ask us email | chat | phone

Swimming Upstream: Cooperatively Preserving Collections in the Northwest
September 21, 2000, University of Washington

Our Vision for Preservation in the Pacific Northwest*

In our vision there is:

• Enthusiasm for preservation within our institutions and within the region.
• Increased public/staff recognition of preservation and understanding of preservation needs.
• A shared vision within our institutions and the region of the need and importance of preservation.
• Institutional commitment to preservation activities – each institution has a preservation plan.
• Political support within governments for preservation
• More preservation resources and staff within our region
• A regional preservation alliance or organization inclusive of all types of libraries/cultural institutions and geographic areas
• Sustained funding for preservation projects, workshops, etc.

We want:

Assistance with planning and needs assessment to:

• Assess regional preservation needs and collection strengths
• Establish preservation goals and priorities
• Create a vision and plan for preservation collaboration

Coordinated state and regional disaster preparedness planning to:

• Help each institution develop a plan
• Provide mutual aid and assistance
• Identify supplies that might be needed
  (might include a list, a central store, and/or shared purchase)
• Assist with training

Preservation training within the region:

• Preservation workshops, e.g., on:
• Basic conservation techniques
• Binding
• Book repair
• Disaster preparedness and response training
• Grant writing
• Preservation management
• Internships
• Train the trainer

To encourage collaboration/coordination between institutions and government agencies to gain resources for preservation activities and projects:

• Cooperative contracts, e.g. mass deacidification and supply purchasing to lower costs
• Cooperative grant writing
• Cooperative preservation and digitization projects
• Cooperative efforts to identify endangered materials
• Coordinated collection development for preservation – last copy of record
• Local and regional foundation support to make preservation a priority
• Personal and institutional networking
      
• Regional preservation listserv
• Regional tools for local preservation activities, e.g. a traveling conservator for smaller institutions.
• State preservation funding (from State Libraries?)
• Shared preservation expertise (who is doing what, who can I call?, etc.)
• Support from the Governor/Legislature in each state

Long Range:

• Efforts might lead to the establishment of a regional preservation facility that might include:
• Cold storage for nitrate negatives and other media
• Conservation lab including photographic conservation
• Environmentally controlled regional storage
• Freeze drying service
• Preservation microfilming/scanning service
• Staff to provide assistance with preservation information, planning and surveys
• Staff to provide regional preservation training
     

*Summary by Gary Menges based on flipcharts done at the meeting in breakout sessions