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Donald "Don" Etherington Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 0265

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the professional and personal papers and materials of conservator and bookbinder Don Etherington. It documents Etherington's extensive career in conservation, instruction, administration, consultation, and fine bookbinding. Project files highlight individual bookbinding and conservation projects, as well as consultations establishing or improving conservation practices in libraries and special collections. Significant projects include the Charters of Freedom, Puerto Rico Consitution, Magna Carta, and work conducted at the University of Texas at Austin at the Harry Ransom Humantities Research Center. A large portion of the collection documents Etherington's administrative work within the bookbinding and conservation professional communities, including developing professional standards and presentations and lectures at conferences and institutions.

Association files also include instructional materials from the Southampton College of Art and the Library of Congress. Correspondence files document personal and professional communication. The collection also contains Etherington's autobiography drafts and materials, clippings, and miscellaneous publications. Also included in the collection are papers, materials, and catalogs related to his wife, bookbinder Monique Lallier.

Materials are primarily textual; other formats include sketches, blueprints, photographs, notebooks, ephemera, and catalogs.

Dates

  • 1950s-2012
  • Majority of material found within 1970s-1990s
  • Other: Date acquired: 2007 March 8

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection in open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical or Historical Information

Donald Etherington (1935- ), known professionally as Don Etherington, was born in England and began his career in bookbinding as an apprentice. He later helped establish instructional programs at the Southampton College of Art. Shortly after his participation in the conservation recovery following the Florence flood of 1966, Etherington moved to the United States and began conservation and training at the Library of Congress. From 1980-1987, Etherington worked for the University of Texas at Austin at the Harry Ransom Humanties Research Center. In 1987, Etherington married bookbinder Monique Lallier and was hired by Information Conservation, Incorporated, in Greensboro, North Carolina to develop a book and paper conservation division; this later became Etherington Conservation Services.

Extent

15.00 Linear Feet (11 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Don Etherington (1935- ), is known internationally for his work in the field of book and paper conservation and bookbinding. The collection contains the personal and professional materials of Etherington's career as conservator, instructor, administrator, consultant, and bookbinder.

Arrangement Note

Collection is arranged in seven series: 1. Project files (alphabetical by subject or corporate name); 2. Associations (alphabetical by corporate name); 3. Conferences/Presentations (alphabetical by subject or corporate name); 4. Correspondence (chronological); 5. Autobiography; 6. Biographical files; 7. Exhibit catalogs (chronological).

Source of Acquisition

Don Etherington

Method of Acquisition

Gift of the author, 2007-2010. Some materials purchased from author's book collection in June 2008

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.

Processing Information

Processed by Anne Belott

Title
Donald (Don) Etherington Papers
Status
Completed
Author
Anne Belott
Date
08/19/2015
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
P.O. Box 26170
320 College Ave.
Greensboro NC 27402-6170 US
336-334-5246