ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


April 1994/219

Preservation
Hews

J a n e  H edberg

Commission distributes 
research  projects
The Commission on Preser­
vation and Access (C P A ) is 
distributing descriptions o f 
three research projects which 
it w ou ld like to see under­
taken in the near future. The 
projects w ere d evelo p ed  af­
ter exten sive discussion o f 
preservation research needs 
by the CPA’s Preservation Sci­
ence Council, a group o f  dis­
tinguished preservation ad­
ministrators and scientists.
The first project w ou ld utilize accelerated ag­
ing methods under different temperature and 
relative humidity conditions to produce life e x ­
pectancy predictions for five types o f paper 
com m only found in libraries or archives. The 
second w o u ld  review  the current status o f re­
search on lon gevity and durability o f magnetic 
media and identify research necessary to d e­
velop  preservation management tools. The third 
w ould assess the effects o f  lignin in paper. The 
com mission w ill release descriptions o f tw o 
more projects, on the effects o f microclimates 
and on the performance o f polyvinyl acetate 
adhesives, in the future.

The National Endowment for the Humani­
ties (N E H ) has already funded a sixth project 
on storage practices and enclosures for film 
collections in libraries or archives. The Image 
Permanence Institute (IP I) at the Rochester In­
stitute o f  T ech n ology in N ew  Y ork w ill con­
duct a three-year study on h o w  film reacts to 
temperature and relative humidity fluctuations 
during storage and on h o w  enclosures acceler­
ate or decelerate the deterioration o f acetate 
film supports. The results should provide clear 
recommendations for the best practices to pre­
serve microfilm, m ovie film, and sheet film.

For m ore information, contact Maxine K. 
Sitts, Commission on Preservation and Access, 
1400 16th Street, N.W ., Suite 740, Washington, 
DC 20036-2217; (202) 939-3400; e-mail: msitts@ 
cni.org.

Commission com pletes microfilm audit
CPA funded and organized a pilot project in 
1992-93 to test the quality o f  first- and third- 
generation microfilm. O ne percent o f the mas­
ter negatives created by the Harvard, Yale, and

O hio State University Librar­
ies for the National E ndow ­
m ent for the Hum anities’ 
Brittle Books Program was 
exam ined by an indepen­
dent contractor.

W e s le y  B oom gaarden , 
preservation officer at O hio 
State U n iversity, has re ­
ported that the audit was 
valuable and helped each o f 
the libraries im prove its cur­
rent m icrofilming program. 
T h e p ilo t pro ject partici­
pants suggested a number 

o f characteristics that should be exam ined by 
the national audit program which the commis­
sion is w orking to establish.

Indiana o ffers p reserv ation  institutes
The Institute for Preservation & the Book Arts 
at Indiana University w ill offer five w eek-lon g 
institutes during the summer o f  1994, tw o  o f 
which w ill cover preservation topics. “Preven­
tive Conservation” w ill be taught by Jim Ca­
nary and Danae Thim m e and held June 13-17. 
It w ill provide a basic introduction to protec­
tion o f collections which are on display, in stor­
age, or in transit and emphasize prevention or 
mitigation o f damage. “Disaster Preparedness 
and R ecovery for Library and Archive C ollec­
tions” w ill be taught by Lorraine O lley and Jo 
Burgess and held July 25-29. It w ill focus on 
management issues and also provide practical 
experience through a simulated disaster. This 
course is intended for librarians and archivists 
at small institutions with limited access to di­
saster preparedness expertise and resources.

Tuition ($350 for Preventive Conservation 
and $395 for Disaster Preparedness) covers all 
instructional materials, refreshments, and open­
ing reception. Housing, parking, and meals are 
not included. For more information, contact Jane 
Clay, Division o f Continuing Studies, O w en  Hall 
204, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405; 
(812) 855-6329; JCLAY@ IND IANA.EDU . ■

Submissions for this column may be made to: Jane 
Hedberg, Wellesley College Library, 106 Central St., 
Wellesley, MA 02181-8275; (617) 283-2103; 
JHEDBÈRG@LUCY WF.I.LESLEY.EDU. Submission 
deadline is the 15th of the month and precedes 
publication by approximately six weeks.

mailto:JCLAY@INDIANA.EDU