Tim's job as a conservator often involves him in painstaking work repairing documents. He deals with a wide range of materials including photographs, prints and drawings. The job of the conservator is not to make something like new, but to make sure it is strong so people can see it and use it. The marks, stains and tears in a document are part of its history and tell their own story.

Liz is a Senior Conservator. Her work involves ensuring that the work undertaken in the studio runs smoothly and safely. She is also involved in assessing damaged items, deciding whether to remove them from public access to avoid further damage. She decides what kind of treatments the documents need and estimates how long that will take.

Liz raises awareness about the need to care for documents and offers training courses for staff and members of the public, demonstrating the best way to handle and store fragile documents.