The Logan Legacy Fund is an initiative to preserve Canada's historical geoscience books, maps and photographs by raising money from the private sector. The fund was established in 1992, the year of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). Such an important anniversary inevitably included reminiscences and an increased focus on the corporate memory. It seemed appropriate at that time, to take special measures to preserve some of the early works of the Survey, many of which were housed in the Book and Map Archives (BMA) of the Earth Sciences Information Centre (ESIC), (formerly the Geological Survey of Canada Library).

A survey of the holdings of the BMA was completed earlier in 1992. It revealed a collection of books of considerable interest and value for geological research, many of which are uniquely held in Canada. The Logan Collection itself consists of more than eighty pamphlets, manuscripts and bound maps, which, along with Logan's collection of professional journals, became the initial library collection of the GSC. Also of special note are the more than six hundred journals and accounts of the early exploration of North America, which provide some of the first observations of the geology of the continent. As well, there are more than two hundred monographs relating to the early development of the science of geology, through which the development of geological thought and theories can be traced. It was estimated that the cost to preserve these three collections would be in excess of $900,000, a figure well beyond the normal budgetary allocations for the library.

Initial discussions took place between Dr. Charles Smith, the coordinator of the 150th anniversary celebrations and Dr. Hugh Morris, the treasurer of the Canadian Geological Foundation (CGF). The Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to the development of the geosciences in Canada. A proposal was developed which included the background information relating to the collections. It outlined the purpose of the Fund as well as a proposed time frame. It was decided to focus initially on the Logan Collection and it was estimated that conservation of these works could be accomplished over a period of five years at an estimated cost of $70,000. The proposal was accepted in May 1992. During this period, discussions were also taking place between Dr. Smith and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), which had indicated an interest in supporting the Fund. During the opening ceremony of the AAPG convention, held in Calgary on June 21, 1992, the Association announced that it would donate $5,000 in seed money to the Fund. The Fund being established, promotion efforts began and the 1992/1993 fund-raising campaign was launched. It should be noted that the Fund itself, is managed by the CGF and its accounting firm which is responsible for the donations and disbursements. The conservation activities are managed by the ESIC, which submits a formal request for the release of funds as required.

Figure 1. Funds raised June 1992 - October, 1998

Initial interest in the Fund was strong and the fund-raising met with success during the early years. However, in 1995, the momentum began to wane and donations leveled to around $10,000 in this and the following year. A generous donation of $27,600 by the organizing committee of the Ottawa '97 Geological Association of Canada/Mineralogical Association of Canada Conference, in March 1998 provided a significant boost to the Fund.

The conservation activities to date have focused largely on the Logan Collection. Over the years, considerable damage has been sustained to this collection, owing to improper storage conditions as well as general wear and tear. For years, the collection has been subject to fluctuations in temperature and humidity as well as to the negative effects of atmospheric pollution. Many of these books were leather bound, and gradually the leather has dried out, causing it to flake. A large part of the conservation of this collection was carried out by Hubert Leurs who painstakingly dismantled, cleaned, re-stitched and rebound many of the books. In 1996, the services of the company, Preservation Services, were secured to participate in the book conservation and a paper conservator carefully cleaned and restored manuscript material. Deacidification of the Logan Collection was carried out by the National Library of Canada in its mass deacidification facilities using magnesium methyl carbonate in a non-aqueous process.

Work has begun on the restoration of the early paleontology journal Palaeontographica. Scattered issues and supplements had been left unbound and others had fallen into disrepair. Before treatment began, the complete holdings were microfilmed and a copy of the microfiche was sent out to GSC researchers in Vancouver, thus increasing access to this valuable resource. It is expected that the rebinding will be completed in 1999.

Conservation treatment is time consuming and expensive. In 1997 it was decided that, as well as sending out works from the Logan Collection for complex treatment, measures should be taken to improve the general condition of a greater part of the archival collection. To this end, a conservator was engaged to systematically assess items and to perform basic cleaning and repair work. Enclosures are being created for fragile material and oversize maps are being encapsulated as required. At the same time, treatment proposals are prepared for those books needing extensive repair. In order to assist the ESIC in setting priorities for conservation projects, monetary appraisals as well as assessments of the scientific merit of the collections are ongoing.

Figure 2. Disbursements January 1993 - October 1998

In the early years a single conservator was working on the collection, and between 1993 and 1995, approximately $10,000 was spent. From 1996 onwards, steady progress was made, as additional conservators were engaged and the reconditioning program begun. To date, approximately $47,000 has been spent on conservation activities.

The generosity of our donors and the fine conservation work undertaken have been gratifying. This unique initiative has been strongly supported by the local geoscience community as well as by individuals from across Canada. The initial goal of preserving the Logan Collection has been achieved. There are still many more early books, journals, photographs and maps in need of treatment. Much remains to be done, but we are confident that with careful planning and the ongoing support of our donors, the Logan Legacy will continue.