# conditioning

> process of placing materials in a special environment to prepare them for long-term storage or for removal from storage

**Wikidata**: [Q116754816](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116754816)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/conditioning

## Summary
Conditioning is the process of placing materials in a special environment to prepare them for long-term storage or for removal from storage. It is a preservation activity used in museum, library, and archival contexts to support the safe handling and management of records or objects.

## Key Facts
- Conditioning is defined as a process of placing materials in a special environment to prepare them for long-term storage or for removal from storage.
- Conditioning is classified as a subclass of **preservation**.
- Preservation is described as a set of activities aimed at prolonging the life of a record or object in the fields of museum, library, and archive.
- Conditioning is also known by the aliases **staging** and **acclimation**.
- A related terminology reference lists “conditioning” with associated terms including **staging** (as a labeled value) and **acclimation**.

## FAQs
### Q: What is conditioning in preservation?
A: Conditioning is the process of placing materials in a special environment to prepare them for long-term storage or for removal from storage. It is treated as a preservation activity in museum, library, and archival work.

### Q: What is conditioning used for?
A: Conditioning is used to prepare materials either for long-term storage or for being taken out of storage. It does this by placing them in a special environment as part of preservation practice.

### Q: Is “staging” the same as conditioning?
A: “Staging” is listed as an alias for conditioning. In this terminology context, it is treated as another name for the same process.

### Q: Is “acclimation” related to conditioning?
A: Yes. “Acclimation” is listed as an alias for conditioning, indicating it is used as an alternate term for the same process.

## Why It Matters
Conditioning matters because it is a defined preservation process used to prepare materials for key transitions: going into long-term storage or being removed from storage. In museums, libraries, and archives, preservation is fundamentally about prolonging the life of records and objects. Conditioning fits into that broader goal by focusing on preparation through placement in a special environment. This makes it relevant at moments when materials are most vulnerable to change—when they are being readied for extended storage or when they are being brought out of storage for use, handling, or movement. By treating conditioning as a preservation activity (rather than an ad hoc step), institutions can describe and categorize this work consistently. The presence of established aliases—“staging” and “acclimation”—also helps users recognize the same concept across different professional vocabularies and terminology sources.

## Notable For
- Specifically defined as preparation **for long-term storage** or **for removal from storage**.
- Distinguished by its method: **placing materials in a special environment**.
- Explicitly categorized as a **preservation** activity within museum, library, and archival domains.
- Commonly referenced under multiple names, including **staging** and **acclimation**.

## Body
### Definition
- Conditioning is the process of placing materials in a special environment.
- The purpose is preparation for:
  - long-term storage, or
  - removal from storage.

### Classification and Context
- Conditioning is a subclass of **preservation**.
- Preservation is described as a set of activities aimed at prolonging the life of a record or object.
- The fields explicitly associated with preservation include:
  - museum
  - library
  - archive

### Terminology and Aliases
- Conditioning has documented aliases:
  - **staging**
  - **acclimation**
- A terminology reference associates “conditioning” with “staging” (as a labeled value) and also lists “acclimation” as an alternate term.

### Scope of Use
- Conditioning is framed as a preparatory step tied to storage workflows:
  - preparing materials to enter long-term storage
  - preparing materials to be taken out of storage
- Its role is defined within preservation practice rather than as a general-purpose term outside that context.