Preserving Collections at Buffalo State College: An Integrated Holistic Conservation and Preservation Approach

FAIN: PF-287568-22

SUNY Research Foundation, Buffalo State College (Buffalo, NY 14222-1004)
Patrick Ravines (Project Director: January 2022 to present)

A planning project to study four distinct collections and the buildings in which they are housed on Buffalo State College’s campus through environmental monitoring and surveying the mechanical and engineering aspects of their air handling systems.

Buffalo State College (BSC) is dedicated to preserving the local and regional histories, cultural objects, and art of the many cultures and peoples associated with the college, the city of Buffalo, and the Western New York (WNY) region. The collections at BSC that this proposal focuses on are the Burchfield Penney Art Center, the Butler Library Archives & Special Collection Department, the Historic Costume and Textile Collection, and the study collection and studios of the Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation Department. All of these spaces have the same needs. Some spaces have been monitored and studied over the past 5 years. Previous data show that the spaces are not up to the standards of traditional preservation environments and detrimental to the longevity of the collections. We plan to further study and use historical data along with preservation specialists to propose concrete changes that can be made to benefit all of the college’s critical collection needs.