How to Assess Library Preservation Needs
- 1). Conduct a survey of your library's strengths and weaknesses in the areas of preservation administration and planning, building status, environment, item storage and collection use; determine which staff members are responsible for book preservation and interview them as to the following criteria.
- 2). Determine the adequacy of your library's funding and budget for preserving items. Do employees understand how to handle materials safely? Is a disaster preparedness policy in place? Consider how the library's mission statement affects its preservation choices.
- 3). Look at the institution's preservation procedure documentation. How does the library decide when items should be repaired and when they should be replaced? Are older items regularly reformatted to preserve content?
- 4). Look at the quality of the building and interior environment housing the collection. Is the temperature and humidity kept at a constant level? Are books protected from sunlight, water damage and drafts?
- 5). Explore the library's handling of book storage and use. How is ease of user access balanced with book safety? What policies are in place affecting circulation, photocopying and user training? Are books accessible, viewable in exhibitions or kept in storage?
- 6). Evaluate the effectiveness of the library's catalog. Picking random items in the record, try to find them on the shelves to determine the accuracy of listings.
- 7). Create a schedule to regularly check both the health and correct shelving of all items.
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