Preservation Glossary

Introduction

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 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. 

Click here to access the Glossary

Using the Glossary

This glossary makes it easy for users to find term definitions, view sample photos, and access additional resources. 

The term "abrasion" within the Preservation Glossary.

This screenshot shows what the glossary looks like when you click "open" on a definition, such as abrasion. Pictured, there is a cover image for the term, showing an example of loss of surface material. Below the word itself, there's a definition, tags categorizing the term, image credits, further reading and resources, and any related terms. Users are able to click on the related terms to view them. 

There are several ways to view the glossary:

  1. Gallery View - This view emphasizes the images associated with words in the glossary. This view is helpful when looking for visual examples.

    Gallery view of the Preservation Glossary.

  2. All Entries - This view shows you a list of all words, organized alphabetically, with all of their properties showing. This view is helpful to browse definitions and properties in the glossary as a whole.

    All entries view on the Preservation Glossary.

  3. List - This view shows an alphabetical list of the words in the glossary with no properties shown, unless you click “open” on a specific word. This view is helpful to scroll through the list quickly.

    The list view of the Preservation Glossary

  4. Entries Organized by Tags - This view shows the glossary organized by tags. This view is helpful to look at specific terms within a tag; for example, you can go to the “Archives” tag and look at all terms associated with archives.

    The Preservation Glossary organized by tags.

  5. Survey/Plan/Assessment Tags - This view shows the glossary organized by surveys, plans, and assessments that might be associated with the word. This view is helpful if you’re approaching this glossary after receiving an assessment report for your institution.

The Preservation Glossary organized by Survey/Plan/Assessment tags.

Maintaining and growing this glossary takes time, care, and resources. In this first year of ongoing upkeep, we have invested significant staff time, expert consultation, and funding for platforms that support accessibility, feedback, and hosting. In total, sustaining the glossary will cost nearly $8,500 annually. If you find this glossary useful, please consider making a gift to the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Your support helps keep this resource free, accessible, and evolving to meet the needs of those who care for cultural heritage.