The Alfred Mizzi Foundation has become synonymous with important manuscript conservation projects that are presently ongoing at the Notarial Archives, St Christopher Street, Valletta. By means of a very generous contribution of €50,000, donated through the 'Adopt a Notary' scheme in 2015, The Alfred Mizzi Foundation is helping the Notarial Archives Resource Council (NARC) in its mission to preserve the nation's paper heritage for future generations. These conservation projects are being supported by the Office of the Notary to Government. The 'orphan' adopted by The Alfred Mizzi Foundation is Notary Bartholomeo Selvagij de Via whose acts, contained in 53 manuscript volumes, date from 1531 to 1551.

Dr Joan Abela, President of the NARC,  tells us of the importance of this collaboration with the private sector to ensure that future generations of researchers benefit from the preservation of these historical legal records.  She adds that Notary Bartholomeo Selvagij de Via was the Sovereign Military Order's notary while the Knights were still in Rhodes. After their expulsion from Rhodes he followed the Knights until they eventually settled in Malta in 1530. Notary Selvagij de Via's acts shed precious light on the first decades of the Knights' stay in Birgu, which at that time had become the new city of Malta and a flourishing and busy harbour town. Documentation of this particular period of Maltese history is rare and these acts reveal daily activities and occurrences in Birgu. For this reason, the conservation of these exceptional manuscripts is of greatest priority.

All conservation work is being executed by a highly qualified team under the supervision of book and paper conservator Dr Theresa Zammit Lupi. Until now, the conservation of ten notarial volumes has been completed. In her enlightening presentation to the board of The Alfred Mizzi Foundation, Dr Theresa Zammit Lupi explained the various interventions of the conservation treatment, which included paper repairs and consolidation of ink-corroded leaves. Following international conservation practice, some of the volumes are being given a new parchment cover to replace the rebinding which had been carried out in the early 20th century and that is causing damage due to its high acidic content. Such practices reflect the NARC's high standards of work ethic.