Purchase of Preservation Materials to Protect the Robert Fellman-Charles Dickens Collection

FAIN: PA-51506-06

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA 01609-2247)
Rodney Gorme Obien (Project Director: May 2005 to February 2007)

The rehousing of books, documents, and artwork in the Robert Fellman-Charles Dickens Collection of the George C. Gordon Library of Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

University Archives & Special Collections, a department of the George C. Gordon Library, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), requests funding to implement the conservation priorities of its Robert Fellman-Charles Dickens Collection as identified by conservators Babette and Daniel Gehnrich in their 2004 survey of WPI's special collections (see Attachment I). These priorities are (1) re-house selected volumes in protective archival phase boxes, (2) provide polyester dusk jackets for selected volumes, and (3) dry clean and re-mat artwork in archival mat board. The Robert Fellman-Charles Dickens represents one of the largest holdings of Charles Dickens materials in New England that is publicly available to students, scholars, and general researchers. The collection, dating from 1835 to the present, consists of over 1000 volumes of rare first editions and reference works, unique autograph material, and artwork. The project will ensure the preservation of this unique public resource.