managing preservation without a preservation librarian
DESCRIPTION
Six step scalable program for managing preservation in your library. Case study: The Library Company of Burlington. By Michele Stricker, Consultant, Library Development Bureau, New Jersey State Library. Presented at the American Library Association Conference, Chicago, July 2009.TRANSCRIPT
Take Responsibility Gather Support Evaluate Collections and Environment Create Policies and Planning Train and Assign Tasks Stick to the Plan
Setting the Stage:The Library Company of Burlington
Patrons appreciate the library’s historic legacy
Burlington’s own Civil War General E. Burd Grubb
Librarians Hannah Severns and Lydia Weston
King George II
1758 Charter
Original Seals
First to print a Catalog of Books - 1758
First Library Building Constructed - 1789
Wm. Franklin, NJ’s Last Royal Governor
1864: We got a new building…
and it’s old now, too.
Historical Collections The Library’s Archives
Books printed before 1801
The 19th Century book collection
The John James Audubon volumes
Library’s Archives Complete back to inception, 1758
Board of Director’s Minutes
NJ’s first printed Catalog of Books
Borrower’s Records
Historical Collections 1,000 Books printed before 1801
250 Books printed before 1758
2,000 19th Century printed books
Art Collection: paintings, original prints, photographs, sculpture
Historical Collections Oldest book in Library, ca 1546
Art Collection
Prints
Art Collection
Paintings
Prints
Art Collection
Prints
Sculpture
Paintings
Prints
Sculpture
Art Collection
Paintings
Prints
Sculpture
Photographs
The John James Audubon volumes
The John James Audubon volumes
Case Study:
Designing a Preservation Program
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Collection Breakdown
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
35,000 volumes Adult Fiction & Non-Fiction
Children’s Room: Fiction and Non-Fiction
Computer Lab: High Speed Internet Access
Teen Lounge: Relax, Read, Hang, Chill Out
Public Meeting Room & Videoconferencing
Internet Café: Wi-Fi, Web, Coffee & Snacks
Case Study:
Garnering Support for Preservation
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Case Study: Policies
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program: Policies
Missing Policies: Collections Development
Missing Policies: Collections Development
Missing Policies: Collections Development
Missing Policies: Collections Development
Missing Policies: Collections Development
Missing Policies: Collections Development
Case Study:
Designing a Preservation Program
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Charter: Conservation framed and covered
Rare Books: Gathered and shelved by date
Clamshell box: Good Protection - at a price
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Case Study:
Time to Assess the Collection
Case Study:
Whoa.
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Assess the Collection
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Grant from New Jersey State Library
Hired foremost authority to evaluate
Most books, not very valuable
Archives: priceless
Collections in good condition (whew!)
Train & Assign Tasks
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Specified weekly hours to catalog
Halted excessive research assistance
Expend 20 hours/month on inventory
8 years to complete the cataloging
Not bad for a 250-year-old!
Planning to Save
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Resumed book boxing
Now, made inexpensive phase boxes
KA-CHING! Saved 98%
Do it yourself
Boxing program accelerated
Planning to Save
Inexpensive phase boxes
Research by Proxy
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Scholarly interest in Archives
How to enable access & limit handling
Microfilming grant from NJ State Lib.
Use copies, Rutgers and Princeton
Master copy resides at State Archives
Research by Proxy
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Digitization for virtual access 24/7/365
Best Practice: continue to preserve the originals
Assess the Environment
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Concerned with building condition
HVAC system
Roof integrity
Fire suppression system
Alarm system
Regular Maintenance
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Roof inspection
Board to start saving
HVAC system cleaned 2X yearly
Replace decrepit boilers
Installed new fire suppression system
Regular Maintenance
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
New alarm system
Trees trimmed back
Gutters cleaned biannually
Replaced missing storm windows
Replaced fire extinguishers
Extraordinary Maintenance
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Basement dampness & crumbling
One-time appeal to City Council
$25,000 funding secured
Opportunistic Maintenance
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
$35,000 Grant from Rohm & Haas
New computer lab / teen center
Upgrade electrical system to handle
Networking, T1, Routers, etc.
Lighting fixtures and go for green
Pest management
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Daily cleaning and trash removal
Extermination services once monthly
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
Eliminate dangerous substances
Reduce resulting damage
Rare Book Room
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Logical gathering of like materials
Secure location under lock and key
Improved environmental control
Rare Book Room
Environmental Control System
Control the Environment
Measure and Regulate: Heat (temperature and fluctuations) Humidity (RH and dewpoint) Light levels (visible and UV) Ph (Acid / Alkali)
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Micro-Environment
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
Rare Book Room Conditions
Consulted Preservation Librarian, Library Company of Philadelphia
Conditions not great, not bad
Beware shelving materials
Case Study: Preserving Works of Art on Paper
Re-housing Acid-free mattes UV filter glass
Matte machine Conservation
Framing
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program
2nd-flr Gallery: gather art for display Secure, supervised, lockable Improve environmental control
Case Study: Designing a Preservation Program: Gallery
Case Study: Light can reveal
Case Study: Light can reveal, light can destroy
Case Study: Prepare for Disaster: Write a Plan
Workshop, New Jersey State Library Wrote the Disaster Plan Map, locations of premier materials
Disaster Planning
Case Study: Preparation: Writing Disaster Plan
Disaster Planning “Crash Cart” of disaster supplies:
Shop vac Plastic sheeting, Duct Tape Gloves, Masks Tools
Rescubes
Contacts, all emergency responders
Rescubes
Rescubes
Case Study: Preparation: Writing Disaster Plan
Case Study: Disaster: forewarned is forearmed
Locate Water Shut-off Valve Point out items to local fire official Templated custom Disaster Plan:
D-Plan Lite by NEDCC
A Scalable and Effective Preservation Program
Take Responsibility Gather Support Evaluate Collections and Environment Create Policies and Planning Train and Assign Tasks Stick to the Plan
Michele Stricker The New Jersey State Library
Thank you for listening!