Special Collections, Archives, and Preservation (SCAP): Resources

Behind the Scenes--Technical Services

Google Books: Classic Books Available via the Espresso Book Machine

Institute for Backup Trauma

• John Cleese as Dr. Twain Weck mocking tape backup and promoting online backup.

Murder in the Stacks (Library Preservation)

• With Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson explaining basic shelving and book handling.

Several excellent publications provide an introduction to the environmental needs of libraries, museums, and archives:

• Temperature, Relative Humidity, Light, and Air Quality: Basic Guidelines for Preservation  
  (Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
• The Environment—Low Cost/No Cost Improvements in Climate Control  
  (Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
• The Realistic Preservation Environment  
  (National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• Getting Function From Design: Making Systems Work 
  (National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Information on HVAC systems.
• Environmental Guidelines for the Storage of Paper Records  [PDF: 1.78 MB / 27 p.] 
  (National Information Standards Organization [NISO]). Useful information on parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, gaseous contaminates, and particulates levels.

·         To further assist in formulating a preservation plan, the Image Permanence Institute (IPI) hosts a free Dew Point Calculator to give you an idea of the potential rate of deterioration your existing environment might be causing on your collection.  Other free publications can be downloaded at their site as well.

Preservation Groups & Programs

• American Library Association
  • ALCTS Preservation & Reformatting Section (PARS) - Preservation and reformatting of library materials in all types of institutions. Applying new technologies to assure continued access to library collections.
  • ACRL Value of Academic Libraries
• American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works - the national membership organization of conservation professionals
• Amigos Library Services
  • Book Repair Supplies list
• Association of Research Libraries - Unique Role of Special Collections
• California Preservation Program - CPP provides information, education, and expert assistance on preservation of collections to libraries, archives, historical societies, cultural institutions and records repositories in California.
• Conservation Resources International -
• Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) - an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning
• Heritage Preservation - a national non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the United States. By identifying risks, developing innovative programs, and providing broad public access to expert advice, Heritage Preservation assists museums, libraries, archives, historic preservation and other organizations, as well as individuals, in caring for our endangered heritage.
• Image Permanence Institute - a nonprofit, university-based laboratory devoted to preservation research. It is the world’s largest independent laboratory with this specific scope.
• Library of Congress Digital Preservation -Digital preservation is the active management of digital content over time to ensure ongoing access. The National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program is implementing a national strategy to collect, preserve and make available significant digital content, especially information that is created in digital form only, for current and future generations.
• Library of Congress Preservation Directorate
• LYRASIS: Digital & Preservation Services
• Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) - non-profit regional conservation center specializing in the preservation of paper-based materials
• Preservation & Conservation Administration News
• Preservation Web Resources - Univeristy of Washington Libraries
• Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP) - provides information and resources on preservation and conservation for cultural institutions and the public throughout the United States
• SIUC Morris Library Preservation Unit
• Society of American Archivists
• South Carolina State Library

Preservation of Legal Information

• Legal Information Preservation Alliance (LIPA)
• The Chesapeake Digital Preservation Group

Repair and Conservation

• McGannon Studios (Atlanta)

The Basics of Archives

• Presented by the American Association of State and Local History

Basics of Archives Continuing Education

• Presented by the Counsel of State Archivists. Student workbook and facilitator's manual for an on-site training.

Care and Handling of Library Materials

• LYRASIS slideshow

Conservation Book Repair

• Alaska State Library

Coping With Water Damage

• Heritage Preservation video

Defining and Managing Special Collections

• Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records

Demystifying Tipping in Loose Book Pages

• The Grimm Book Bindery in Madison, Wisconsin demonstrates the technique with the use of Japanese rice paper.

Digital Preservation in a Box

• DPB is a product of the National Digital Stewardship Alliance’s Outreach Working Group and is designed as a toolkit to support outreach activities that introduce the basic concepts of preserving digital information.

Fundamentals of Book Repair

• LYRASIS slideshow

Library of Congress Collections Care

• See "How to Deal With Water Damage"

Preservation Basics for Paper and Media Collections

• Northeast Document Conservation Center

Preservation & Collection Maintenance publications

• Cornell University Libraries

Repair and Enclosure Treatment Manual

• Indiana University Libraries

Repairing Book Spines

A Simple Book Repair Manual

• Dartmouth College Library

Simple Techniques for the Maintenance and Repair of Books

• PDF booklet from Gaylord Bookcraft

Three Book Repair Procedures

• Book Arts Web
  • Hinge Tightening I
  • Hinge Tightening II
  • Tipping-In Loose Pages

Book_Arts_L - general book arts and bookbinding listserv that often has discussions on binding structure, adhesives, and materials

Conservation Online (CoOL) - an online resource operated by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation is a full text library of conservation information, covering a wide spectrum of topics of interest to those involved with the conservation of library, archives and museum materials. It is a growing online resource for conservators, collection care specialists, and other conservation professionals home of the Conservation Distlist, the resource for conservation topics in all disciplines

Future of the Book - University of Iowa Center for the Book

PADG - Preservation Administrators Discussion Group

Parks Library Preservation - Iowa State University Library

Preservation - A weblog about preservation, conservation, and the stewardship of the UCLA Library's collections.

Preservation Beat - University of Iowa Libraries

Preservation Lab Blog - Indiana University Libraries

Preservation Underground - Duke University Libraries

Stay Well-Preserved