January 15, 2009

Historian Theresa Vann heads up the Malta Study Center at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML) at St. John's Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota. This division of the library has been cataloging and preserving archives that include accounts of the Knights of Malta dating back to the 12th century.

Here she demonstrates how crude repairs and bookworms tunneling through fleshy parchment are some of the worst enemies to preserving culture history.

If you'd like to hear more about projects like these at HMML, listen to our podcast with Fr. Columba and Getatchew Haile in "Preserving Words and Worlds" at speakingoffaith.org/programs/2009/preserving-words/.