Renate Mesmer

Professional Training
Renate has a diploma in master bookbinding from the Chamber of Crafts of Palatinate and gained experience in conservation during ten years of work as head of the conservation department at the Speyer State Archives in Germany and numerous internships in Germany and abroad.
From 1998 until 2003, she was Head of the Book and Paper Conservation department at centro del bel libro in Ascona.

Current Postion
Renate Mesmer, is the Head of Conservation and Preservation at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. In 2004, Renate Mesmer joined the Folger Conservation team as Assistant Head of Conservation.
Over the last twenty years she has been actively teaching and presenting on a variety of conservation and bookbinding topics.
- Tips and Tricks in Book and Paper Conservation
- The Use of Bleaching Treatments in Paper Conservation
- The Use of the Suction Table
- The Use of Cast Pulp Paper
- Wax Seals

As well as numerous bookbinding focused classes including:
- Three Conservation Bindings
- Der Edelpappband (German Paper Binding)
- The Girdle Book – A medieval binding,
just to mention a few.

Further information
She chaired the Guild of Bookworkers Potomac Chapter and is now in her second term as president for the International Association of Paper and Book Conservators (IADA) one of the largest international organizations in book and paper conservation which also publishes the Journal of PaperConservation.