For any library, archive, or historical society committed to getting materials back into circulation as quickly as possible, this reference offers a one-stop solution. From the issues relevant to directors to hands-on instructions for technicians, it's an excellent reference for the entire library.

This new edition of Digital Preservation in Libraries, Archives, and Museums is the most current, complete guide to digital preservation available today. For administrators and practitioners alike, the information in this book is presented readably, focusing on management issues and best practices. Although this book addresses technology, it is not solely focused on technology. After all, technology changes and digital preservation is aimed for the long term. This is not a how-to book giving step-by-step processes for certain materials in a given kind of system. Instead, it addresses a broad group of resources that could be housed in any number of digital preservation systems. Finally, this book is about “things (not technology; not how-to; not theory) I wish I knew before I got started.” Digital preservation is concerned with the life cycle of the digital object in a robust and all-inclusive way. Many Europeans and some North Americans may refer to digital curation to mean the same thing, taking digital preservation to be the very limited steps and processes needed to insure access over the long term. The authors take digital preservation in the broadest sense of the term: looking at all aspects of curating and preserving digital content for long term access. The book is divided into four part: 1.Situating Digital Preservation, 2.Management Aspects, 3.Technology Aspects, and 4.Content-Related Aspects. Digital Preservation will answer questions that you might not have even known you had, leading to more successful digital preservation initiatives.

No other book provides such a comprehensive approach to educating library customers and staff in the preservation of library materials. Over 35 case studies provide innovative programs and strategies for providing preservation education initiatives throughout the library. The various types of materials collected paired with the variety of patrons requires a full spectrum of approaches. Going on the assumption that much damage is caused by unknowing misuse, this professional reference gives academic, school, and public library staff as well as special collections staff, a solid approach for designing, implementing and evaluating formal and informal preservation educational programs. As collections deteriorate and library budgets shrink, the longevity of collections becomes an increasingly important issue. To minimize harm to collections, librarians need to emphasize the importance of preservation and proper handling. This professional reference explains how to create, implement and evaluate formal and informal preservation education programs in school, public, academic, and special collections. Chapters are written by contributors from a wide range of positions in librarianship and academia. Building on the assumption that most misuse is because of misunderstanding or lack of understanding, much attention is given to reaching all types of patrons and changing attitudes. Because preservation largely depends on the attitude of patrons, much attention is given to reaching all types of patrons. Informing adults to avoid misuse and teaching children to respect books and to handle them carefully are two different methods. Visual messages using posters, bookmarks, and signs to educate can help prevent damage. Library staff, on the other hand, benefit from training programs, which can effectively include tests and videos. Users of rare and archival materials can be informed through brochures, and one-on-one interaction with librarians. The volume includes over 35 illustrative case studies, and it concludes with an extensive bibliography and videography.

Memory institutions such as libraries, archives, galleries and museums all share pressing concerns about preserving heritage, whether in the form of material and documentary cultural artefacts in collections, or in the form of new digitally born material. Recent incidents of natural disaster and cultural genocide, together with the global turn to digitization, have forced librarians, archivists and curators to rethink and restructure their primary modes of operation. Preservation management now sits at the top of the agenda for heritage institutions around the world, as collection development policies and practices are negotiated between libraries, museums, archives, funding agencies and governments. Historically separate cultural institutions are now converging to share limited resources, develop compatible ideologies and co-ordinate distributed collections. This forward-looking collection charts the diversity of preservation management in the contemporary information landscape, and offers guidance on preservation methods for the sustainability of collections from a range of international experts. The authors are connected to a wide international network of professional associations and NGOs, and have been selected not only for their specific expertise, but for the contribution they are making to the future of preservation management. The chapters cover: managing the documentary heritage: issues for the present and future preservation policy and planning intangible heritage: museums and preservation surrogacy and the artefact moving with the times in search of permanence a valuation model for paper conservation research preservation of audiovisual media: traditional to interactive formats challenges of managing the digitally born artefact preserving cultural heritage in times of conflict access and the social contract in memory institutions redefining 'the collection' in the 21st century. Readership: There is urgent need for heritage management initiatives and robust disaster planning that will safeguard our cultural heritage and recognize the right of the end-user to ownership of it. This is an informed and essential guide to managing collection and preservation strategies for anyone working in the library, archive, museum or broader cultural heritage sectors.

Much has happened in libraries and information in the last ten years and preservation and conservation issues have developed accordingly. The authors carried out a survey of around 500 British libraries to study preservation management practices over that period and the results of this questionnaire are the basis of this book. In analysing the responses it was clear that the fundamental issues about the access to and use of books were being addressed; preservation and retention of materials and media being the foundation of access. Having put the research into its historical context, the book moves on to the findings about management attitudes and practices. Policy issues are considered, and some of the national and international prescriptive policy documents issued by professional organizations are compared with those from the British libraries. The differences between the two form the basis of suggestions about how individual libraries might develop preservation policies and also what national policies could be considered. This is a book that will enable all librarians from all sectors to understand the importance and nature of preservation policies and to begin to create or improve their own.

Provides the basic, practical information needed to plan and implement sound collections care programs or incorporate preservation principles into an existing program.