Conservation Bindings – Bound for the Future: A Fresh Look at Medieval Manuscript Preservation in France – Survey Results

Over the last few decades, the approach to manuscripts conservation has evolved considerably with refined deontology, more appropriate techniques, greater physical and chemical knowledge of materials, and better control of book mechanics. Started in 2022, the R-CODEX project (‘Reliures de Conservation et Démarche Expérimentale – Conservation Bindings and Experimental Approach’) consists of French conservators from the Department of Ancient Manuscripts and Books of the Bibliothèque Interuniversitaire de la Sorbonne in Paris and the Service de coopération documentaire interuniversitaire de Montpellier. It combines bibliographical analysis with mechanical tests. The aim is to develop a better understanding of the technical and mechanical properties of binding structures to find solutions that are both technically relevant and in keeping with the ethical principles of conservation. The team project has set up an international survey to get a better understanding of the choices made by the libraries, archives, and museums that preserve these very special heritage collections, focusing on the rebinding of Western medieval books. Our purpose is to take a step back from current practices to understand how the conservation binding of medieval manuscripts is approached in 2025 in France.