AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

Presenters: Rebecca Pollak, Heather Hendry, Jodie Utter, Meredith French
Our topic is Tape and Adhesives: Techniques and Materials for an Age-Old Problem and our two speakers are Rebecca Pollak and Heather Hendry.

Rebecca Pollak, Associate Paper Conservator at the Thaw Conservation Center, Morgan Library & Museum will be presenting a talk co-authored by Adam Novak and Teresa Duncan, PhD, entitled Introduction of fundamental experiments and applications of a non-aqueous gel for adhesive removal on paper. She will discuss the solvent gel Sylgard 184 PDMS (Dow Corning) and how it can be used to soften adhesive through a controlled release of solvent and/or solvent vapors. A case study will be presented demonstrating the removal of neoprene contact adhesive adhered to tracing paper.

Our second speaker, Heather Hendry, is Senior Paper Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts. Her talk is entitled A Utilitarian Approach to Tape Removal. Heather will discuss a methodology that prioritizes efficiency and minimizes solvent exposure to the conservator; a system that works for most of the tape challenges conservators encounter. This system uses a minimum of testing and stresses methods of non-solvent reduction (mechanical, heat, and electric erasers), followed by limited solvents and non-gel poultices as needed. A discussion will follow that encourages audience members to share their experiences and ideas regarding tape and adhesive reduction.