Libraries continue to spearhead initiatives to incentivize instructors to adopt, adapt, and create open educational resources (OER). However, these programs often do not explicitly require educators to preserve the OER they create. Drawing on an analysis of semi-structured interviews with six experts, this article presents considerations for…

This paper discusses the author's experience directing the Purple Mountain Observatory Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Nanjing, China. Routine collection development, management and preservation issues are described, and the unique challenges and opportunities involved in operating a remote observatory library are highlighted.

This article establishes the level of skills and experience in preservation and conservation management using a case study methodological approach conducted in the 3 university libraries at the University of Zambia. The findings revealed that 20 (57%) of the library staff had not received formal training in preservation and conservation of library…

The cultural heritage of library collections and individual items is of importance and interest outside the profession of librarianship. This paper gives an introduction to the concept of "movable heritage" from the heritage professional's perspective and provides suggestions as to how this concept can be applied to libraries.…

Preservation and conservation of library materials is an important aspect of library and information management. Their importance and necessity are more paramount in countries where resources are limited and libraries need to balance them with the needs of an ever increasing number of students hoping to use them. This article reports on the…

There is a general perception that as librarians, we know what constitutes and defines a rare book, that our heritage book collections are well-documented and their future survival is planned for and secure. This discussion paper asks whether our definitions of heritage material might be too narrow and whether they reflect the reality across all…

This paper reports on a questionnaire survey of 16 national libraries designed to clarify how national libraries attempt to justify their web archiving activities. Results indicate they envisage that a) the benefits brought about by their initiatives are greater than the overall costs, b) the costs imposed on libraries are greater than the costs…

Storing and curating authentic academic literature and making it accessible for the long term has been a time-honoured task of national libraries. By guarding existing knowledge and facilitating its use to produce new insights, national and university libraries have formed an integral part of the research environment, complementing the roles of…

Based on communication with librarians from Russia, Mongolia, the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Romania, this paper discusses library collection development and preservation policies. Highlights include: mission statements of national and regional libraries; availability of a formal structure responsible for collection…

This paper describes development of preservation/conservation policy in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Discussion covers concentration on manuscripts and older books, training of library personnel by the conservation staff, preservation methods, and balance between an institution's responsibilities to its readers and its duty to…

This Association of Research Libraries (ARL) publication presents data from 119 U.S. and Canadian research libraries that were members of ARL during the 1991-92 fiscal year. The Preservation Statistics Questionnaire was designed to yield statistical information on the current level of preservation efforts in research libraries and on the key…

This annual report of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) begins with a list of supporters, a letter from the chairman, and a message from the president. The major CLIR programs are then described: (1) Preservation and Access, including domestic and international activities; (2) Digital Libraries, including developing libraries…

This SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) Kit is based on a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries in June 2000. The goal of the survey was to identify issues to be addressed and actions ARL might take to advance the preservation goals of the members. The survey was designed to gather data on recent changes,…

This document presents data from 118 U.S. and Canadian research libraries that were members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) during the 1997-98 fiscal year. Since 1987-88, the number of preservation programs managed by a preservation administrator has grown irregularly from 66 to around 80 in more recent years. A fluctuating growth…

This document presents data from 122 U.S. and Canadian research libraries that were members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) during the 1999-2000 fiscal year. Since 1987-88, the number of preservation programs managed by a preservation administrator has grown irregularly from 66 to around 80 in more recent years. A fluctuating growth…