Professional Development Blog

Volunteering at the Portico – Part 5

Over the past 2 months I have volunteered in a number of different capacities at the Portico library: Further book cleaning and minor-repairs using glue: using 3 different types of glue including ‘Cellugel’ described as ‘A safe, penetrating consolidant for leather book cover affected by red rot (powdery deterioration). Will not harm paper or other…

Volunteering at the Portico – Part 4: Conservation cleaning

For the second day of collections care or conservation cleaning with Jim, myself and another volunteer cleaned 2 shelves of oversized books including the shelf itself (shown in the photograph at the beginning of this post). Very simply we were instructed to do the following: Remove the books from the shelf and carefully carry them…

Volunteering at the Portico – Part 3

Over the past 2 weeks I have volunteered at the Portico during the following events: Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium Eater – talk by Journalist and Historian Ed Glinert. I was primarily responsible for preparing for the event, serving and selling drinks, arranging furniture and assisting people while they viewed and handled…

Volunteering at the Portico, Part 2: Conservation cleaning

On 13th October 2021 myself and another volunteer had our first collections care session with Jim Duff (former book binder and head of collections care for University of Manchester at the John Rylands Library, Main Library and more). The session could be viewed as a basic introduction to the principles of book conservation but also…

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About Me

I’m Abbie, a recent MA Art Gallery & Museum Studies graduate with the University of Manchester, arts professional working in Visitor Experience and volunteer at the Portico Library. This blog documents and tracks my professional development, seeking opportunities for reflection and learning.

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