Introducing CCAHA’s New Preservation Glossary

What on earth does “planar distortion” mean? The terminology used in preservation and conservation can be challenging for most museum and archive professionals, let alone an ordinary person hoping to have a family scrapbook conserved. CCAHA is dedicated to making our field more accessible to everyone, and part of that is shedding light on the technical terms we use and how the use of even commonly recognizable words might differ from the norm. 

After considerable work by our Preservation Services team and staff from our Conservation Lab, CCAHA is excited to announce the launch of our new Preservation Glossary, a searchable database of over 400 terms with images and simplified definitions. 

“We really wanted to focus on describing these terms using language that anyone can understand regardless of their background,” said Maddie Cooper, CCAHA Associate Preventive Conservator. “I think this project speaks to our department’s goal of creating resources that are practical and sustainable.”  

The idea for a glossary began in 2022 when Margalit Schindler, a third-year CCAHA intern from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC), partnered with Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia (A4BLiP). A4BLiP is a volunteer group that works to improve equity and representation in archives, with a focus on Black communities. It became clear early on that some of the language that the preservation profession uses was intimidating and overwhelming, particularly for folks who had never received formal museum or library training but were working with small community archives or their own collections. To help address this, Schindler and CCAHA worked with A4BLiP to develop an image-right glossary that featured more than 100 terms. The Center decided to build on that project by evolving the glossary into a searchable database that we can continue to update.  

The new glossary includes terminology covering materials, damage, preservation planning, digital preservation, conservation treatment, and collections management. Related terms are interlinked to encourage further exploration. For the project, CCAHA partnered with consultant Lori Litchman, who is a writer and former educator with certification as a reading specialist. She worked with the team to simplify definitions and ensure the language remained at an accessible reading level. 

The CCAHA team has spent more than a year creating this resource and can’t wait for people to start using it. You can access and share this free Preservation Glossary resource here: ccaha.org/PreservationGlossary.  

“This version of the project is a living document,” said Cooper. “We will be able to easily add terms and tags and update images and definitions, so I encourage any and all users to let us know if you have suggestions.”   

Generously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the glossary project was part of the Center’s most recent Preservation and Access Education and Training two-year grant award. The award also provided support for nationwide preservation planning, the development of a sustainability toolkit for organizations located in areas with significant climate risk, and the continual development of preservation-focused education and training programs. Support from the NEH over the years has enabled the Center’s Preservation Services Department to focus on democratizing access to preservation for small collecting organizations, communities, and individuals.  

“One of the core values of the Preservation Services Office is that anyone and everyone can practice preservation,” said Cooper. “Whether you’re a complete beginner looking to preserve family photographs or you’re an expert looking for really specific advice, CCAHA is here to offer resources and support.”   

Unfortunately, the NEH grant underwriting the glossary and our other capacity-building work was terminated in April. While we are committed to keeping the glossary and the rest of our educational resources freely available, the dramatic cut in funding puts our preservation work at risk. We estimate that it will cost $8,500 annually between technology and staff time to sustain and update the glossary. If you value the work that we do to give organizations and communities the tools and knowledge necessary to save our shared cultural heritage, please consider donating to CCAHA. Even a small amount will have an impact.