This collection of essays brings to focus a moment in the evolution of the complex decision making processes required when conservators consider the treatment of cultural heritage materials. The papers presented here are drawn from two consecutive years of presentations at the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) Annual Meeting General Sessions. These were, in 2010, The Conservation Continuum: Examining the Past, Envisioning the Future, and in 2011, Ethos Logos Pathos: Ethical Principles and Critical Thinking in Conservation.

Within this book, you'll find these thought-provoking chapters: Conservation in the 21st Century: Will a 20th Century Code of Ethics Suffice? Barbara Appelbaum -- Legacies from the Past: Previous Repairs, Deborah Bede --To Treat or Not to Treat: Decision-making in Preparing Archives for Digitization, Gabriëlle Beentjes -- Resuscitating Bamiyan's Buddhas? A Dispatch from Dresden, Two Lessons Learned, James Janowski -- Objects of Trauma, Finding the Balance, Jane E. Klinger -- On Time and the Modalities of Conservation, Frank Matero -- The Frankenstein Syndrome, Salvador Muñoz Viñas -- Restoration Ethics, Cleaning, and Perception: Case Studies from the Dutch Government Collection, W. Wei, Z. Benders, and E. Domela Nieuwenhuis -- Book Review: Conservation Takes a Reflective Turn George Wheeler, introduction by Nancie Ravenel.