The Response of the British Library’s Conservation Department to the COVID-19 Situation

Abstract

The British Library’s conservation department faced a significant range of challenges arising from the COVID-19 situation and the limited time available to respond to them. By drawing on areas in which the department already had particular strengths, such as risk management, salvage planning and training, we were able to address these issues and support the operational requirements not only of our own area but also of the wider Library, in dealing with both immediate concerns and longer-term issues relating to the resumption of normal activities. This has encouraged us to look at underlying assumptions about our working practices, enabling us to revise our approaches in ways which not only respond to the current situation but also have far-reaching benefits.

Keywords

• covid-19
• lockdown
• risk management
• salvage
• physical collections
• conservation