Caring for Collections: Preparing for the Rylands’ New Galleries 

As part of the John Rylands Library’s Next Chapter project and the celebration of 125 years since the Library first opened its doors, the two historic gallery spaces have undergone a major refurbishment. Reimagined to meet the highest standards for collection care and display, these spaces now house the new Collections Gallery and Special Exhibitions Gallery, which recently opened to the public on 15 May 2025.

The Collections Gallery displays 40 carefully selected objects that reflect the richness and diversity of the Library’s holdings. These items will be rotated every six months—not only to showcase more of the collection, but also to protect sensitive materials from light damage, which can cause fading and deterioration over time.

The adjacent Special Exhibitions Gallery features a changing programme of curated exhibitions, beginning with The Secret Public: LGBTQ Pop 1955–1985. An exhibition which explores the profound influence of LGBTQ performers, artists and activists on mainstream popular culture. Based on the book by Professor of Popular Culture, Jon Savage, the exhibition draws on his personal archives and The University of Manchester’s British Pop Archive.

Behind the Scenes: Caring for Collections 

The Collection Care team of Conservators has played a vital role in preparing objects for display. This has included detailed condition assessments, conservation treatments, and the creation of bespoke mounts and cradles to ensure every item is safely supported.

A new display system has been developed, incorporating magnetic mounting in wall cases with steel backboards. Neodymium magnets are either embedded directly into mounts—for oversized items like the Map of Mount Fuji (Japanese 70) and the Borgia World Map (R228832)—or incorporated into custom metal frames, allowing mounted or glazed objects to be slotted in and out with ease, as used for the Gospel of John fragment (Greek P 457).

With sustainability in mind, adhesive-free card cradles are used for displaying bound volumes. Senior Conservators Mark and Elaine developed a range of parametric designs for mountboard cradles using the Library’s box making machine. Individual pieces are precisely cut and folded, they can then be slotted together creating a structure to match and support the opening of each book. An added benefit of these cradles is that they can be broken down, stored flat, and reassembled when needed. New dark grey mountboard was sourced for the Collection Gallery to be unobtrusive and give the impression that the objects are floating.

Many objects are made from environmentally sensitive materials such as parchment, papyri, paper, and pigments. To minimise risk, light levels have been limited to a maximum of 50 lux and each exhibition case has been conditioned using Prosorb cassettes filled with silica gel to maintain a stable relative humidity. This is especially important in a historic building without air conditioning. Temperature and humidity will be continuously monitored to ensure long-term stability. Additionally, all materials used inside the cases—from fabrics to mounts—have passed the Oddy test, ensuring they are chemically safe and will not harm the collections.

Conservation Highlights 

A number of objects required conservation treatment before display, just a few of which are highlighted below: 

• Two of the Library’s Greek papyri—the famous Gospel of John fragment (Greek P 457) and A Brawl in a Bathhouse (Greek P 124) —were reglazed for exhibition. First glazed over 20 years ago, changes in conservation methods and glass technology allowed for improvements to be made. The previous glazing showed white sediment on the inside—likely salt bloom from the papyrus itself being buried and exposed to soil at archaeological sites. The thick historic glass was sealed with leather, and lacked spacers or air exchange. The fragments are now safely housed in conservation-grade glazing. 

• One of the most complex projects has been the conservation of the parchment cut-out Esther scroll (Hebrew MS 54). The scroll is made from multiple materials—parchment, paper, and silk—which led us to take a collaborative approach in stabilizing previous historical repairs while ensuring the scroll remains accessible for both display and research. For more information, please see this previous blog.  

• The Library’s Shakespeare First Folio (Spencer 8123) had sustained damage through years of use. The first section was cleaned, old repairs removed, and tidelines reduced using carefully controlled moisture and heated tools. Tears were repaired with Japanese paper and wheat starch paste, and spine folds reinforced. The section was then resewn after collation analysis. The outer joint and inner hinge were repaired using toned Japanese paper and the outer joint finished with leather wax for added protection. The result is a structurally sound volume, ready for safe exhibition. 

• A detached board on Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (R213675) required a more unusual treatment due to an inaccessible spine. A sewing extension and board attachment technique was adapted in consultation with Graham Patten, book conservator at the Boston Athenaeum. Small holes were burrowed into the existing sewing supports, consolidated with gelatine, and fitted with a new core dowel. This extended the supports and allowed the board to be securely reattached. The leather endcaps were rebuilt, and the frayed French endbands repaired to strengthen the book’s structure. 

• A Batak manuscript (Batak MS 2), or Pustaha—a magic book from North Sumatra—was also treated. Made from folded bark softened with rice water or starch with two wooden covers (one of which is detached) and remnants of a cord once used to carry it, the manuscript had suffered damage from age and handling. Broken bark segments were reattached, and tears reinforced using Japanese paper tabs. A custom cradle was created to support the concertina structure safely during display. 

• Two embroidered textile bindings (R183558.15 and R183558.51), bound in silk and decorated with metal elements, were surface cleaned. Dust and dirt had built up over time, particularly around the intricate metal features. Bespoke tools were created to allow for precise and safe cleaning before the bindings were prepared for display in the Crawford Room. 

All treatments are guided by the principles of minimal intervention, clear documentation, and respect for the materiality and history of each object. The aim is to stabilise these objects for display—carefully balancing preservation and access. After years of training and developing specialised skills, working on objects such as these is both a privilege and a pleasure. We hope you enjoy seeing them in the newly opened exhibition spaces.

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