and evaluation practices revealed a general reliance on processes driven by the interests of researchers – the systematic consideration of stakeholder opinion and evaluation of research outcomes being less common. Finally, a series of semi-structured interviews with senior heritage professionals explored their experience of collaborative research. The results identified key areas where strategic support is needed to promote user participation and enhance impact. These include training for research readiness, engagement, and impact for both researchers and users; better methods for needs and outcome assessment; affordable open access options and greater diversity of knowledge exchange opportunities. Finally, the need for ethical guidelines for responsible research, and greater emphasis on non-academic impact within research rating systems are discussed.     

构建民国档案与非遗保护的良好互动机制——从馆藏采芝斋档案说起

本文通过对中国第二历史档案馆馆藏部分中华老字号采芝斋档案的披露,分析了在新形势下民国档案与非遗保护形成互动的必要性,探讨了民国档案与非遗保护互动机制的发展路径,希望有裨于两者档案资源的合作建设。     

20世纪初期硫酸纸底图档案保存状况调查研究

硫酸纸底图档案是一类重要的文化遗产,真实记录了早期机械制造、建筑设计的发展历程,具有很高的历史和科学价值。本文对我国一家档案馆收藏的20世纪初期硫酸纸底图档案进行了调查研究和分析测试,调研结果表明,这批硫酸纸底图档案出现了严重的酸化、卷曲、发脆、断裂、破损等病害现象,亟待修复保护。在调查研究的基础上,本文提出了相应的保护措施。     

Evidencing the Case for Preventive Conservation: the Role of Collections Care Documentation

ABSTRACT

Collections care describes actions taken to prevent or limit the deterioration of moveable cultural heritage and ‘collections care documentation’ (CCD) refers to the recording and retention of information relating to those activities. This paper describes the findings of a survey and targeted interviews with staff from a number of U.K. museums, archives and libraries. The results suggest that, while there is much good practice, some organisations face difficulties instituting a framework for CCD which covers all their activities effectively.

Large and small organisations have varying challenges to face; the former with specialist staff working in separate departments and the latter with staff who carry out activities relating to preventive conservation but who may not have specialist knowledge. An efficient documentation structure, which is resilient and relevant to the organisation, can support and improve communication as well as raise awareness of the reasons for and methods of preventive conservation. This paper looks at the reasons why even basic practices can sometimes be difficult to achieve and presents ideas for identifying and overcoming barriers. As preventive conservators argue that specified actions influence the long-term sustainability of collections the evidence that allows verification those claims needs to be retained. In order to do this, a greater focus on what data to collect and why will enable the sector to align CCD with specific research questions.