Caroline Bendix ACR

Find a conservator

14 Apr 2025

I work on printed books dating from C15 to C21 within the UK and further afield and provide the following services:

Preservation audits, surveys and reports on library and book collections, including their environment storage, handling, use, salvage and display.
Preparation and implementation of conservation management plans for the long-term maintenance, conservation and use of book and library collections.
Training librarians and curators in library preservation awareness and any of the above.
Courses on cleaning and damage assessment for West Dean college at the British Library.
Teaching book conservation students at City and Guilds.
Programmes of in-situ conservation and stabilisation.
Full conservation surveys of books.
Pre-digitisation surveys.
Training of volunteers to carry out in-situ conservation and conditions surveys.
Online refresher training.
Advice on packing and moving libraries and the implementation thereof.
Supply of conservators trained by self to carry out in-situ conservation.
Advice on the exhibition and display of books on and off site.
Lectures on all aspects of library conservation to a wide range of clients in person and online; I am an accredited Arts Society lecturer.

Surveys

I provide a range of survey options;

Overview, comprising a few days on site to understand the use, condition and conservation needs of the whole collection to enable planning.
400-item, as per the British Library model, comprising 400 items, numerically randomly selected and assessed in detail to provide a 95% +/- 5% accuracy for the whole collection.
Book-by-book, comprising a detailed inspection of all or a selection of books, e.g. for digitisation or when detailed costs may need to be evaluated.
Each survey is tailored to the needs of my clients and the resulting report provides thorough, practical, pragmatic advice.

Conservation and collection care planning

My surveys provide the necessary detail to create prioritised plans for the long-term care of the book and library collections. Working within funding constraints, the plans provide a clear framework based on the findings of the survey, so are precisely tailored to each library’s needs.
Consultancy on a short- or long-term basis offered with my unequalled experience to draw on, having worked on over 500 book and library collections.

I have trained an estimated 7,000 - 8,000 volunteers, librarians, curators, archivists and conservators to understand and implement library conservation methodologies, whether preventive conservation, cleaning, stabilising repairs or the making of protective enclosures and book supports (bookshoes).

The training is accompanied by a manual of detailed instruction sheets, tailored to each library.

Lecturing

I am accredited through The Arts Society and lecture across the UK on bookbinding history and library conservation.

Caroline Bendix – Conservation in action and visitor engagement

Caroline demonstrating conservation techniques to children visiting the National Trust’s Charlecote Park in Warwickshire. Communicating conservation of books is one of Caroline’s passions, and her work, always taking place in situ, provides many opportunities to communicate with people of all ages and interests.

Caroline Bendix carrying out a condition survey of books

Caroline has carried out hundreds of surveys in many different buildings with a range of working conditions. At the National Trust’s Sissinghurst Castle the internal inside was 4° C but with plenty of warm clothing and rugs, Caroline spent two weeks, as planned, surveying this important collection.

Caroline Bendix packing up the library at St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai

Caroline planned and project managed an international team of conservators, to cleaning and pack the internationally-acclaimed library at St. Catherine’s Monastery. Local conditions meant that planning had to be flexible, for example as books were crated, the space for packing surfaces disappeared and crates were used for that purpose instead.

Client testimonials

Having previously worked with Caroline Bendix at the National Trust and at the British Library, when I needed nearly 25,000 rare books surveyed and stabilised in situ for a once-in-a-lifetime library book move, it was a no-brainer to contact Caroline. Caroline’s and Ruth Steven’s repairs resulted in a much quicker book decant, with fewer books needing individual wrapping and stabilisation. Caroline was wonderful to work with and made a real difference to our project.

Hannah Robertson
Oriel College Oxford / Librarian

Caroline’s lecture on a history of Western book-binding had her non-expert audience spellbound. Her encyclopaedic subject knowledge, her easy-to-listen-to style and the glorious illustrations meant that everyone connected with bookbinding in a way we didn’t think was possible. Her ability to illustrate an overview of centuries with a careful selection of detail made for a perfectly-balanced lecture and it is hard to imagine anyone better equipped to entertain by education on this subject.

Stephen Taylor
Lansdowne Club Arts Group / Chair

We were very pleased with the pre-digitisation survey that Caroline carried out for us. Work was carried out on schedule and presented in a format that was rich in detail but also summarised key data clearly and succinctly. Communication was good, Caroline being resourceful in seeking answers to questions from our wider team and following up with conversations with us as necessary. I wouldn't hesitate to commission work from Caroline again.

Louisa Coles
University of Glasgow, Department of Archives and Special Collections / Head of Conservation and Preservation

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