A reference guide from leading experts in the field, this book covers the repair, maintenance, and preservation of library or archive collections, providing 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. Chapters include: (1) "Defining the Library…

A March 1980 Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) survey on preservation indicated that more than half the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) membership were operating some type of active preservation program. This kit on basic preservation procedures contains policy statements, guidelines, and procedural instructions (many…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit draws on materials related to preservation activities that have evolved over the past six years. In addition, information obtained from 97 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries that responded to a 1984/85 pilot preservation survey conducted by the ARL Microform Project, as…

Most librarians know the importance of disaster preparedness. Many disasters could have been prevented altogether or have had reduced impact if institutions had been better prepared. This resource guide suggests how disaster preparedness can be achieved at cultural institutions. Twenty-three basic resource articles are presented to introduce…

Findings from a March 1980 Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) survey on preservation indicated that more than one-fourth of the members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) had written disaster plans, and many other plans were in preparation. This SPEC kit on preparing for emergencies and disasters comprises excerpts from…

This kit is the result of a written request for sample materials from 35 ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members known to have active preservation programs. Twenty-three libraries responded, and of those, 16 contributed documents--some of which are included here. This kit contains: four preservation-related policy statements; 32 examples…

This resource guide focuses on handling library materials that are too deteriorated to benefit from other preservation treatments. Hopeless case items, that would require an unreasonable amount of conservation work to fix, can be resolved through a process of reselecting items by replacing them or reformatting them. The reselection integrates…

Collections conservation is an approach to the preservation treatment of books and book-like materials that is conceptualized and organized in terms of large groups of materials. This guide is intended to enable a library to evaluate its current collections conservation activities. The introduction describes collections conservation and gives…

This resource guide considers issues in the staffing and organization of preservation activities. It provides guidance in implementing a systematic preservation program and evaluates the structures of various types of preservation programs. The following articles complement the discussion of program models and implementation: (1)…

This resource guide provides information about the range of activities that can be implemented to maintain and improve the condition of research collections to ensure that they remain usable as long as possible. After an introduction that describes the major activities and a review of an investigation process that gives an overview of good…

This resource guide briefly defines, describes, outlines, and exemplifies a program with the goal of reaching library employees and library users with a message that states the positive benefits of enhanced collection preservation, longevity, usability, and access. The guide is organized and arranged to enable a library to evaluate its current…