For World Book Day, West Dean College Librarian Teresa has chosen to highlight a selection of books from the library collection that relate to the programmes taught within the School of Conservation across clocks, metals, furniture, ceramics and books specialisms. 

MA Conservation Studies student Jurjen writes about a small book from the collection in the Old Library and the remarkable details that lead him from a small local Latin school in Gouda, to Tsar Peter the Great, as well as to the well known art and book collection of the Beckford family.

Graduate Diploma Conservation Studies student Katerina discusses a recent project: the creation of an Armenian endband, using only materials immediately available to her.

Whilst in Lockdown at home, Graduate Diploma Conservation Studies student Florence Watson took the opportunity to get back to basics and make paper from scratch. Read the blog post to find out about the process, including making a mould and deckle.

MA Conservation Studies: Books and Library Materials student Lena Krämer discusses her reconstruction attempt on an unusual Gothic endband from Chichester Cathedral Library.

Read Lena Krämer's, MA Conservation Studies: Books and Library Materials student, blog post about a book with an eye-catching Gothic Endband she found on a trip to Chichester Cathedral Library.

MA Conservation Studies: Books and Library Materials student Emma Lau writes about learning the principles of sharpening and using basic machineries to produce an English paring knife, and how this lead her to modify a spokeshave for paring leather.

As a final year student in the Books and Library Materials Conservation Studies course at West Dean, my usual focus is upon 'book and paper materials'. However, last term I was fortunate to work with the West Dean Collections team as they kitted out their new 'salvage trailer'...