TAS explains Heritage Volunteering as follows:
Conservation and preservation of our heritage are tremendous burdens on the limited resources of museums, National Trust properties, historic houses, libraries and gardens. Volunteers help them in non-specialist but vital ways by caring for collections, recording documents, guiding and stewarding.
The work of conserving the 17th, 18th and 19th century books at the Institute of Naval Medicine continues on the fourth Thursday of the month.
A few more volunteers would be welcome. Training will be provided.
Book Conservers
This volunteer group, currently led by Jackie Wyatt, was established in 1986 and recently numbered 14 members.
After training in conservation techniques by Caroline Bendix, Advisor in Book Conservation to TAS, and with close supervision, this group meets on the 4th Thursday of each month to clean and repair books in the Historic Collections Library at The Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke. The Library, originally housed at The Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, now includes the historic collections from the Royal Naval Hospitals at Plymouth and Chatham.
As well as books of medical interest with detailed anatomical drawings, the Historic Collection includes books with beautiful illustrations of flowers and birds.
The Collection is only open to the public on special occasions such as the Annual Heritage Open Days held in September.