This book presents the proceedings of the “CoMa 2013: Safeguarding Image Collections” international conference held in Brussels, on 31 October 2013, and offers the reader not only a wide variety of subjects relating to the preservation of image collections, but also an overview of the different professions and practices involved in the preservation of photographic heritage.

The proceedings contain some practical examples illustrating how CEN regulations and generally accepted standards can be translated into daily management. Moreover, they transcend a purely scientific debate by also questioning the value and meaning of image collections, and by offering a base for anyone dealing with photographs to think about their long-term preservation.

Divided into four sections, the proceedings provide the reader with an overview of:

1) Theoretical questions relating to the meaning, value and impact of photographic collections;

2) Some examples of collection management practices, storage and exhibition of photographs;

3) Results of scientific research concerning the stability of photographic supports and their conservation treatments;

4) Digitization practices of image collections and new tools to assign content and value to historical photographs.

In addition to traditional conference papers, the book also includes essays on the future of photographic collections, written by established restorers and art historians.