Teper and Alstrom developed this publication after their professional experiences led them to recognize a void in the relevant literature. The authors, who each direct conservation departments in academic libraries, had become frustrated with the lack of research available to support their individual efforts to design conservation laboratories. In an attempt to fill this information need, they compiled and edited a series of chapters by conservators and preservation administrators who offer their insights and experiences related to the design of new conservation laboratories and renovations of existing spaces. Although the contributors are experts in the field, the editors recognize in their introduction that the design of conservation laboratories is often highly subjective, and therefore the opinions presented can vary even within the small selection of chapters chosen for this publication.

Some chapters are broad in scope, discussing administrative issues related to project management, budgets, and scheduling, while other chapters focus on more specific technical features related to conservation laboratories, such as water purification and quarantine areas. Important distinctions are made in the differences between a space intended to serve as a bindery and one that is to be a conservation laboratory, or even more specifically, book conservation labs versus paper conservation labs, and the varying needs of each. In addition to the lab spaces themselves, there is discussion of office space and dedicated areas for eating and drinking.

The chapter authors include a variety of interesting details, even for individuals who may have some experience with preservation and conservation functions within the library. For example, Alstrom suggests the use of treatment sinks that are clear on three sides, to facilitate effective and safe teamwork when washing materials. He also recommends the placement of freezers outside of the lab to allow access for other library staff members who may discover wet or moldy materials beyond the hours that the lab is open. This recommendation that raises some security concerns, since it can be challenging to ensure that the freezer is available to all staff members who might need it, while not to individuals who could compromise the protection of the materials. Nonetheless, this recommendation illustrates the need to think creatively and contemplate a wide range of considerations when planning the location of laboratory resources.

The text of several chapters is supplemented and enhanced by photographs, diagrams, and tables. The visual aspects of the book help clarify many of the descriptions provided in the chapters, and the illustrations can serve as helpful guidelines for the would-be laboratory designer. There are some typographical errors throughout the book, both in the text and the illustrations (e.g., figure 2.1,21), but most are not obtrusive enough to be particularly jarring.

The most pervasive themes throughout the chapters are the need for flexibility, accessibility, organization and security in laboratory design, and the importance of planning for future growth. Design considerations are not limited to the health and well-being, so to speak, of the prospective collection materials that are likely to pass through these spaces. In addition to ensuring that the laboratory is equipped to properly handle and care for a wide variety of collections, other design elements focus on how laboratory design can affect and should account for the physical needs of staff members. This includes varying light levels to accommodate individuals of different ages and potentially varying visual abilities, as well as ergonomic considerations for all those who will be working in the lab (69,134–135).

In addition to compiling and editing the text, Teper and Alstrom each contribute one of the eleven chapters in the book, and Teper contributes four of the seven appendixes. Alongside Teper’s four appendixes, the other three are written by conservation professionals who also contribute chapters to the body of the work. Overall, the appendixes range from general glossaries of conservation and lighting terminology to highly specialized procedures and equipment specifications.

Although the content of the book is thorough and effective in its exploration of the topic, it is also rather specific in scope. This high level of specificity means that it functions much better as a reference for those individuals with a targeted interest in the subject matter, rather than as a broad-based general-interest book. That being said, it should not be presumed that understanding the content requires a substantial background or training in conservation. In addition to its usefulness as a resource for those who do have conservation training, the clarity of writing, lack of jargon, and the visual components make the book accessible to a much broader audience. In this way, anyone tasked with a conservation laboratory construction or renovation project, regardless of their previous experience in this area, will benefit from consulting Teper and Alstrom’s work.