Preservation: General Resources
This LibGuide offers resources to guide libraries in the provision of long-term access to the physical and intellectual contents of their collections through conservation, preservation, and digitization.
The American Library Association’s policy on preservation is based on the Association’s mission to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. The policy's goal is to preserve our cultural heritage and ensure access to information in a usable and trustworthy form. ALA affirms that the preservation of library resources protects the public’s right to the free flow of information as embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution and the Library Bill of Rights.
This resource guide includes general preservation resources, information on special topics in preservation such as binding, microforms, digitization, and copyright, and a selected bibliography on preservation topics.
General Preservation Resources
-
Preservation WeekALA encourages libraries and other institutions to use Preservation Week to connect our communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared collections.
-
CORE Preservation ResourcesCORE's Preservation Section, including resources, interest groups and committees, Along with a link to the sections community in ALA Connect.
-
AIC WikiThe AIC Wiki is sponsored by the American Institute for Conservation of Art and Historic Works with content created by the various AIC Specialty Groups, Networks and Committees. It includes compendia of working knowledge on materials and techniques used to preserve and treat works of art and historic artifacts.
-
Conservation OnLine (CoOL)An online resource by and for conservators and related fields, operated by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation.
-
Library Disaster Preparedness & Response - ALA ResourcePutting a plan in place before a disaster strikes, and what to do when disaster does strike.
-
NEDCC Preservation LeafletsNortheast Document Conservation Center’s Preservation Services department provides free preservation advice to institutions and individuals worldwide. The Center provides Preservation Leaflets with information on a wide variety of preservation topics and links to additional resources.
-
Library of Congress Preservation ResourcesResources from the Library of Congress describing best practices for various forms of preservation, including examples of care given to items in the Library of Congress' collections.
-
Conservation Center for Art and Historic ArtifactsCCAHA is a non profit, focused on the conservation of various types of physical media, and instructing people on how to do the same. Their website contains various teaching materials, including glossaries of important terms and guides on relevant preservation topics.
Supplemental Resources on Preservation
-
Preservation Week ResourcesResources collected for preservation week covering various topics related to conservation of items.
-
Preservation Guides and VideosGuides and videos on created by various organizations and brought together for preservation week. Topics covered include, book restoration, digital preservation and physical storage spaces of items.
For additional resources on preservation, do a web search for <preservation libguides>.
-
Preservation GlossaryGlossary of Preservation terms created by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts and the Archive for Black Lives in Philadelphia.
-
American Institute for Conservation - Caring for your TreasuresBasic tips to preserve various types of objects from the American Institute for Conservation
-
Digital Preservation at the Museum - WorldCat listList of books and articles available from libraries around the world.
