CCAHA and CENCOR Train Emerging Preventive Conservation Professionals in Puerto Rico
The future of collections care in Puerto Rico is in good hands thanks to an emerging group of preservation professionals. For the past two years, CCAHA has worked with the Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico (CENCOR) on a new program to build capacity for the preservation of collections in Puerto Rico through a mix of education, training, and facilitation. With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, CCAHA and CENCOR are able to support three Preventive Conservation Fellows as part of the Preservation Services in Puerto Rico Initiative. This initiative aims to combine CCAHA’s long history of material expertise and preservation education with CENCOR’s knowledge of preservation concerns in the region and network of cultural heritage stewards on the island. This month, we check in with the fellows to learn more about their respective paths to the field and their plans going forward.
Sofía Lugo Alicea is working with special collections at the Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico. Sofia is a recent graduate from the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus where she received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She has previous experience as a Student Employee at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Museum of Art and as a Conservation Volunteer at La Casa del Libro.
How did you discover the Preventive Conservation Fellowship and decide to apply?
I stumbled upon conservation, specifically paper and book conservation, while searching for paper engineering programs and doing research for my bachelor's in chemical engineering (ChemE). That led to a YouTube video on book conservation, and I decided to search conservation projects in Puerto Rico. When I found the Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico, I started following their social media. A few years on, I graduated with my bachelor's in ChemE and was looking for more experience. After a short time working with a conservator in a local museum, CENCOR posted the Fellowship in Preventive Conservation. I applied, and here we are!
What is your favorite part of the fellowship?
I've worked with small and underfunded institutions before, and I have found that everything I learn during this fellowship helps me better serve the institution in an effective way. Puerto Rico has such a hot and humid climate that it can get overwhelming when choosing what to tackle and how to prioritize needs in a collection. Helping the institution grow in confidence and advocate for their collection needs based on collected data has been one of my favorite parts so far.
What is one thing you have learned or encountered so far that surprised you?
As a ChemE graduate, preservation is of great interest to me. I see the environmental data and go back to my thermodynamics notes to compare it with information on conservation standards and better understand the institution's system and how to best use them for our benefit. When looking and researching for this, it's surprising how behind we find ourselves on preservation studies with our Caribbean weather. This has made it difficult to set standards for institutions in PR, and the ideal standards are not sustainable for our colonial reality. It makes this fellowship even more important for the institutions that host us, since they look to us to discern how to move forward with environmental control and monitoring.
What is your favorite collection or object that you have worked with?
This is a hard one, because every object is unique, and their condition tells a story. I've loved working on the rare book collection, seeing all the different bibles and how they withstand the tests of time and use. But there are also objects that, even though they only require a routine assessment, just stay with you because of the story they tell. That is the case with a book found in the library with a bullet in it. It was found decades ago, so no one on staff really knows what or when it happened. It is the library's unsolved mystery.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I plan to continue onto graduate studies in conservation. I have taken a liking to preventive conservation during this fellowship and I'm considering majoring in this area. Further along, I would love to continue working with cultural institutions. It's a personal goal of mine to help further the preservation and conservation of our cultural heritage in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Joharis Ramos Abreu is working with special collections materials at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, where she is also finishing her degree in Art Theory. Joharis comes to the fellowship having participated in the Six-Week Introduction to Practical Conservation (SIP-C) through the University of Delaware, followed by an internship at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
How did you discover the Preventive Conservation Fellowship and decide to apply?
The opportunity came up while I was completing an internship in Washington, DC, with the Smithsonian. During that experience, I was directly involved in collection management, which sparked my interest in the care and preservation of documentary and artistic materials. I connected with CENCOR, and when the opportunity to apply for the fellowship arose, I could not pass it up. I was eager to learn about preventive conservation and work with paper collections in Puerto Rico, contributing directly to the conservation of cultural heritage tied to my history and culture. I found this experience especially enriching and it perfectly aligned with my professional interests.
What is your favorite part of the fellowship?
My favorite part of the fellowship is helping my institution with their preventive conservation strategies, educating them on sustainable solutions, and applying what I am learning in my work. In the library, I have had the opportunity to learn about the internal functioning of collecting institutions of the library and archives sector, as well as to participate in classes and workshops that have been invaluable for my daily work. Additionally, I have gained access to professional opportunities and networks I had not imagined reaching at this stage of my career. The resources provided, such as classes with [CCAHA Associate Preventive Conservator] Maddie Cooper and the techniques I have learned, have enabled me to approach my tasks more efficiently and with a deeper understanding of the principles of preventive conservation.
What is one thing you have learned or encountered so far that surprised you?
A particularly valuable piece of knowledge I have gained—and which surprised me—is the importance of evaluating each conservation situation on an individualized basis, as each object or collection may require a different approach based on various factors. Before I understood what conservation entailed, I always assumed there were strict guidelines I could not bend or didn’t change. However, this adaptive approach has given me greater confidence in my ability to make informed and effective decisions and has been essential to my professional development.
What is your favorite collection or object that you have worked with?
A significant project I have been working on is the Alvarez Nazario Collection within the library. This collection was donated by a late professor of the University, and many of the books in the rare books section contain dedications from the author to the professor on the first page. Witnessing these connections gives me a sense of fulfillment, and it is definitely my favorite part of working with these books. Not only is the collection incredibly important to Spanish and Puerto Rican literature, but the bond between these individuals is preserved in the words written on the page, giving it a personal touch.
What are your plans for the future?
In the near future, I look forward to completing my graduate studies in conservation so that I can continue gaining experience and help conserve our cultural heritage for future generations to access and enjoy.
Joyce Vazquez Villanueva is working with collections of the Centro de Documentación at Liga de Arte San Juan. Joyce is a senior at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico studying Chemistry. She has experience as an Archivist Assistant at the Contemporary Museum of Puerto Rico and as an Intern at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. She is also an alum of the SIP-C program.
How did you discover the Preventive Conservation Fellowship and decide to apply?
I discovered the Preventative Conservation Fellowship through the Facebook page of the Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico (CENCOR). Consequently, I found the complete information on their website. I decided to apply for this excellent opportunity for two main reasons. The first, was that it would allow me to see first-hand the current condition of Puerto Rican institutions with respect to conservation and preservation. The second reason was the interest in learning about preservation and how the practices and techniques would help us introduce basic tools to the institutions.
What is your favorite part of the fellowship?
My favorite part of the fellowship is definitely the discussion sessions with Maddie Cooper and the other two fellows. Not only do we learn new and very useful material, but we also share experiences related to the different host institutions. We share and support new ideas and practices which we then implement.
What is one thing you have learned or encountered so far that surprised you?
One thing I have learned is that I should not limit myself to only knowing the space where I am frequently working. I have found that immersing myself in the working culture of the institution is crucial to witnessing the mission and vision of the institution. Participating in exhibition dismantling, summer camps for children, among other activities has allowed me to fully understand the purpose and the history that the Documentation Center holds.
What is your favorite collection or object that you have worked with?
Although I can't pick a favorite collection, I have enjoyed admiring the different works of art that are temporarily stored at the center. There are new exhibitions every month, so I have had the wonderful opportunity to see each work brought by the artist and to hear a little about it.
What are your plans for the future?
My future plans are to develop myself as an art conservator and bring as much knowledge and resources as I can to Puerto Rico. I want to be able to help develop the field of conservation in Puerto Rico and, above all, to achieve a general awareness of its philosophy.
Top, from left: Fellows Joharis Ramos, Sofía Lugo Alicea, and Joyce Vazquez meet CCAHA Book Conservator Amber Hares at the reception for AIC's 2024 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City.