The research libraries eligible for the annual support are Columbia, Cornell, the New York State Library, New York University, Rochester, Syracuse, the New York Public Library and the SUNY university centers at Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook. The purpose of the conservation/preservation program is to encourage the proper care and accessibility of research materials in New York State and to assure the survival of important threatened research materials in some form. Each of the eleven comprehensive research libraries is eligible to receive [initially, $90,000, now $126,000] annually for carrying out a conservation/preservation program.
To be eligible for such grants, each comprehensive research library must submit both a five-year plan and an annual program budget. The plan must satisfy criteria to be established by the commissioner in regulations relating to the identification of library research materials, the need for their preservation, and the means of their conservation. These criteria call for a program of conservation and/or preservation involving the coordinated set of activities for the protection, care and treatment of library materials to prevent loss of their informational or intellectual content and for of the objects themselves, including, but not limited to:
History of Program Development
Prior to 1984 the University Libraries had no system-wide preservation program. Instead, each library unit performed limited preservation functions within its respective fiscal boundaries. Impetus to establish a system-wide program came in the summer of 1984 with the establishment of the New York State Conservation/Preservation Program.
Significant Dates in the Development of the University Libraries' Preservation Program
History of Program Development--Services Provided
Since the establishment of a centralized facility funding provided by the New York State Conservation/Preservation Program, together with institutional contributions, has enabled the University Libraries to establish and maintain policies and standards for a wide range of services: conservation treatment of the general circulating collections, including in-house pamphlet, spiral, and wire bindings; double fan adhesive binding; spine repair; endsheet replacement; rebacking and recasing with original or new boards. In addition to book repair, there are policies and standards for the construction of custom made preservation enclosures for fragile or special collections materials, documents, and manuscripts; the encapsulation of flat materials including maps; and conservation sound-storage environments for photographs and other visual collections.
During the initial years of operation, considerable efforts were made to establish procedures for circulation staff to identify damaged materials
History of Program Development--Programmatic Activities
Commercial Binding
The responsibility for commercial binding is decentralized among the various technical services operations
Conservation
Two Conservation Technicians, plus student assistants, are responsible for conservation treatment of the general circulating collections, including in-house pamphlet, spiral, and wire bindings; double fan adhesive binding; spine repair; endsheet replacement; rebacking and recasing with original or new boards. The same staff are also responsible for the construction of custom made preservation enclosures for fragile or special collections materials, documents, and manuscripts; and the encapsulation of flat materials.
Reformatting
As of 1998, a full-time manager operates the day-to-day activities of the reformatting operation and supervises and trains student assistants. The department uses the Xerox DocuTech Model 135 Publisher, which integrates the three advanced technologies of digital scanning, laser imaging, and xerography to provide superior image quality of deteriorated, brittle books. A Savin photocopier is also used.
Microfilming services are provided by Preservation Resources. The reproduction of photographs, study prints, negatives, etc., is provided by the University Art and Photographic Services Department.
Digital imaging operations were begun in 1998 with Library Services and Technology Act funds received by the Western New York Library Resources Council and made available through a contractual arrangement between the Council and the University Libraries. This arrangement permitted the University Libraries to digitize portions of the Love Canal Collection and the Rudy Bruner Award for Excellence in the Urban Environment entries. Currently, digital imaging activities are funded by the University Libraries' regular budget.
Training and Education
During the current five year period a general overview of preservation activities was presented for all staff. A more detailed presentation was made for unit library directors.
A consultant from the Northeast Document Conservation Center visited the University Libraries on two occasions. In May 1998 all interested staff were invited to attend a workshop on disaster prevention. Then in May 1999 hands-on disaster response and recovery training was conducted for 30 staff members from all areas of the University Libraries plus representatives from University Facilities.
Environmental Controls and Monitoring
Through the combined efforts of the preservation program and University Facilities UV sleeves have been placed on light fixtures and there has been a general reduction in the number of fluorescent bulbs used in library locations. The University has expended considerable resources in upgrading air conditioning equipment and installing new air returns in several library facilities. The Libraries have not been successful in exempting most library space from campus heating and cooling policies.
