An archival collection is a unique body of information, created at a particular time by a particular organization or individual as a result of a particular activity. If the cultural record contained in an archive is to be accessible, the archivist must examine, organize, and describe each collection individually. Introduction to Archival Organization and Description guides the novice to an understanding of the nature of archival information and documentation. Chapters cover topics such as the characteristics of archival materials, the gathering and analysis of information for archival description, and the implementation of descriptive tools in information systems. The Introduction to series acquaints professionals and students with the complex issues and technologies in the production, management, and dissemination of cultural heritage information resources.

Cultural history enthusiasts have asserted the urgent need to protect digital information from imminent loss. This book describes methodology for long-term preservation of all kinds of digital documents. It justifies this methodology using 20th century theory of knowledge communication, and outlines the requirements and architecture for the software needed. The author emphasizes attention to the perspectives and the needs of end users.

Intended to provide the basic foundation for modern archival practice and theory.

This document provides a guide on how to properly store and care for magnetic media to maximize their life expectancies. An introduction compares magnetic media to paper and film and outlines the scope of the report. The second section discusses things that can go wrong with magnetic media. Binder degradation, magnetic particle instabilities, substrate deformation, magnetic tape recorders; and format issues are highlighted in this section. The third and fourth sections cover preventing information loss with multiple tape copies, costs, and how long magnetic media will last. In the fifth section, care and handling, storage conditions and standards, and refreshing of tapes are described for preventing magnetic tape from degrading prematurely. An appendix provides the Ampex Guide to the Care and Handling of Magnetic Tape, an estimation of life expectancies, sources for further reading, resources for transfer and restoration of video and audio tape, and a glossary. (AEF)

Conservation of Library and Archive Materials and the Graphic Arts is the proceeding of the Cambridge 1980 International Conference on the Conservation of Library and Archive Materials and the Graphic Arts. This symposium explores the advancements in the field of conservation of historic and artistic works. The book covers related topics such as the employment of different methods for the preservation of paper such as bleaching and alkaline buffering; the repair, relaxation, binding, handling, and display of articles made of vellum and parchment; and the conservation of books and binders. The text is recommended for archivists, librarians, and museum curators who are interested in the scientific advances in the field of conservation and how it can help them in their profession.