NARRATIVE REPORT
Introduction
This report covers preservation activities performed in the University Libraries for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001. During the year priority was given to collection conservation and reformatting, disaster preparedness, and Preservation staff training. State aid was used to fund the salaries of technicians and student assistants, to purchase supplies needed for conservation treatment, preservation photocopy activities, and disaster preparedness, and to support preservation microfilming.
Conservation and Reformatting of General Collections
Identification of damaged books continued to be done in unit libraries through the circulation process while brittle book review and reformatting decisions continued to be done by subject bibliographers. A combination of well-developed internal procedures and highly capable and motivated staff enabled us to stay current with conservation and reformatting activities.
Changes in procedure, workflow, and the use of new tools enhanced productivity and the quality of the finished product. The introduction of new rotary cutters enabled us to cut cloth more efficiently and accurately. Early in the year it was decided that it would be more cost effective to send an additional category of damaged books to the commercial binder-books instead of doing in-house repair. We concluded that the cost of rebinding is less than the cost of staff and supplies required to replace entire covert in-house. The rebound books are also more attractive and should hold up better to continued heavy use.
The use of protective enclosures was increased. For large volumes too brittle to repair and not considered good candidates for reformatting, enclosures have become a viable option. The staff also introduced a new style of phase box.
When an extensive collection of curriculum and children's literature was transferred from the College of Education to the University Libraries, Preservation staff inspected the material to identify damage items. Damaged material was repaired or rebound before it became part of this heavily used collection.
A project with NASA publications was initiated. Prior to cataloging bound volumes containing numerous NASA monographic titles within a single binding are being disbound with individual titles tape bound. Work also began on an extensive project to encapsulate the 2000 census maps for Erie and Niagara counties. After these oversized maps are encapsulated they are arranged in census block order units and then placed in board covered bindings constructed by Preservation staff. We are projecting that there will twenty volumes of maps.
The work of our outstanding technicians who provide treatment to the Libraries' circulating collections through book repair, rehousing, and rebinding and through the reformatting of brittle books through preservation photocopying is truly the hallmark of our conservation activities.
Conservation and Reformatting of Specialized Collections
The project of making of protective enclosures for the George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection was concluded.
Work began with the microfilming of the Buffalo Medical Journal. From the mid-1800s until the early 1900s the journal was the record of the activities of the medical community in Buffalo. This will be a multi-year project. Preservation Resources will continue to be our contractor.
Work continued with efforts to reformat or rehouse the Music Library's extensive collection of manuscript material continued. Preservation staff constructed wrappers, portfolios, and envelopes for many of the non-traditional size scores. Also, additional scores were photocopied and pamphlets were bound in-house. State aid was used to purchase a variety of supplies needed for this operation. The presence of the archivist/librarian in the Music Library continues to create the momentum for this effort.
For another year work continued with the reformatting and rehousing of the University Archives' holdings of the records of the Ecumenical Task Force of the Niagara Frontier relating to the Love Canal and other hazardous waste issues for Western New York in the period 1979-90. Student assistants paid by the University Libraries prepared the extensive number of newspaper articles included in the collection for photocopying, used the Xerox DocuTech to reformat the clippings, and began scanning this material.
The money earmarked for University Art and Photographic Services was to make study prints and/or negatives for some of the historical photographs. The selection and review process of the photographic collection was entirely stopped after both professional staff in University Archives left the University. The funds that would have been used for this purpose were used to purchase additional mylar needed for encapsulating the large, over-sized census maps described above. The loss of University Archives staff also resulted in the reduction of material sent for pamphlet binding and in the amount of funding needed for pamphlet binders.
Disaster Preparedness
In 2000/2001 the University Libraries Disaster Prevention, Response, and Recovery Team continued regular meetings. These meetings have developed into a useful forum for sharing information and experiences among the numerous libraries and special collections which make up the University Libraries. We continued to have good control over disaster preparedness supplies. All unit libraries now have sufficient plastic sheeting to allow them to respond immediately to potential water damage to collections.
Arrangements were made for a meeting in 2001 to be attended by the Associate Vice President for University Facilities and members of his staff. The Associate Vice President will discuss what the University is doing to control temperature and humidity within the Libraries.
Preservation Staff Training
A combination of state aid and University Libraries' funding was used to support attendance at workshops. One of the technicians attended several extensive courses sponsored by the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild.
The Preservation Council
The Preservation Council's role was continued. All areas of the University Libraries are represented on this group which is charged with 1) monitoring goals and objectives of the preservation program; 2) advising how best to realize the goals and objectives of the preservation program's current five-year plan; 3) assisting in the compilation of an annual preservation calendar; 4) assisting in the preparation of an operational plan, budget, and report; 5) participating in the identification of projects for which grant funding would be appropriate and in the identification of possible sources of external funding; and 6) assisting in the preparation of successive five-year plans.
The Council drafted a statement on local preservation practices which has been adopted by the University Libraries. The statement was prepared, in part, because of the publicity surrounding the publication of Nicholson Baker's Double Fold : Libraries and the Assault on Paper. A copy of the statement is attached.
Preservation Awareness and Outreach Activities
The instructor in a University course in book design brought her class to the Preservation facility for a tour and demonstration of book repair. An exhibit and tour were also prepared for a visiting librarian from Burma. One of our technicians taught a book repair class at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.
Preservation staff prepared a program and tour as part of the University's Bring Your Daughter to Work day. Demonstrations on how to care for library and personal books and on the making of paper boxes from book dust jackets were provided at this well-attended event.
Considerable progress was made toward developing a local web site on preservation awareness.
The involvement of Preservation staff in the staging of exhibits helps create attractive exhibits while also ensuring that materials are displayed properly. Staff assisted with mounting, matting, and framing; they also participated in the design of several exhibits in the University Libraries and one in the University Art Gallery.
Institutional Support
The University Libraries continued to make a significant contribution to the staffing for preservation activities. In addition to the time of the Preservation Officer, a Library Clerk III continued to work full time as conservation manager, and her presence has had a positive impact on conservation and preparedness activities. We are also using part of the time of the Head of the Cataloging Department in Central Technical Services to help oversee the conservation activities and to work with unit library staff in the area of disaster preparedness and recovery. The Director of Central Technical Services continues to be the administrator overseeing the preservation program.
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