Without conservation and preservation, the treasures and antiques of the collection are at risk of deterioration. Should you desire to leave your legacy within the walls of the Library Society, or honor another – there are ample opportunities for named conservation. Our Conservation Wish List is a regularly updated inventory of items from our Special Collections which have been identified as irreplaceable or rare, essential, and in need of conservation at any given time. Join many other contributors in this special effort to leave a lasting impression on our Special Collections, in perpetuity, with your name and generosity forever attached to the survival of these incredible works. Each year, a new collection of works is chosen from the archives to be adopted and conserved, with a showcase of the newly restored works.
Irreplaceable, Rare, and Essential
The conservation, safeguarding, and preservation of books, maps, and manuscripts of historic and cultural significance are central to our mission and require ongoing support. With such vast collections, our list covers a wide range of topics–from natural history to American history, world exploration to the cultural influences here in Charleston. By nature, these items represent core areas of our collection that reveal our past and help us interpret our world today.
2024 Conserved Items
Below are the 2024 Conservation Wishlist items recently returned from preservation. Each item from our 2024 wishlist was adopted, resulting in eight items from our Special Collections restored and conserved, including: Redoute Lilies, 1807-186, Clinonian Debating Society Minute Book, 1847-51, Louisa Wells Journal, Circa 1800, Juliet Georgiana Elliott Daily Book, 1844-74, Warehouse Lease for CLS, 1765, shown below.
2025 Wishlist
This year, our curated list of works needing conservation features nine works from our vaults, two of which are included in our Rare, Prized, and Valuable publication that showcases our Favorite Fifty from the collection. Each item presents an opportunity to become directly involved in one of the most important and historic, but often hidden, aspects of the Library Society. To learn more about the adoption of one of the below works, please contact our Director of Collections, Lisa Hayes.