New Books in Communications Abigail Bainbridge, "Conservation of Books" (Routledge, 2023)
Dec 28, 2025
Abigail Bainbridge, a leading book conservator and director of Bainbridge Conservation, teams up with Sonja Schwolle, an expert in archival binding and head of treatment development at The National Archives UK. They dive into their comprehensive work, Conservation of Books, discussing global book structures and the ethics of conservation. Key topics include the significance of decision-making processes, the balance between preventive care and practical conservation, and the concept of the 'social book,' advocating for preserving items for their intended use.
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How Abigail Found Book Conservation
- Abigail Bainbridge discovered book conservation after studying printmaking and meeting a conservator during undergrad.
- She tested the field at Columbia University before pursuing an MA at West Dean, where she later met Sonja Schwolle.
Sonja’s Path From Art History To Archives
- Sonja Schwolle moved from Germany to England after studying art history and working with books to train in conservation.
- She ran a private studio, worked in the U.S., and now leads conservation treatment development at The National Archives UK.
Project Idea Came From A Review
- Abigail conceived Conservation of Books after suggesting the idea to Routledge while reviewing another proposal.
- She realized the project had to be large to cover diverse global book structures and practices.