Institutional Support
The University at Buffalo Libraries will continue to provide a significant amount of institutional support to supplement the annual state supported funding of $126,000. The salary of the Preservation Officer is funded by the University Libraries. Also, library staff who engage in commercial binding or rebinding preparations at the Health Sciences, Music, Law Libraries as well as in Central Technical Services; collection development officers who screen brittle materials before any conservation activity takes place, curators of special collections, and administration staff who set direction and assist in overseeing the preservation program are paid from the University Libraries' regular budget. The University Libraries also pay all charges for commercial binding and rebinding; the purchase of new copies, editions, or microforms acquired to replace damaged or brittle books; and for the space occupied by and services provided to all preservation/conservation activities. All general office supplies and equipment is provided by the University Libraries.
Likewise, the University Libraries support the preservation photocopy program by purchasing supplies (toner, developer, etc.) and the maintenance contract for the Xerox DocuTech Model 135 Publisher.
All staff and equipment costs associated with the creation of digital collections are assumed by the University Libraries. Except for the three technician positions, the salaries of all staff who serve on the Preservation Council or the University Libraries Disaster Prevention, Response, and Recovery Team are paid from the University Libraries regular budget.
Five-year goals from the General Statement
The principle which governed the development of goals in 1984 for the first five-year plan is valid today.
GOALS
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.
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. A variety of brittle materials from the Science and Engineering Library and the Closed Stacks area of Lockwood Library received this treatment.
The extensive project with NASA publications continued for a second year. Prior to cataloging, bound volumes containing numerous NASA monographic titles within a single binding, are being disbound with individual titles pamphlet bound.
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
Work continued 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. Also filmed were the most recent volumes of the Buffalo Law Journal and retrospective and current volumes of University publications the Reporter and the Spectrum.
Work also 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.
We concluded the work of 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 and used the Xerox DocuTech to reformat the clippings.
Disaster Preparedness
In 2001/2002 the University Libraries Disaster Prevention, Response, and Recovery Team continued regular meetings. These meetings continued to be 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.
An important meeting was held with the Associate Vice President for University Facilities and members of his staff. The Associate Vice President and his staff discussed what the University is doing to control temperature and humidity within the Libraries. As a result of this meeting we undertook a pilot project to monitor environmental conditions in the special conditions of the Music Library. Following the recommendation of University Facilities, we acquired a temperature and humidity data logger to use in this pilot study.
Preservation Awareness and Outreach Activities
A major update and expansion of the Preservation web site was accomplished. Accessible at http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/cts/preservation/, the site includes sections devoted to the organizational and administrative aspects of our program, local disaster prevention and response information, locally-produced images illustrating conservation procedures, a link to a glossary of preservation terminology, links to web sites for preservation programs at other institutions, and the locally-maintained guide "Resources for Digitization."
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 the numerous exhibits which were staged as part of the University Libraries' recognition of centennial of the Pan American Exposition. Other exhibits for which Preservation staff provided assistance and support were the Music Library's Beethoven exhibit and the several exhibits mounted in the University Libraries as part of a cooperative effort with the Albright-Knox Art Gallery to celebrate American culture of the 1950s.
In 2001/2002 the preservation and conservation activity was as follows:
Albany
Maintaining Collections
Five-Year Goals
Environmental Control
Five-Year Goals
Disaster Prevention and Readiness
Five-Year Goals
Collection Maintenance
Five-Year Goals:
Screening for Preservation Needs and Bibliographic Searching
Five-Year Goals:
Rebinding, Repair and Mending
Five-Year Goals:
Reformatting
Five-Year Goals:
Major Conservation Treatment
Five-Year Goals:
Bibliographic Access
Five-Year Goals:
Ouality Control and Testing of Materials
Five-Year Goals:
Binghamton
Certain aspects of our existing preservation program are well-suited to our current needs and will probably not change significantly: preservation of the circulating collections, rehousing of Special Collections materials, environmental monitoring, disaster planning. There are some conservation problems, specifically in Special Collections, as well as reformatting needs for both circulating and special collections, which cannot be addressed without outside funding.
