From a book on the roots of the United States to a journal written by the matriarch of a family, paper holds the tales that tell the history of our heritage.

However, paper is fragile and must be cared for properly in order to preserve our rich culture.

The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia specializes in the skills that make it possible to save fascinating historical documents and sentimental photographs for generations to come.

Laura Hortz Stanton, executive director of the center, said the conservators and conservation technicians there have repaired and conserved everything from papyrus to modern photographs that have gotten damaged.

"Conservators have a masters degree," Stanton explained. "They go through the same process as a doctor, but for objects."

The brightly-lit lab where the technicians work even looks like a medical facility, and each person handling old books, documents, or photos have the gentle touch and precise movements of a surgeon.

"We describe what we do here as a three-legged stool," Stanton said.

First, to be successful, the conservation technicians must understand science and organic chemistry, and understand how chemicals affect an object, she said.

"Second, they must understand art and art history for the colors, and for knowing how things are made," she said. "And third, the craft. They must have very steady hands."

As a non-profit organization, the Conservation Center works with museums, libraries, archival institutions, historical societies and locations, and families to conserve damaged items and present them in a protective state so as to preserve the item for many more years.

"Conservation isn't restoration," Stanton said. "It isn't going to look like it's brand new. We just stabilize the materials."

On April 7, Book Conservator Rebecca Smyrl was working on a special project for a library in the city.

"The Free Library of Philadelphia is having an exhibit of holy books for the Pope's visit in September," Smyrl said.

Smyrl had three small books - two Bibles and a copy of the Koran.

"This is Robert Louis Stevenson's Bible," she said, indicating a small, black book.

Inside the front cover was a label stating the book did indeed belong to Stevenson.

"We're going to do very minimal work on it, just stabilize it so it won't get any worse," Smyrl said.

While Smyrl made very little changes to the small Bible, Renee Wolcott, a fellow book conservator, was busy practically rebounding a copy of Isaac Newton's "Opticks," which was printed in London in 1704.

"Both covers are detached and it was split through the center of the spine," Wolcott said.

Originally bound with cords and a leather spine cover attached directly to the pages, the aged novel was in desperate need of repair.

"I've put in new support cords, but I'm not going to use leather to cover the spine again," Wolcott said.

Once the front and back covers are reattached, she will use cloth and paper to repair the spine.

"I'll use cotton fabric toned with acrylic paint to create a new spine," Wolcott said.

In the photo department, Jessica Keister, paper and photo conservator, had just finished conserving a carbon print of a cricket team from around 1880.

"There's no silver in this photograph," she said. "It's made of gelatin. The different layers had been expanding and contracting at different rates and cracked the surface."

The photo had come to the Center from an Australian man who is an avid collector of cricket memorabilia.

"I think he's going to be very happy with the finished product," Keister said.

Eastern State Penitentiary recently put a mugshot book from the early 1900s on display in their annual Pop-Up Museum. The book was cleaned and repaired at the Conservation Center.

Barbera Lemmen, senior photo conservator, said cleaning photos involves using brushes, erasers and sponges - all non-abrasive - to remove dirt and mold safely.

"The mold is usually not active and dry, but they work under a hood with a soft brush and a vacuum," Lemmen said. "Water solutions or organic solvents can also be used, depending on the materials."

The Conservation Center also uses digital imaging to make replicas of photos and documents, and has an emergency response team which is dispatched to events such as fires and floods.

"It's great when we are able to help people," Stanton said.

The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts is located at 264 South 23rd Street in Philadelphia.

For more information, call 215-545-0613 or visit www.ccaha.org.

Kelly Roncace may be reached at kroncace@southjerseymedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellylin89. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.