Sue Donovan, Book and Paper Conservator
Photo by Tom Daly
Sue Donovan is a book and paper conservator based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She studied conservation in Paris, France, and has held internships at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria, Iowa State University, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Her fellowships include a Mellon Fellowship at the Balboa Art Conservation Center and a Kress Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame. She has worked as a book conservator at the University of Virginia since 2016. Sue’s interests include caoutchouc bindings from the mid-19th century, and her essay on the history and conservation of these bindings appears in Suave Mechanicals vol. 8 published by The Legacy Press. Sue is dedicated to serving the community and preserving her clients’ family and local history.
Sue has directed the salvage of the paper-based items of multiple cornerstone boxes, such as the box underneath the “At Ready” statue in front of the Albemarle County Courthouse in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the boxes unearthed from the Lee Monument in Richmond, Virginia. While preserving such harmful history is difficult, it is important to document and preserve so that no one forgets what happened.
Sue is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and is a member of the Virginia Conservation Association (VCA), the Southeastern Regional Conservation Association (SERCA), and the Guild of Bookworkers.