LIS 619 Preservation Management

A Word document version of this syllabus is also available.

Fall 2006: August - December, Thursday, 5:00-7:40 PM
August 24, Hamilton Library Room 113
August 31 - December 7 (except for off-site classes) Hamilton Library Room 301

Instructor: Lynn Ann Davis (with Deborah Dunn and guest stars)

Office: Hamilton Library, Preservation Department, Room 552
Office Hours: By appointment
E-mail: ldavis@hawaii.edu, ddunn@hawaii.edu

Course Description:
This course is an introduction to preservation management.  The course focuses on management strategies for preservation of libraries and archives but the concepts are applicable to museum collections as well.  The course covers preservation planning, condition surveys, disaster planning, and grantsmanship, as well as basic issues relating to the deterioration of collections.

Program Learning Objectives:

This preservation management course addresses the following objectives of the LIS Program enabling students to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the history, philosophy, principles, policies and ethics of library and information science and technology;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of administration applicable in libraries, archives, and information centers;
• Demonstrate an understanding of research techniques and methods of applying new knowledge as it becomes available;
• Demonstrate the professional attitudes and the interpersonal and interdisciplinary skills needed to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and information users;

Course Learning Objectives:

Planning a course is like writing a piece of music. We have to consider where we want the points of emphasis, the appropriate tempo, and the variations of rhythm and melody you intend to offer. We also have to decide who is playing the instruments and what kind of audience they will have!
(Ferguson, R., and E. Pye, Our students and ourselves, approaching course design, ICCROM, e-doc, 2003; http://www.iccrom.org/eng/e-docslOurStudents.pdf )

My course learning objects have been influenced by the Ferguson and Pye.  Together we will be able to meet the goals:

• Enjoy exploring preservation issues and understanding factors that cause materials to deteriorate.
• Develop core knowledge of preservation management and understand role it plays in libraries, archives or museums.
• Become acquainted with resources on preservation and use information appropriately.
• Formulate questions and review options in order to reach appropriate solution to preservation problems. Be able to develop alternative solutions to preservation problems.
• Provide leadership by competently discussing preservation issues and introducing them into the profession.
• Provide students with a new perspective about library, archives, and museum collections:

Teaching Method:

I like to have fun and am always learning. I have a pragmatic approach towards teaching preservation issues.  Reading assignments are designed to assist students in developing skills to analyze problems and apply preservation principles.  I expect graduate students to be informed on class topics and bring new perspectives to discussions. 

My philosophy is that you will get out of this class what you put into it.

Readings: 

There is no single book that provides a broad introduction to the field of preservation.  Readings from a number of sources are therefore required to gain a broad overview of the subject.  To make it easier for you I have created reading "samplers" for you by scanning articles.  Many of the readings a drawn from Web sources including:

Ogden, Sherelyn, (ed.).  Preservation of library and archival materials: A manual, (Andover, MA: Northeast Document Conservation Center, 1999).

A manual comprised of a series of leaflets developed over the years by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) for their institutional clients to answer commonly asked preservation questions.  It is available at: http://www.nedcc.org/plam3/newman.htm

Brown, Karen E.K., Beth Pakus and Julie Reilly, Preservation 101: An Internet Course on Paper Preservation, Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), 2001. http://www.nedcc.org/p101cs/p101wel.htm

Eight modules that include self-testing quizzes, this very well designed online tutorial covers archiving; environmental, biological, and mechanical causes of deterioration; cleaning and tools of the trade; planning for emergencies; specifics on storage and care of photographic images; and organizing a preservation program.  Also included is a glossary of terms, basic care and handling guidelines, and an annotated guide to further sources, both hard copy and online. 

Preservation samplers:

            As a way to introduce you to some of the essential Preservation Management concepts I put together "samplers" of readings.  My intention is to plunge you into the world of preservation from many different perspectives.  Preservation Management in libraries, archives and museums varies primarily by the format of the materials (books, paper, paintings, cultural objects, etc.), and the audience use (circulating collections, research collections, exhibits, etc.)

            A key preservation skill is exploring issues from as many different perspectives as possible.  The sampler is intended to start you thinking beyond the container (library, archives, and museums) and looking at preservation issues from different points of view. In every case you could replace (with a few adjustments) library with museum with archives. 

Acrobat PDF versions of the samplers are available below. If you need to download the free Acrobat reader software, go to this site.

Preservation Management Sampler 1 - Introduction

1) David A. Randall, Dukedom Large Enough:  Reminiscences of a Rare Book Dealer 1929-1956, NY: Random House, 1969, pp. 13-14.

2)  Nancy Marrelli, "Introduction," Implementing Preservation Management:  A How-To Manual for Archives, Quebec, Canada:  National Library of Canada, 1996, pp. 9-12.

3) Abby Smith, "Preservation in the Digital Age: What is to be done?" American Libraries, March 1999, pp. 36-39. 

4) Konstanze Bachmann, editor, "Introduction," Conservation Concerns: A Guide for Collectors and Curators, Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992, pp. 1-3.

5) Seven Haakanson Jr. (Alutiiq- Sugpiaq), "Why Should American Indian Cultural Objects be preserved," Caring for American Indian Objects: A Practical and Cultural Guide, St. Paul:  Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2004, pp. 3-6.

