Conservation

The Institute promotes restoration projects on its heritage, which is conserved in climate-controlled storerooms and conditioned in standardised envelopes and boxes. Photographs are inventoried and catalogued according to  ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) regulations for F cards using the SIRBeCweb platform of Regione Lombardia. Digital acquisitions of the relevant photographs in compliance with ICCD standards are attached to the F files. The numerous internships activated through agreements with schools and universities (including the University of Milan and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) and the Universal Civil Service projects contribute to the above-mentioned activities.

Adding Value

The study and research connected to the conservation of the library's heritage, find a natural outlet in the outreach projects that have the purpose of disseminating knowledge about the collection and about photographic culture, while promoting debate on historic topics and contemporary discourse on the arts and visual culture. Temporary exhibitions, publications, conferences, meetings and conversations with historians, scholars, photographers and cultural operators, which the Institute also organises in collaboration with universities, research organisations and centres, associations and museums, all point in this direction.

Acquisitions and Storage

The Archive pursues  an  acquisitions policy (gifts and purchases) that aims to increase both its historical and contemporary collections. The acquisitions include the Gianni Berengo Gardin, Lamberto Vitali Fotografo, Wilhelm von Gloeden, Francesco Radino, Mario Cresci, Roberto Crippa, Ugo Zovetti, Ex Fabrica project, Cesare Colombo, Archivio Ballo & Ballo (Aldo Ballo and Marirosa Toscani Ballo), and Archivio Federico Arborio Mella. Since April 2008, the Institute has held the Archive of photographer Paolo Monti, owned by the BEIC Foundation, and, since 2016, the Archive of Carla Cerati, owned by her heirs.