Preservation Web Resources
Abstracting and Indexing Databases especially relevant to preservation available through the UW Libraries' Information Gateway.
Albumen Photographs: History, Science and Preservation
An extensive site with information on all aspects of albumen photography
including the preservation of albumen photographs.
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
- Digital Print Identification Website
Guide to differentiating between the most common hardcopy formats with a database of print characteristics. - Journal of the American Institute for Conservation
The online resource for the full text and image content of JAIC from volume 16, 1977 through volume 38, 1999. - The Permanence of Ink-jet Inks by Henry Wilhelm (PDF)
Assessment and Survey Tools
Association of Research Libraries Preservation Program
This site includes links to many ARL preservation publications and non-ARL
resources. The links to publications on digital resources are especially
useful.
- Preserving Research Collections: A Collaboration between Librarians and Scholars, by Jutta Reed-Scott, 1999 (published by ARL, the Modern Language Association, and the American Historical Association on behalf of the Task Force on the Preservation of the Artifact), provides an overview of the preservation challenges faced by U.S. research libraries, the responses they are making, and the financial constraints under which preservation programs operate.
Audio Preservation
-
Sound Directions: Best Practices for Audio Preservation
This publication by Harvard University and Indiana University presents the results of two years of research and development funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. - Audio
Preservation: A Selective Annotated Bibliography and Brief Summary of
Current Practices (PDF)
Short, selective bibliography prepared by the Audio Preservation Task Force of ALCTS' Preservation and Reformatting Section Photographic and Recording Media Committee. It addresses issues on the preservation of sound recordings of all types--from wax cylinders through digital files. - Audio Preservation and Restoration
A resource maintained by the University of Washington Libraries Music Library. - Preservation of Audio
Materials (CoOL)
Site developed with the assistance of the PARS Photographic and Recording Media Committee. - Sound Savings: Preserving Audio Collections
Proceedings from a symposium in 2003 co-sponsored by: Preservation and Conservation Studies, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information; Library of Congress; National Recording Preservation Board; and the Association of Research Libraries. - Audio Preservation and Restoration Directory
A directory of resources provided by ARSC, the Association for Recorded Sound Collections.
Book Repair
- A Simple Book Repair Manual
Created by members of Preservation Services, Dartmouth College Library.
Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts Publications
- Managing a Mold Invasion: Guidelines for Disaster Response
- After an Emergency: The Recovery of Photographic Collections
- Disaster Recovery: Salvaging Art on Paper
- Architectural Records Conference Proceedings
Council on Library and
Information Resources (CLIR)
This site provides access to many preservation-related publications of
CLIR and the Commission for Preservation and Access which merged with the
Council on Library Resources to form CLIR in 1997.
CoOL (Conservation Online)
CoOL covers a wide range of topics related to the conservation and
preservation of library collections and features a searchable database of
the CoOL collection and links to many preservation organizations.
Includes a searchable full text backfile of the Abbey
Newsletter.
Digital Preservation
- Building Digital
Collections: Technical Information and Background Papers
This page documents technical activities related to the American Memory Collections produced by the National Digital Library Program (NDLP) at the Library of Congress. - Digital Library Federation
Digital Preservation
Provides links to digital preservation reports. - PADI Preserving Access to Digital
Information
The National Library of Australia's digital preservation gateway.
Image Permanence Institute (IPI)
- IPI Media Storage Quick
Reference (pdf)
Guide distills critical preservation issues for a range of research materials including photographic and motion picture film, photographic prints, ink jet prints, photographic glass plates, magnetic audio, video, computer tape, CDs, and DVDs, and provides charts comparing how varying temperature conditions affect the long-term stability of each.
Library of Congress Preservation
A good source for information on a variety of preservation topics.
Microfilming
-
RLG Guidelines for Microfilming to Support Digitization
This Web-based publication advises how to create preservation microfilm that is most amenable to effective and efficient scanning to produce high-quality digital images..
Mold
-
Managing a Mold Invasion: Guidelines for Disaster Response
This Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) technical bulletin takes you step-by-step through managing a mold invasion in your collection. -
Mould Outbreak -- An Immediate Response
These guidelines from the Canadian Conservation Institute outline a general course of action to deal with a mould infestation in a heritage collection -
The Chicora Foundation's Mold webpage
Covers biology of mold, favorable conditions, health effects, and how to clean up mold.
Moving Images
- Association of
Moving Image Archivists Preservation Committee
Includes a factsheets on videotape preservation, storage standards and guidelines, and information on the AMIA film shrinkage gauge. - Film Preservation Guide: The Basics for Archives, Libraries, and Museums (National Film Preservation Foundation) Covers practices for identifying, handling, copying, making available, and storing motion pictures under conditions that protect the original material.
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Motion Picture Film Preservation (CoOL)
Provides links to web resources and citations to print materials on formats, storage, standards, deterioration, digital issues, organizations, etc. - Video Format Identification Guide
Provides images and information to help identify video formats. Also assesses each format for risk of obsolescence. - Video Identification and Assessment Guide
Provides pictures and identifying features of 15 videotape formats plus risk and condition assessment. - The Washington State Film Preservation Manual offers low-cost and no-cost suggestions on how to care for film collections
National Digital Information
Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP)
The mission of NDIIPP is to develop a national strategy to collect,
archive and preserve digital content.
Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
- Assessing Preservation
Needs: A Self-Survey Guide
A guide to help small to medium-sized institutions design a preservation program. - Handbook for Digital
Projects: A Management Tool for Preservation and Access
Basic information about planning and managing digital projects. - Preservation of Library and
Archival Materials: A Manual
An excellent reference source on many aspects of preservation.
Photographs
- The Permanence and
Care of Color Photographs: Traditional and Digital
Color Prints, Color Negatives, Slides, and Motion Pictures by Henry
Wilhelm with contributing author Carol Brower.
Free PDF files for the entire 758-page book. - Preservation
Plan for Diverse Photographic Collection
An outline for preservation planning provided by the Los Angeles Preservation Network.
Preservation
Resources Bibliographic Database
A database of publications with topics that include preservation
microfilming, digital libraries, imaging, preservation funding, and
preservation standards.
Solinet
Preservation Services: Preservation Resources on the Internet
The Solinet Preservation Services web site also includes bibliographies,
handouts, and lists of vendor resources.
Standards
- Bibliography of Standards and
Selected References Related to Preservation in Libraries
A resource provided by the National Library of Canada. (Current as of April 1996.) - NISO
Press Online: Standards, Books and Software: Preservation/Storage
Free PDF files of several NISO preservation standards can be downloaded from this site. These include: - Durable Hardcover Binding for Books
- Environmental Conditions for Exhibiting Library and Archival Materials
- Environmental Guidelines for the Storage of Paper Records
- Guidelines for Information About Preservation Products
- Library Binding
- Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives
University Library Preservation Programs