Conservation of documental collections: implementation of a risk management model in archives based on the case study of Portuguese National Archive Torre do Tombo

Abstract

The year of 2006 marked the beginning of an innovative project in the field of archives, related with the assessment and evaluation of environmental and biological risks in the Portuguese National Archive, Torre do Tombo. With a first phase in 2006-2007 related with the assessment of environmental and biological risks, in 2009 began the second phase seeking to establish an overall perspective of all risk involved in the deterioration of documentation. The management model defined for Portuguese National Archive, Torre do Tombo sets benchmarks for institutions with the responsibility in safeguarding archival heritage with historical and cultural value, reflecting the progresses since then, in the preventive conservation area-particularly the integration of risk assessment models in its analysis and decision processes. The articulation of management and conservation concepts, allowed the functional optimization of institutions and a sustained comprehension of the different levels involved in preservation, within an organization.