39th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia (2011)

This meeting examined how ethics, logic, and perception guide conservation decisions. Assumptions long held in the practice of conservation are being challenged by the modern world. Environmental sustainability, economic drivers, art as entertainment, the use of cultural heritage, and public access concerns changing the practice of conservation.  Do the core values of conservation still hold?  We will examine existing assumptions about the way conservation decisions are made and the changing environment in which these decisions are taken today.  For example, do the core values of conservation still guide conservators presented with the challenges of preserving new media?  Does the increasing trend in collecting institutions towards outsourcing conservation services affect the long term preservation of cultural heritage? What is the impact of these changes on conservation education today?