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59-501: The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) was founded in 1973. It is the first non-profit conservation center in the United States to specialize in the preservation of paper-based library and archival materials. NEDCC was initiated by the state librarians of the six New England states, who agreed to cooperate to provide services to non-profit institutions in the region. It was established with start-up funds from

118-532: A Preservation Education Directory of ALA Accredited schools in the U.S. and Canada offering courses in preservation. The directory is updated approximately every three years. The 10th Edition was made available on the ALCTS web site in March 2015. Additional preservation education is available to librarians through various professional organizations, such as: Limited, tax-driven funding can often interfere with

177-574: A collection. Considerations include existing condition, rarity, and evidentiary and market values. With non-paper formats, the availability of equipment to access the information will be a factor (for example, playback equipment for audio-visual materials, or microform readers). An institution should determine how many, if any, other institutions hold the material, and consider coordinating efforts with those that do. Institutions should establish an environment that prioritizes preservation and create an understanding among administration and staff. Additionally,

236-403: A constant humidity in the middle or low range. Generally, the relative humidity should be between 30–50% with as little variation as possible, however recommendations on specific levels to maintain vary depending on the type of material, i.e. paper-based, film, etc. A specialized dew point calculator for book preservation is available. Pests, such as insects and vermin, eat and destroy paper and

295-442: A different mechanism of decay. The preferred method for storing manuscripts , archival records, and other paper documents is to place them in acid-free paper folders which are then placed in acid-free of low-lignin boxes for further protection. Similarly, books that are fragile, valuable, oddly shaped, or in need of protection can be stored in archival boxes and enclosures. Additionally, housing books can protect them from many of

354-399: A preservation program is to assess the institution's existing preservation needs. This process entails identifying the general and specific needs of the collection, establishing priorities, and gathering the resources to execute the plan. Because budget and time limitations require priorities to be set, standards have been established by the profession to determine what should be preserved in

413-438: A preservation survey: general preservation assessment, collection condition surveys, and an item-by-item survey. General condition surveys can be part of a library inventory . Selection for treatment determines the survival of materials and should be done by a specialist, whether in relation to an established collection development policy or on an item by item basis. Once an object or collection has been chosen for preservation,

472-471: A promising area for future preservation, there are also problems. The main problems are that digital space costs money, media and file formats may become obsolete, and backwards compatibility is not guaranteed. Higher-quality images take a longer time to scan, but are often more valuable for future use. Fragile items are often more difficult or more expensive to scan, which creates a selection problem for preservationists where they must decide if digital access in

531-657: A special collections area or division can be a fundamental part of their mission. Some special collections are standalone institutions that are privately funded, such as the Newberry Library or the American Antiquarian Society while others are part of a larger institution, such as the Beinecke Library at Yale University or Special Collections at University College London . Many American university special collections grew out of

590-686: A special collections department or managed separately, and whilst rare books and manuscripts are often kept within special collections some institutions may use the term exclusively for modern material. Larger, historically distinct collections may also be managed as part of a Special Collections department: for example, the British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent is part of the Templeman Library 's Special Collections & Archives. For research libraries,

649-556: Is achieved through scanning an item and saving it to a digital format. For example, the Google Book Search program has partnered with over forty libraries around the world to digitize books. The goal of this library partnership project is to "make it easier for people to find relevant books – specifically, books they wouldn't find any other way such as those that are out of print – while carefully respecting authors' and publishers' copyrights." Although digitization seems to be

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708-429: Is another name for digitization, and is the term more commonly used in archival courses. The main goal of digital preservation is to guarantee that people will have access to the digitally preserved materials long into the future. When practicing preservation, one has several factors to consider in order to properly preserve a record: 1) the storage environment of the record, 2) the criteria to determine when preservation

767-424: Is considered to have two major components: importance and quality. "Importance" relates to the collection's role as a record, and "quality" covers comprehensiveness, depth, uniqueness, authenticity and reputation of the collection. Moreover, analyzing the significance of materials can be used to uncover more about their meaning. Assessment of significance can also aid in documenting the provenance and context to argue

