Training Opportunities
for Latin American Conservators
Training opportunities are scarce for conservation professionals in
Latin American libraries and archives. Many employees will receive
no more than on-the-job training from a supervisor. As far as I
know, there are no Latin American formalized book conservation
training programs, although a number of regional workshop series
exist. In addition, some international and United States
organizations fund overseas training for Latin Americans.
A rather paltry list of information on training opportunities that
can be accessed via the Internet follows:
- ICCROM (International Centre for the
Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property):
International programs that focus on training professionals to
implement new conservation skills in their home countries. ICCROM
links are in English and French.
- Universidad
Autonoma del Estado de Mexico: Ten semester program in "document
science," with at least three classes in conservation and binding.
- Library
Fellows Program: A joint effort between the United States
Information Agency and the American Library Association, this
program provides both U.S. librarians a chance to work overseas and
allows non-U.S. librarians to study in the United States.
- Preservation
Educators' Exchange: Provides resources on preservation
education. Claims to be "worldwide," yet focus is on the USA. Also
maintains an electr onic listserv named "PRESED-L." To subscribe,
e-mail listserv@uicvm.uic.edu
and type "subscribe PRESED-L Your Name."
- Universidad
de Salamanca, Spain: University course on
"restauración de libros." Also a course offered in
documents conservation. While not located in Latin
America, at least this instruction is in Spanish!
While not a source for training, an excellent article by Suzanne
Deal Booth appeared in the May 1991 edition of the WAAC
Newsletter. Entitled "Conservation Training in Latin America,"
it outlines funding sources for training and new developments in the
region. Highly recommended.
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Please send comments to
wbaker@fiat.gslis.utexas.edu.
Last updated June 21, 1997.