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

NEDCC Assessing Preservation Needs: A Self-Survey Guide

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.

Care and Handling of CDs and DVDs: A Guide for Librarians and Archivists

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.

Disaster Planning

Educational Opportunities

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.
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:

University Library Preservation Programs

PRESERVATION

Preservation Web Resources