826-472: Is especially common in art museums . Museums typically hold to the same practices led by archival institutions. Preservation as a formal profession in libraries and archives dates from the twentieth century, but its philosophy and practice has roots in many earlier traditions. In many ancient societies, appeals to heavenly protectors were used to preserve books, scrolls and manuscripts from insects, fire and decay. Human record-keeping arguably dates back to

885-421: Is important that preservation specialists be respectful of cultural property and the societies that created it, and it is also important for them to be aware of international and national laws pertaining to stolen items. In recent years there has been a rise in nations seeking out artifacts that have been stolen and are now in museums. In many cases museums are working with the nations to find a compromise to balance

944-519: Is necessary, 3) what the standard preservation practices are for that particular institution, 4) research and testing, and 5) if any vendor services will be needed for further preservation and potentially conservation. Environmental controls are necessary to facilitate the preservation of organic materials and are especially important to monitor in rare and special collections . Key environmental factors to watch include temperature , relative humidity , pests, pollutants, and light exposure. In general,

1003-472: Is often resolved by a number of measures which can include heightened security, requiring the use of gloves for photographs, restricting the materials researchers may bring with them into a reading room, and restricting use of materials to patrons who are not able to satisfy their research needs with less valuable copies of an item. These restrictions can be considered hindrances to researchers who feel that these measures are in place solely to keep materials out of

1062-1438: Is possible as texts and their textual settings are, quite simply, not separable, just as the artifactual characteristics of texts are as relevant and varied as the texts themselves (in the report mentioned herewith, G. Thomas Tanselle suggests that presently existing book stacks need not be abandoned with emerging technologies; rather they serve as vitally important original (primary) sources for future study). Special collections In library science , special collections ( Spec. Coll. or S.C. ) are libraries or library units that house materials requiring specialized security and user services. Special collections can be found in many different organisations including research libraries , universities , colleges , schools , national libraries , public libraries , museums , art galleries , archives , historic houses , cathedrals , subscription libraries , learned societies , hospitals , companies and monasteries . Materials housed in special collections can be in any format (including rare books , manuscripts , photographs , archives , ephemera , and digital records ), and are generally characterized by their artifactual or monetary value , physical format, uniqueness or rarity, and/or an institutional commitment to long-term preservation and access. They can also include association with important figures or institutions in history, culture, politics, sciences, or

1121-665: Is that of digitization of original material to maintain the intellectual content of the material while ignoring the physical nature of the book. Further, the Modern Language Association 's Committee on the Future of the Print Record structured its "Statement on the Significance of Primary Records" on the inherent theoretical ideology that there is a need to preserve as many copies of a printed edition as

1180-714: The Council on Library Resources , the New England Library Board , and other donors. From 1973 to 1980, the Center functioned as an arm of the New England Library Board. In 1980, it incorporated as a private, non-profit organization , providing services nationally. NEDCC performs book conservation , paper conservation , photograph conservation , Asian paintings conservation, collections surveys, digitization , and audio preservation with

1239-773: The IRENE technology, on a fee-for-service basis. Through its Preservation Services office, NEDCC also provides preservation needs assessments, training programs including workshops and webinars, consultations, resources, and disaster assistance. NEDCC presents a yearly national conference, "Digital Directions", on creating sustainable digital collections. NEDCC assists repositories, performing arts institutions, religious organizations, hospitals, social service agencies, labor unions, zoos, and botanical gardens as well as private and family collectors. Preservation (library and archival science) Preservation should be distinguished from interventive conservation and restoration , which refers to

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1298-525: The cave painting boom of the Upper Paleolithic , some 32,000–40,000 years ago. More direct antecedents are the writing systems that developed in the 4th millennium BC. Written record keeping and information sharing practices, along with oral tradition , sustain and transmit information from one group to another. This level of preservation has been supplemented over the last century with the professional practice of preservation and conservation in

1357-454: The temperature , humidity , illumination , and other environmental conditions are carefully monitored to ensure the integrity of materials, and adequate security is provided to protect the materials from unauthorized access, theft, and vandalism. Offsite storage facilities have become increasingly popular among institutions holding special collections. Most libraries consider it their mandate to maintain acquisition of new collections, although

