As part of its commitment to advance professional conservation practice and to inform professionals and the public on the work of the Institute—and on issues related to conservation—the Getty Conservation Institute engages in a variety of programs related to research resources, scholars, and dissemination.

	A portion of the Information Center's collection. Staff assist members of the conservation community by providing access to reference materials and conservation literature in the Getty collection, which includes about 37,000 volumes and 750 periodical subscriptions. Photo: Dennis Keeley.

Information Resources

In support of the GCI's mission of service to the field of conservation, the Communications and Information Resources group facilitates the management and dissemination of conservation information resources and services to the staff of the GCI and the Getty, and to the international conservation community.

	The GCI Information Center. Information Center staff provide document delivery and research support for Institute projects. Once a project is completed, project materials are catalogued to allow future researchers access to this information. Photo: Dennis Keeley.

Among the group's activities is the GCI Information Center, which assists Getty staff and the conservation community by providing access to reference materials and to conservation literature in the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute (which focuses on the history of art, architecture, and archaeology, with relevant materials in the humanities and social sciences). At present, the conservation holdings of the Research Library consist of approximately 37,000 volumes and over 750 periodical subscriptions—as well as over 10,000 off-prints and ephemeral publications—offering a comprehensive selection of literature in many areas of conservation and preservation. The Information Center staff provides document delivery, as well as research support for Institute projects. In addition, materials from GCI projects are catalogued so that they may be available to researchers in the future.

	Home page of AATA Online: Abstracts of International Conservation Literature. This Web-based database offers free access to over 100,000 abstracts on the preservation and conservation of material cultural heritage.

As a critical service to the conservation field, the GCI—in association with The International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC)—compiles, edits, and maintains AATA Online: Abstracts of International Conservation Literature (previously published as Art and Archaeology Technical Abstracts). This comprehensive, international electronic database for the conservation field, provided free of charge on the Web, contains all the reference information produced by the publication since the late 1940s. The production of AATA Online is made possible by an international network of volunteer abstractors who survey the conservation literature and provide abstracts of relevant journal articles, books, patents, technical reports, theses, and audiovisual resources. The database can be accessed at www.aata.getty.edu.

The GCI promotes opportunities for mid-career and senior professionals to pursue research that will advance thinking in the field through its Conservation Guest Scholar Program. This residential program allows senior professionals to utilize the resources of the Getty to engage in independent research for periods ranging from three to nine months. The Institute also hosts graduate interns, selected every year by individual GCI departments. Information and applications for these programs are available on the Web.

	A GCI scientist and a GCI Conservation Guest Scholar using infrared spectroscopy to detect changes in the chemical composition of modern artists' paints. The Guest Scholar Program provides opportunities for professionals to pursue research that will advance the conservation field. In this instance, the scholar is utilizing the GCI's expertise in analytical technologies, which provide comprehensive information regarding works of art and their condition. Photo: Marcelo Coehlo.

Communications

The Institute communicates its work through a variety of means, including Conservation, which is distributed free of charge to professionals in conservation and related fields and to members of the public concerned about conservation. Conservation—also published electronically—regularly reports on Institute projects and informs the GCI's constituency of general issues related to conservation. Extensive information on activities of the Institute can also be found on this Web site. The site includes, among other things, descriptions of current and past projects; general overviews of the GCI's work in the lab, in education, and in the field; and access to free electronic publications of the Institute.

	Editions of Conservation. Published three times a year, the newsletter informs readers of general issues related to conservation and regularly reports on Institute projects. It is available free of charge in print or on the Web. Photo: Dennis Keeley.

A major part of GCI dissemination is the publishing of a broad range of books on conservation subjects. Book publications (which can be ordered online) include technical works on conservation science research, symposium proceedings, readings in conservation, and a series on conservation and cultural heritage.

	A selection of GCI books. As part of its service to the conservation profession, the GCI publishes a number of books on conservation subjects, including technical works on conservation science research and symposium proceedings. Photo: Dennis Keeley.

For the general public, the GCI organizes regular evening lectures at the Getty Center as part of its series "Conservation Matters."