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6. Irreplaceable Collections and Individual Objects
Collections and individual objects are artifacts, specimens, artworks, archives, public records,
and other items that are often considered
irreplaceable because of their artistic, educational,
historic, legal, scientific, or social significance. They
are nonliving and, therefore, do not include animals
or plant material, and are usually one-of-a-kind.
Eligible collections and individual objects may be in
storage or on display in a public or PNP facility and
may include items located outdoors, such as
sculptures and public art installations.
Stabilization of damaged collections or
individual objects is eligible. Stabilization is
a series of treatment measures to maintain the
integrity of a collection or object and to
minimize deterioration. Stabilization involves
taking the minimum steps necessary to return
a collection or object to a condition in which
it can function in the same capacity as it did
prior to the incident. This includes:
• Treating damaged items through
proper environmental controls, such
as temperature and humidity; and
• Chemical or mechanical cleaning to
stabilize items to prolong their
existence, maintain their integrity, and
minimize further deterioration from
the damaging effects of the incident.
Additional treatment beyond stabilization is
eligible if it is necessary to maintain the
integrity of the collection or object and return
it to its pre-disaster function.
In some cases, costs associated with restoring
an item to pre-disaster—but not original—
condition may be eligible. For example,
repairing a tear in a painting that was a direct
result of the incident may be eligible,
whereas costs to remove signs of pre-disaster
aging, such as layers of old varnish, are
ineligible.
Costs associated with the development of a
treatment plan for a damaged collection or
individual object are eligible. Treatment
needs to be conducted by qualified
Documentation Supporting
Classification as Collection or
Individual Object
Documentation of collections and individual
objects generally include accession, catalog,
and inventory documentation. Applicants
should submit all associated documentation
along with a clear title to all items.
Terminology
Archives are materials created or received by a
person, family, or organization, public or private, and
preserved because of the enduring value they
contain, or as evidence of the functions and
responsibilities of their creator, especially those
materials maintained using the principles of
provenance, original order, and collective control.
Accession is formal process used to legally accept
and record a specimen or artifact as a collection item.
A catalog is a full record of information specific to an
item and cross-referenced to other records and files,
including identification and documentation of the
material.
Stabilization is a series of treatment measures
intended to maintain the integrity of a collection or
object and to minimize deterioration. It involves the
minimum steps necessary to return a collection or
object to a condition in which it can function in the
same capacity as it did prior to the disaster.
Conservation is the preservation of a collection or
object for the future. Conservation activities include
examination, documentation, treatment, and
preventive care, supported by research (e.g.,
scholarly and technological, x-rays, paint sampling)
and education.
Special library collections typically include unique,
rare printed books, first editions (often author-
signed), manuscripts, archives, artifacts, photos,
engravings, graphics, music, and ephemera, as well as
limited edition print runs of special collections of
maps or other important topics.