6) Williams, Stephen L. "Growth and Development of the Conservation Profession," Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals, November 2005, pp. 83-93.

Preservation Sampler 2 - Exploring the Umbrella

1) Charles Wilson Peale, The Artist in His Museum (1822) [painting].

2) Sherelyn Ogden, "The Causes of Deterioration and Preventative Care," Caring for American Indian Objects: A Practical and Cultural Guide, St. Paul:  Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2004, pp. 23-39.

Preservation Sampler 3-  Environmental Issues

1) Lawrence Weschler, "Part I: Inhaling the Spore," Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonder,  New York: Vintage Books, 1995, pp. 3-4, pp. 32-33, pp. 60-62, and pp. 66-69.

2) Paul N. Banks, "Environment and Building Design," in Preservation: Issues and Planning, Chicago and London: American Library Association, 2000, pp. 114-144.

3) David Gilroy and Ian Godfrey, eds. "Appendix 2:  Humidity Tolerance of Some Materials," A Practical Guide to The Conservation Care of Collections, p. 160.

Preservation Sampler 4 - Archives

Christine Ward, "Preservation Program Planning for Archives and Historical Records Repositories," in Preservation and Planning Issues, ed. Paul N. Banks and Roberta Pilette, Chicago: American Library Association, 2000,  pp. 43-62

Preservation Sampler 5 - Library Collections

Carolyn Harris, "Selection for Preservation," in Preservation and Planning Issues, ed. Paul N. Banks and Roberta Pilette, Chicago: American Library Association, 2000,  pp.206-224.

Preservation Sampler 6 - Condition Surveys

1) David Ward and Thomas H. Teper, "Undergraduate Library Collections 40 Years Later: An Assessment of Use and Preservation Needs at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign," Collection Management, Vol. 30 (1), 2005, pp. 9-27.

2) Jennifer Hain Teper and Sarah M. Erekson, "The Condition of Our "Hidden" Rare Book Collections: A Conservation Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign," Library Resources: Technical Services, July 2006, pp. 200- 212.

Preservation Sampler 7 - Exhibition

Roberta Pilette, "Exhibition Policy and Preparation" in Preservation Issues and Planning, ed. Paul N. Banks and Roberta Pilette, Chicago: American Library Association, 2000, pp. 185-205.

Preservation Sampler 8 - Digital

1) Peter S. Graham, "Issues in Digital Archiving," in Preservation and Planning Issues, ed. Paul N. Banks and Roberta Pilette, Chicago: American Library Association, 2000,, pp. 97-106, and 112-113.

2) Paula De Stefano, "Digitization for Preservation and Access," in Preservation and Planning Issues, ed. Paul N. Banks and Roberta Pilette, Chicago: American Library Association, 2000, pp. 307-322.

Preservation Sampler 9 – Leadership

Assignments and Grading:

Grades will be determined by a combination of participation, mid-term project, and final project.

Design Preservation Umbrella:

Incorporate core ideas from film or readings to convey some aspect (overview of detail) of preservation or conservation issues.

• understanding of preservation
• audience appeal
• imagination

Participation:

Students are expected participate in the class discussions, and case studies.  Participation will be evaluated by demonstrated knowledge derived from reading, contribution to discussions, and respect for fellow classmates by encouraging everyone to contribute.

STUDENT DISCUSSION LEADERS:  Students sign up for classes; they will introduce the topic; work with the instructor; and facilitate discussion.

Internship hours: Hamilton Condition Survey (Group Project):

Students will be divided into groups and assigned a sample of volumes in the HMLTN location to review for a conditions survey.  The group will determine factors to be noted.

Hamilton Condition Survey Report (Group Project):

The Condition Survey group will collate the findings from their sample, and write a condition report about their findings and implications to preservation of the Hamilton Library collections.

Final Project:

Research Paper and Discussion

Choose a topic for a research paper that has meaning for you and provides a synthesis of some aspect of the course.

• Investigate a preservation problem at UHM Library.  Provide an analysis of the problem; explore preservation standards; and make recommendations related to the optimal long-term preservation;
• Develop a preservation plan for a Museum, Archives or Library Collection.  The plan should discuss steps necessary to achieve priorities, including a condition survey, and implementation plan that includes institution's decision making practices.
• Create a Preservation web site to provide relevant information on care and handling of materials.
• Argue convincingly for or against the need to preserve material culture within the digital age;
• Develop a position paper on cost effectiveness of preservation in public or school libraries. 
• Write a draft grant proposal for a preservation and access project to Hawaii Council for the Humanities.

The paper should be as long as necessary to present a thoughtful, informative and interesting piece of research. Poor physical presentation of the work, including misspellings, grammatical errors, inadequate footnoting, and the like will result in a lower grade. All papers need to be written using a PC; double space text; use 12pt. Font. Your research paper will be graded on four components:

• interest the topic holds for me as a reader,
• intellectual strength and relevance of the argument,
• evidence of depth involved in the research,
• mechanics of the paper (organization, grammar, spelling, footnoting, etc.).