1416-689: The Association of North American Graduate Programs in the Conservation of Cultural Property (ANAGPIC). Another educational resource available to preservationists is the Northeast Document Conservation Center or NEDCC. The Preservation, Planning and Publications Committee of the Preservation and Reformatting Section (PARS) in the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services has created

1475-481: The Digital Preservation Network strive to ensure that "the complete scholarly record is preserved for future generations". The Library of Congress maintains a Sustainability of Digital Formats web site that educates institutions on various aspects of preservation: most notably, on approximately 200 digital format types and which are most likely to last into the future. Digital Preservation

1534-740: The ability for public libraries to engage in extensive preservation activities. Materials, particularly books, are often much easier to replace than to repair when damaged or worn. Public libraries usually try to tailor their services to meet the needs and desires of their local communities, which could cause an emphasis on acquiring new materials over preserving old ones. Librarians working in public facilities frequently have to make complicated decisions about how to best serve their patrons. Commonly, public library systems work with each other and sometimes with more academic libraries through interlibrary loan programs. By sharing resources, they are able to expand upon what might be available to their own patrons and share

1593-487: The adhesive that secures book bindings. Food and drink in libraries, archives, and museums can increase the attraction of pests. An Integrated Pest Management system is one way to control pests in libraries. Particulate and gaseous pollutants, such as soot, ozone , sulfur dioxide , oxides of nitrogen, can cause dust, soiling, and irreversible molecular damage to materials. Pollutants are exceedingly small and not easily detectable or removable. A special filtration system in

1652-478: The archival community have explored the possible moral responsibility to preserve all cultural phenomena, in regards to the concept of monumental preservation. Other advocates argue that such an undertaking is something that the indigenous or native communities that produce such cultural objects are better suited to perform. Currently, however, many indigenous communities are not financially able to support their own archives and museums. Still, indigenous archives are on

1711-566: The arts. Some special collections are recognised as being of global importance; the UNESCO Memory of the World Register includes documentary heritage material. Individual libraries or archival institutions determine for themselves what constitute their own special collections, resulting in a somewhat mutable definition that is often a legacy of the institution's organisational structure. For example, archives may be part of

1770-405: The binding and pages, which may cause the binding to crack and/or the pages to warp. Changes in temperature and humidity should be done slowly so as to minimize the difference in expansion rates. However, an accelerated aging study on the effects of fluctuating temperature and humidity on paper color and strength showed no evidence that cycling of one temperature to another or one RH to another caused

1829-479: The building's HVAC is a helpful defense. Exposure to light also has a significant effect on materials. It is not only the light visible to humans that can cause damage, but also ultraviolet light and infrared radiation. Measured in lux or the amount of lumens/m , the generally accepted level of illumination with sensitive materials is limited to 50 lux per day. Materials receiving more lux than recommended can be placed in dark storage periodically to prolong

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1888-761: The burdens of preservation across a greater array of systems. Archival facilities focus specifically on rare and fragile materials. With staff trained in appropriate techniques, archives are often available to many public and private library facilities as an alternative to destroying older materials. Items that are unique, such as photographs, or items that are out of print, can be preserved in archival facilities more easily than in many library settings. Because so many museum holdings are unique, including print materials, art, and other objects, preservationists are often most active in this setting; however, since most holdings are usually much more fragile, or possibly corrupted, conservation may be more necessary than preservation. This

1947-508: The case for grant funding for the object and collection. Forms of significance can be historically, culturally, socially, or spiritually significant. In the preservation context, libraries and archives make decisions in different ways. In libraries, decision-making likely targets existing holding materials, whereas in archives, decisions for preservation are often made when they acquire materials. Therefore, different criteria might be needed on different occasions. In general, for archive criteria,

2006-580: The collections for which they are responsible. Items in a special collection are usually stored in closed stacks (not directly accessible to the institution's patrons) which contain noncirculating items, meaning that items cannot be loaned or otherwise removed from the premises. Access to materials is usually under supervision. Depending on the policies of an institution holding special collections, researchers may be asked to present identification cards, letters of reference, or other credentials to gain access. Most special collections are stored in areas in which

