For any library, archive, or historical society committed to getting materials back into circulation as quickly as possible, this reference offers a one-stop solution. From the issues relevant to directors to hands-on instructions for technicians, it's an excellent reference for the entire library.

Memory institutions such as libraries, archives, galleries and museums all share pressing concerns about preserving heritage, whether in the form of material and documentary cultural artefacts in collections, or in the form of new digitally born material. Recent incidents of natural disaster and cultural genocide, together with the global turn to digitization, have forced librarians, archivists and curators to rethink and restructure their primary modes of operation. Preservation management now sits at the top of the agenda for heritage institutions around the world, as collection development policies and practices are negotiated between libraries, museums, archives, funding agencies and governments. Historically separate cultural institutions are now converging to share limited resources, develop compatible ideologies and co-ordinate distributed collections. This forward-looking collection charts the diversity of preservation management in the contemporary information landscape, and offers guidance on preservation methods for the sustainability of collections from a range of international experts. The authors are connected to a wide international network of professional associations and NGOs, and have been selected not only for their specific expertise, but for the contribution they are making to the future of preservation management. The chapters cover: managing the documentary heritage: issues for the present and future preservation policy and planning intangible heritage: museums and preservation surrogacy and the artefact moving with the times in search of permanence a valuation model for paper conservation research preservation of audiovisual media: traditional to interactive formats challenges of managing the digitally born artefact preserving cultural heritage in times of conflict access and the social contract in memory institutions redefining 'the collection' in the 21st century. Readership: There is urgent need for heritage management initiatives and robust disaster planning that will safeguard our cultural heritage and recognize the right of the end-user to ownership of it. This is an informed and essential guide to managing collection and preservation strategies for anyone working in the library, archive, museum or broader cultural heritage sectors.

Preservation: Issues and Planning provides a definitive and authoritative analysis of how to plan for and ensure the long-term health of an institution's collection in this digital age.

Much has happened in libraries and information in the last ten years and preservation and conservation issues have developed accordingly. The authors carried out a survey of around 500 British libraries to study preservation management practices over that period and the results of this questionnaire are the basis of this book. In analysing the responses it was clear that the fundamental issues about the access to and use of books were being addressed; preservation and retention of materials and media being the foundation of access. Having put the research into its historical context, the book moves on to the findings about management attitudes and practices. Policy issues are considered, and some of the national and international prescriptive policy documents issued by professional organizations are compared with those from the British libraries. The differences between the two form the basis of suggestions about how individual libraries might develop preservation policies and also what national policies could be considered. This is a book that will enable all librarians from all sectors to understand the importance and nature of preservation policies and to begin to create or improve their own.

This new edition of Digital Preservation in Libraries, Archives, and Museums is the most current, complete guide to digital preservation available today. For administrators and practitioners alike, the information in this book is presented readably, focusing on management issues and best practices. Although this book addresses technology, it is not solely focused on technology. After all, technology changes and digital preservation is aimed for the long term. This is not a how-to book giving step-by-step processes for certain materials in a given kind of system. Instead, it addresses a broad group of resources that could be housed in any number of digital preservation systems. Finally, this book is about “things (not technology; not how-to; not theory) I wish I knew before I got started.” Digital preservation is concerned with the life cycle of the digital object in a robust and all-inclusive way. Many Europeans and some North Americans may refer to digital curation to mean the same thing, taking digital preservation to be the very limited steps and processes needed to insure access over the long term. The authors take digital preservation in the broadest sense of the term: looking at all aspects of curating and preserving digital content for long term access. The book is divided into four part: 1.Situating Digital Preservation, 2.Management Aspects, 3.Technology Aspects, and 4.Content-Related Aspects. Digital Preservation will answer questions that you might not have even known you had, leading to more successful digital preservation initiatives.

Preservation involves a complex of activities including climate, air-quality, and surface control, as well as microbiological control, which is a key part of preserving and protecting library collections. The Preservation and Protection of Library Collections examines microbiological control for preservation of library and archival collections. A supporting tool for conservators, this title should be integrated into conservation and preservation policy. The book comprises nine sections that cover three aspects: microbiology, surveying, and the response required. Chapters in this title cover the nature of the library collections, physical and chemicals factors and their impact on microbiological issues, as well as biological factors and methods of microbiological control of the air and objects. Later chapters examine methods of object disinfection, disaster response, methods of microbiological control and evaluation of collections, and includes a vocabulary guide, appendices, literature information and references. - Gives an overview of basic biological and environmental facts and their implications for library collections - Informed by practical experience in the library situation - Provides guidelines, requirements, procedures, workflow charts, regulations, and case studies

Designed as a “how-to” manual, Practical Preservation and Conservation Strategies for Libraries provides librarians with practical information to help them grapple with specific preservation challenges by identifying areas of concern, optimizing the use of resources put towards preservation, and establishing goals for continual improvement over time. Straightforward and pragmatic, it helps a library to reduce immediate and long-term preservation costs, and strengthen a library’s collection development goals. Topics include: Preservation in the digital age Establishing long-term preservation goals Environmental conditions Preservation needs of specific collections Understanding use patterns for library materials Identifying potential threats to a collection Recognizing readily available preservation resources Almost 50 photographs, figures, checklists, and other tools make this a practical guide libraries will use on a day-to-day basis.

A brand new and fully updated edition of this seminal work on archival preservation. Access to archival material – the documentary heritage of people all over the world that gives them their identity and ensures their rights – is dependent on the survival of fragile materials: paper, parchment, photographic materials, audiovisual materials and, most recently, magnetic, optical and increasingly digital formats. The primary importance of such survival is widely acknowledged but sometimes overlooked in a rush to provide ever better means of access. But without the basic material, no services can be offered. Preservation is at the heart of archival activity. Archivists in all types of organizations face questions on how to plan a preservation strategy in less than perfect circumstances, or deal with a sudden emergency. This book considers the causes of threats to the basic material, outlines the preservation options available and offers flexible solutions applicable in a variety of situations. It offers a wide range of case studies and examples from international specialists. This revised edition includes additional material on digital preservation and green building as well as a new chapter on the management and training of volunteers, reflecting a key concern for many archival institutions. Key topics are: • Understanding archival materials and their characteristics • Managing digital preservation • Archive buildings and their characteristics • Safeguarding the building and its contents • Managing archival storage • Managing risks and avoiding disaster • Creating and using surrogates • Exhibiting archives • Handling the records • Managing a pest control programme • Training and the use of volunteers • Putting preservation into practice. Readership: Archivists, librarians, curators and enthusiasts, trained and untrained, in museums, local studies centres and voluntary societies in need of good clear advice.