Syracuse
The primary goal for the Library's preservation program during the next five years will be to balance traditional preservation activities with digital archiving initiatives. During this period, we will refine and/or enhance traditional program activities to maximize our stewardship role of preserving the University's research resources. In addition, our program will maintain its current regional leadership role and will continue to contribute actively to national preservation efforts. Further, although digital archiving activities are not funded by the New York State Statutory Aid Program, we will develop a local strategy for grappling with this emerging preservation challenge
In order to identify current program strengths, weaknesses, and potentials that may lead to enhancements and/or refinements, we will undertake a ten-year review of our preservation program. This review will lead to a strategy that will combine program strengths and potentials to re-shape and fortify the Library's ten-year preservation program to meet old challenges and greet new ones. Currently, the preservation program's greatest strengths are its centrality to the mission of the Library and University, solid integration into library services, strong administrative support, and substantial external funding support by the New York State Statutory Aid Program. These strengths combine to provide a preservation program that has strong internal credibility within the Library, flexibility that enables staff to pursue creative and innovative approaches to a variety of program components, and relatively stable, but modest, funding support.
Preservation program goals for 2000-2005
Binding. Commercial binding operation. Five-year goal(s):Investigate the desirability/feasibility of moving the commercial binding operation from a manual to an online operation;implement appropriate operational refinements and/or changes recommended by the ten-year preservation program review
In-house binding operation (e.g. paperback stiffening, pamphlet binding) Five-year goals for the in-house binding operation: Maintain current level of in-house binding activities.
Conservation/Preservation. General collections conservation/preservation. Five-year goals for general collections conservation/preservation: Identify, in coordination with bibliographers, general collections materials in need of project-based preservation treatment; develop an implementation strategy for project-based preservation treatment of general collections materials; ensure that general collections brittle materials receive adequate and appropriate preservation treatment; maintain the current use-based preservation treatment operation for general collections materials; continue Library, University, and regional/state training and education and outreach efforts.
Special collections conservation/preservation. Five-year goals for special collections conservation/preservation: Continue identification of materials for conservation treatment based on current selection criteria; secure predictable funding for the Preservation and Access Librarian by 2003-04;continue Library, University, and regional/state training and education outreach efforts; provide support for the Library's developing exhibition program; maintain leadership role for conservation training and education initiatives within the Central New York region and education outreach efforts
Reformatting General collections. Five-year goals for general collections reformatting activities: Identify general collections materials eligible for potential NYS/CPP Coordinated Grant Program reformatting projects; link process of identifying candidates for reformatting to the general collections brittle books operation
Reformatting Special collections. Five-year goals for special collections reformatting activities: Identify materials for potential reformatting from the Library's Department of Special Collections and/or from the Belfer Audio Laboratory and Archive for potential grant-funded projects; iIdentify grant opportunities for accomplishing the preservation reformatting needs identified for special collections materialsi re-constitute Belfer's in-house and contract re-recording audio reformatting programs.
Training and Education. Five-year goals for training and education: Continue to offer training and education opportunities for Preservation Department staff, as needed; provide regular preservation training and education opportunities for library staff; continue to support preservation continuing education for library staff outside the Preservation Department as appropriate Training and education for Library staff.
Environmental controls and monitoring. General collections. Five-year goals for general collections environmental controls and monitoring: Initiate spot-check environmental monitoring of general collections stacks, including Bird Library, and the Geology and Physics branch libraries.
Environmental controls and monitoring. Special collections. Five-year goals for special collections environmental controls and monitoring: Achieve and maintain the goal of 68-70 degrees F and 50% relative humidity in summer and 30% relative humidity in winter offered in 1996 by the University's Department of Design and Construction as a realistic target environmental range for Bird Library special collections stacks; provide regular environmental monitoring in the Belfer Audio Laboratory and Archive stacks.