2065-432: The conservator is dealing with cultural objects. The AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice has addressed such concerns, stating "All actions of the conservation professional must be governed by an informed respect for cultural property, its unique character and significance and the people or person who created it." This can be applied in both the care and long-term storage of objects in archives and institutions. It

2124-460: The conservator should do what is best for the object in question and not yield to pressure or opinion from outside sources. Conservators should refer to the AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice, which states that the conservation professional must "strive to attain the highest possible standards in all aspects of conservation." One instance in which these decisions may get tricky is when

2183-452: The contributing factors to book damage: pests, light, temperature changes, and water. Contamination can occur at the time of manufacture, especially with electronic materials. It must be stopped before it spreads, but it is usually irreversible. Making a proper decision is an important factor before starting preservation practices. Decision making for preservation should be made considering significance and value of materials. Significance

2242-499: The cultural heritage community. The Paul Banks and Carolyn Harris Preservation Award for outstanding preservation specialists in library and archival science, is given annually by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, a subdivision of the American Library Association . It is awarded in recognition of professional preservation specialists who have made significant contributions to

2301-501: The field of conservation and preservation. Everything from how to preserve paper media to creating and maintaining electronic resources and gauging their digital permanence is being explored by students and professionals in archives/libraries. The two main issues that most institutions tend to face are the rapid disintegration of acidic paper and water damage (due to flooding, plumbing problems, etc.). Therefore, these areas of preservation, as well as new digital technologies, receive much of

2360-443: The field. Reformatting, or in any other way copying an item's contents, raises obvious copyright issues. In many cases, a library is allowed to make a limited number of copies of an item for preservation purposes. In the United States, certain exceptions have been made for libraries and archives. Ethics will play an important role in many aspects of the conservator's activities. When choosing which objects are in need of treatment,

2419-513: The future is worth potentially damaging the item during the scanning process. Other problems include scan quality, redundancy of digitized books among different libraries, and copyright law. However, many of these problems are being solved through educational initiatives. Educational programs are tailoring themselves to fit preservation needs and help new students understand preservation practices. Programs teaching graduate students about digital librarianship are especially important. Groups such as

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2478-537: The hands of the public. There is also controversy surrounding preservation methods. A major controversy at the end of the twentieth century centered on the practice of discarding items that had been microfilmed. This was the subject of novelist Nicholson Baker 's book Double Fold , which chronicled his efforts to save many old runs of American newspapers (formerly owned by the British Library) from being sold to dealers or pulped. A similar concern persists over

2537-457: The institution's commitment to preservation should be communicated to funders and stakeholders so that funds can be allocated towards preservation efforts. The first steps an institution should implement, according to the NEDCC, are to establish a policy that defines and charts the course of action and create a framework for carrying out goals and priorities. There are three methods for carrying out

2596-429: The introduction of passive preservation techniques. Rather than maintaining a flat line, consistent 24/7 condition for a collection's environment, fluctuation can occur within acceptable limits to create a preservation environment while also thinking of energy efficiency and taking advantage of the outside environment. Bound materials are sensitive to rapid temperature or humidity cycling due to differential expansion of

2655-429: The limitations of their physical plants may not be able to handle all that is acquired. Storing materials offsite allows flexibility in how libraries design and apportion their space and provides security for materials. The 2010 "Taking Our Pulse" report cites a survey in which 67% of responding institutions use offsite facilities, with another 5% in planning stages. Special reading rooms are often provided to minimize

2714-684: The lower the temperature is, the better it is for the collection. However, since books and other materials are often housed in areas with people, a compromise must be struck to accommodate human comfort. A reasonable temperature to accomplish both goals is 65–68˚F (18–20 °C) however, if possible, film and photography collections should be kept in a segregated area at 55 ˚F (13 °C). Books and other materials take up and give off moisture making them sensitive to relative humidity. Very high humidity encourages mold growth and insect infestations. Low humidity causes materials to lose their flexibility. Fluctuations in relative humidity are more damaging than

