Volunteers from the Notarial Archives Foundation and the Alfred Mizzi Foundation have teamed up to save centuries-old manuscripts that suffered damage in a storm in 2022.
The manuscripts are in the historic library of the Carmelite Priory in Valletta, which in 2022 suffered severe water damage. The priory was founded in the capital in 1570.
In February, the NAF and its team of volunteers started to carefully remove the books and manuscripts from the shelves, so that the wooden library structure could undergo urgent restoration. Warranted wood conservator Josef Aquilina was entrusted with this job.
Volunteers are meanwhile superficially dusting the books and inscribing them in an inventory.
The books are being placed in archival boxes and temporarily stored in a safe area within the priory.
All work is being carried out under the supervision of the NAF’s warranted book and paper conservators Chanelle Mifsud Briffa and Maria Borg.
The Alfred Mizzi Foundation has committed to sponsoring the preliminary works and surveys for the conservation of the wooden library structure. This will ensure that the structure is saved for posterity in a professional manner.
Whoever would like to become a volunteer can send an email to the Notarial Archives Foundation at volunteers@nafmalta.org
Volunteers meet at the Carmelite Priory on Tuesday mornings.