Disaster planning. Five-year goals for disaster planning: Ensure adequate fire protection for the Library's special collections; maintain appropriate level of disaster supplies; ensure adequate disaster preparedness/recovery training and education for library staff
Commercial binding. Continue sending significantly damaged bound materials from all library departments to Bridgeport Bindery for repair and rebinding. Materials needing more basic remediation will continue to receive in-house conservation treatment. Commercial binding initiated by the Preservation Dept. is supported entirely by NYS Conservation/Preservation Funds.
Conservation. Continue and possibly expand program over the next five years, especially if an additional conservation technician can be hired.
Reformatting. Identify more materials in need of reformatting. In addition to contracting for preservation microfilming and photocopying, explore digital reformatting as an option. Reformatting will be paid for by NYS Conservation/Preservation funds.
Training and Education. The library's disaster plan will be updated and the library's disaster recovery team reconstituted. Members of the team will receive orientation and training. In addition, guidelines will be written which explain the criteria used by the Preservation Dept. in making decisions about what kinds of conservation can be done in-house and what kinds need to be commercially performed. Staff throughout the library system need to learn about acceptable practices regarding simple repairs and encouraged to allow only preservation staff to perform these. Staff should become knowledgeable, in a general sense, about what are sound repair practices as opposed to those which are damaging to materials. The preservation librarian will have the responsibility of educating staff on these matters. Aside from preservation staff time, general library funds should support these education and training activities.
Environmental Controls and Monitoring. Climatic conditions will be measured in the stacks and, for the first time, in all branch libraries and collections, over the next two years. Previous surveys have shown the general stacks to have variable climatic conditions which are only grossly controlled. HVAC engineers on campus will be asked to review our findings and make recommendations for improvements that can be affordably implemented. Monitoring of the stacks will begin during the first year. This activity should not require funds from the grant program. Fairly sophisticated climate measuring instruments have already been purchased using Conservation/Preservation funds during the last 5 year period.
Disaster Planning. The disaster plan should be updated and a new disaster recovery team be appointed and trained. This item has the highest priority within the overall five year plan. Disaster supplies and materials were purchased using grant program funds during the last five years.
Evaluate housekeeping practices. Identify needed improvements. Start with the Central Library stacks (first year) and proceed to branch libraries and Special Collections Department. Aside from preservation staff time, this activity should not require NYS Grant funds.
Evaluate storage and handling practices and involve subject bibliographers in active evaluation of the condition of collections in their areas. Encourage their recommendations on weeding, discarding, reordering, and preservation reformatting. Any resulting increase in reformatting will be supported by the Grants Program.
Examine Collection Security. Work with knowledgeable personnel in and outside the library to assess the current state of collection security in relation especially to potential hazards as fire and water damage. A recent recommendation that our fire alarm system be wired directly to the Stony Brook Fire Dept. has been rejected by campus fire safety personnel as not practical. More consultation with the fire marshal is needed on this issue. Water problems may be solved for the time being. The library has undergone major capital improvements over the last five years. The outside of the building was completely resealed, all windows were replaced, and the entire roof was repaired. No major water leaks have been detected for some time now. These improvements were paid for by NYS capital improvement funds.
Educate subject selectors about the library's brittle books program and options available when dealing with these materials. A brittle books policy was revised last year and this needs publicizing so that the volume of treated materials can increase. As in previous years, costs related to this activity will be supported by the Grants Program.
Examine first-time binding options for materials published in soft-cover. General library binding funds should first be used for this activity, which needs expanding. NYS Conservation/Preservation funds may need to be used also,
Establish a non-print committee to develop and implement policies for storage and handling of these materials.
Rochester
During each of the next five years, special collections projects will continue to complement our on-going general collection preservation services. NYS funds will be used mainly to support temporary staff positions for special projects, purchase supplies and equipment to support conservation repair and restoration treatment activities, purchase supplies and furniture for special collections environmental storage/rehousing projects and support vendor services for brittle book reformatting activities.
Conservation
Reformatting
Rehousing/Encapsulation
Other