2773-605: The merging of rare book rooms and manuscripts departments in a university's library system. In contrast to general (or circulating) libraries, the uniqueness of special collections means that they are not easily replaced (if at all) and therefore require a higher level of security and handling. The primary function of a special collections division is to foster research by providing researchers and interested groups or individuals access to items while ensuring their longevity. Many staff members involved with special collections have either advanced degrees or specialized training related to

2832-744: The need for reliable supervision as well as access for both the public and researchers. Conservators are not just bound by ethics to treat cultural and religious objects with respect, but also in some cases by law. For example, in the United States, conservators must comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The First Archivists Circle, a group of Native American archivists, has also created Protocols for Native American Archival Materials. The non-binding guidelines are suggestions for libraries and archives with Native American archival materials. The care of cultural and sacred objects often affects

2891-429: The original appearance of the object. Recent concerns about the impact of climate change on the management of cultural heritage objects as well as the historic environment has prompted research efforts to investigate alternative climate control methods and strategies that include the implementation of alternative climate control systems to replace or supplement traditional high-energy consuming HVAC systems as well as

2950-583: The physical storage or the object. For example, sacred objects of the native peoples of the Western United States are supposed to be stored with sage to ensure their spiritual well-being. The idea of storing an object with plant material is inherently problematic to an archival collection because of the possibility of insect infestation. When conservators have faced this problem, they have addressed it by using freeze-dried sage, thereby meeting both conservation and cultural needs. Some individuals in

3009-495: The points include: For archival criteria, the following are evidence of significance: Since the 1970s, the Northeast Document Conservation Center has stated that the study of understanding the needs of the archive/library is inherently important to their survival. To prolong the life of a collection, it is important that a systematic preservation plan is in place. The first step in planning

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3068-451: The presence of food and beverages. Protective gloves are sometimes required when consulting particularly delicate materials, photographs, and metal objects, and many libraries may require that books be read only while resting in special cradles. Research libraries are increasingly investigating offering virtual reading rooms and virtual teaching environments to support remote access to special collections - work which has been accelerated since

3127-628: The proper methods of preservation is important and most archivists are educated on the subject at academic institutions that specifically cover archives and preservation. In the United States most repositories require archivists to have a degree from an ALA-accredited library school. Similar institutions exist in countries outside the US. Since 2010, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has enhanced funding for library and archives conservation education in three major conservation programs. These programs are all part of

3186-542: The research attention. The American Library Association has many scholarly journals that publish articles on preservation topics, such as College and Research Libraries, Information Technology and Libraries, and Library Resources and Technical Services . Scholarly periodicals in this field from other publishers include International Preservation News, Journal of the American Institute for Conservation , and Collection Management among many others. Learning

3245-420: The retention of original documents reformatted by any means, analog or digital. Concerns include scholarly needs and legal requirements for authentic or original records as well as questions about the longevity, quality, and completeness of reformatted materials. Retention of originals as a source or fail-safe copy is now a fairly common practice. Another controversy revolving around different preservation methods

3304-421: The rise in the United States. There is a longstanding tension between preservation of and access to library materials, particularly in the area of special collections . Handling materials promotes their progression to an unusable state, especially if they are handled carelessly. On the other hand, materials must be used in order to gain any benefit from them. In a collection with valuable materials, this conflict

3363-409: The risk to holdings while being consulted by patrons, which are sometimes monitored by library personnel who also provide reference assistance and relay requests for materials. Rules often apply to use of materials in order to protect against inadvertent damage; Writing implements which use ink are very commonly prohibited, as well as flash photography, use of mobile phones (except for photography), and

3422-416: The treatment and repair of individual items to slow the process of decay, or restore them to a usable state. " Preventive conservation " is used interchangeably with "preservation". A relatively new concept, digitization , has been hailed as a way to preserve historical items for future use. "Digitizing refers to the process of converting analog materials into digital form." For manuscripts, digitization

3481-437: The treatment must be determined that is most appropriate to the material and its collecting institution. If the information is most important, reformatting or creation of a surrogate is a likely option. If the artifact itself is of value, it will receive conservation treatment, ideally of a reversible nature. With old media deteriorating or showing their vulnerabilities and new media becoming available, research remains active in

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