NEW LISTSERV ANNOUNCED -- MATERIALS-L A new listserv called MATERIALS-L has been established at [log in to unmask] The purpose of MATERIALS-L is to (1) facilitate discussion about the use, reliability and application of current methods for testing the suitability of materials for use in storage, exhibition and conservation of archival, artistic and historic works, and (2) to facilitate cooperative research into more reliable, quantitative and systematic approaches to materials testing. MATERIALS-L will be of interest to persons who are responsible for the care and preservation of archival, artistic and historic works, and is directly accessible to persons who are actively involved in materials testing (e.g., conservation scientists, conservators, collection managers, etc.). For the broader conservation/museum community, discussion on MATERIALS-L will be periodically edited and bundled for distribution via the CONSERVATION DISTLIST, and will be archived at CONSERVATION ON-LINE (CoOL, http://palimpsest.stanford.edu). To subscribe to the CONSERVATION DISTLIST, send the message "subscribe consdist" to consdist- [log in to unmask] Persons who are actively involved in materials testing and would like to subscribe to MATERIALS-L may do so by providing the information included in the following example (e-mail to [log in to unmask]): NAME: James Martin E-MAIL ADDRESS: [log in to unmask] TITLE (OR JOB): Director of Analytical Services and Research/Associate Conservator of Paintings POSTAL ADDRESS: Williamstown Art Conservation Center, 225 South Street, Williamstown, MA, USA PHONE: 413-458-5741 FAX: 413-458-2314 TESTING METHODS: Oddy, Hopwood, Beilstein, sodium-azide, extraction, PLM, FM, FT-IR, SEM-EDS RESEARCH AREAS: Artists' materials and techniques, Materials characterization, Applications of analysis to practical conservation REASON FOR SUBSCRIBING TO MATERIALS-L: Concerns over the reliability and application of current methods of materials testing; Desire to facilitate discussion of these issues and a develop more reliable and quantitative methods for materials testing. MATERIALS-L is co-owned by Williams College and James Martin. Questions and comments about MATERIALS-L should be addressed to [log in to unmask]