ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 572 / C&RL News ■ September 2002 College & Research Libraries news Consortial preservation management A new model for library preservation administration by Brian J. Baird I n th e 1 9 7 0 s, r e s e a r c h l i b r a r i e s b e ­ g a n to focus m ore attention a n d resources o n library pre serv a tio n . Library p re serv a ti dramatically grew in the 1980s a nd early 1990s, but in recent years the Association o f Research Libraries (ARL) has d o c u m e n te d th at s p e n d ­ ing for preservation has decreased. This is par­ ticularly true for preservation staffing.1 Money p reviously s p e n t o n staff is n o w b e in g c h a n ­ n e le d tow ard o th er activities, w ith a large part o f th e fu n d in g s u p p o rtin g d ig itiz a tio n p r o ­ gram s. Many o f th e larg e r re se a rc h libraries have struggled to a d eq u a te ly fill their p re ser­ vation adm inistrator (PA) positions w ith e x p e ­ rienced personnel, in p art because salaries of­ fered for these positions have not b een adequate e n o u g h to entice qualified PAs to m ove aw ay from their c urrent institutions. A m erica’s librarians a re an aging p o p u la ­ tion: 66 p e rc e n t are o v e r 45 years o f age a n d o n ly 22 p e r c e n t a re u n d e r 40 y e a r s . 2This m e a n s t h a t f u tu r e p r o s p e c t s d o n o t lo o k b r ig h t fo r fillin g s p e c ia li z e d p r o f e s s io n a l positions, such as PAs, b e c a u se there will be fe w e r c a n d id a te s fo r th e jo b s p o ste d . H o w ­ ever, th e situation is n o t necessarily as b lea k as it m ay initially appear. A practical solution Currently, m any research libraries find th em ­ selves with fairly well-developed parts of a pres­ erv atio n p rogram , b u t they lack the adm inis­ tr a t i v e s t r u c tu r e n e e d e d to e f fe c ti v e ly o coordinate preservation efforts throughout the library system. This is the role o f the preserva­ n tio n adm in istrato r. An effective PA c a n p ro ­ vide th e lea d ersh ip , ex p ertise, a n d d irection necessary to ensure that a library’s preservation p ro g ram is p ro viding th e services the library needs. This role d o e s n o t necessarily h ave to b e filled by an e x p ert o n full retainer at the li­ brary. It w o uld benefit som e libraries to inves­ tigate ways to develop cooperative relationships w ith o th er libraries to c o n d u ct their p reserva­ tion administrative duties. Com munications technology a nd the m atu­ rity o f library preservation as a profession p ro ­ vide opportunities for libraries to secure pres­ ervation expertise via a consortial agreem ent, w ith libraries in a state or region jointly hiring a PA. T he PA can w ork from a h ost institution th at will p ro v id e an office, co m m u n ica tio n s su p p o rt, a n d staff a ssista n ce . T h e c o n so rtia partners can th en secure as m uch preservation assistance as they want. Such a m odel could be particularly attractive in th e w e ste rn p arts of the country, w here populations are smaller and expertise is m ore difficult to find. How consortial agreem ents w ork Currently, I have a full-time appointm ent at the U niversity o f K ansas (KU) Libraries as th eir preservation librarian. For the last tw o years, I have also held an adjunct appointm ent with the Kansas State University (KSU) Libraries, w here I w ork w ith their preservation team. About the author Brian J. Baird is preservation librarian a t the University o f Kansas Libraries, e-mail: bbaird@ku.edu mailto:bbaird@ku.edu C&RL N ew s • S e p te m b e r 20 02 / 573 T h e agreem ent betw een the two libraries specifically calls for m e to m ake five daylong visits p er year to KSU, w here I w ork with the preservation team to provide general training for their library staff and work with staff mem­ bers who are conducting specific preservation activities (such as the binding unit supervisor and the b ook repair technician). During the time I have w orked with KSU, w e have engaged in the following activities: • library binding (KU and KSU share a bind­ ing contract); • book repair training; • preservation supply orders and specifica­ tions; • staff training on preservation issues and care and handling o f library materials; and • preparing bid specifications for a micro­ filming project. In the coming months we will work on larger projects, such as disaster planning, condition surveys o f the collections, and developing a li­ brary-wide preservation plan. In addition to driving 90 miles to KSU five times a year, I have also had their staff visit the preservation d epartm ent at the KU Libraries to receive specific training. We have also vis­ ited H eckman Bindery, our contract binder, in North Manchester, Indiana. B etw een visits we interact fairly regularly via e-mail and telephone. W orkin g in an y c o n so rtia l arra n g em en t presents challenges, but libraries should c o n ­ tinue to put tim e and en erg y in to d e v e lo p ­ ing th e s e c o o p e r a tiv e relatio n sh ip s. W h en properly designed, the benefits outw eigh the costs. This holds true for consortial preservation management agreements. For each cooperative group, details will need to b e worked out based on state laws, purchasing regulations, and the like, but o nce such agreements are established, as the KU-KSU experience illustrates, they can prove to b e very effective. The model w e have established in Kansas is an attractive o p tio n for m any regions o f the country. In addition to the current agreem ent b etw een KU and KSU, the KU preservation department also offers conservation services to other educational institutions throughout the state on a cost-recovery basis.3 This program has b een very successful and has enabled educational agencies from around the state to acquire b ook conservation services and expertise that are otherwise unavailable to W orking in consortial arran gem en ts m ay present m any challenges, but libraries should continue to put tim e and energy into developing th ese cooperative relationship s. When properly designed, the ben efits o utw eigh th e costs. individual institutions. Such a program provides the host institution with a w ay o f generating incom e to offset the expenses o f running a fully staffed and equipped conservation facility. Like­ wise, it allows participating agencies to secure high-quality conservation services without hav­ ing to have an in -h o u se lab oratory. T h e consortial PA can also provide exp ertise and training on a regular basis so that participating libraries n eed only hire tech nicians to repair materials from the circulating collections. Many smaller academ ic institutions are of­ ten n ear larger re se a rch libraries and cou ld greatly benefit from the preservation expertise o f staff found at the larger institution. Formal­ izing an agreem ent for the PA to provide such services will enable the host institution to re­ cou p som e o f the salary costs for their PA. Requirem ents fo r a good PA For a consortial preservation management pro­ gram to w ork effectively, the PA must have a strong background in preservation administra­ tion, have m ore than a theoretical knowledge o f library preservation issues (they need e xp e­ rience running an effective preservation pro­ gram), and possess strong organizational and communication skills. Effectively communicat­ ing preservation principles and theories to in­ dividuals with little or no prior preservation ex­ perience is imperative. Also key are interpersonal relationship skills to resolve concerns library staff members might have about the programs being implemented. In a con sortial arrangem ent it is easy for the individual libraries to lo se track o f all the ac­ tivities that are taking place. It is the responsi­ bility o f the PA to effectively and regularly com ­ municate with participating libraries to ensure that all preservation team members and appro­ 574 / C&RL News ■ Sep tem b er 2002 priate administrative personnel are kept abreast o f the progress that is being made on preser­ vation projects. The PA must also have strong leadership skills and be self-motivated. This means accept­ ing the responsibility for providing the neces­ sary energy and leadership to get preservation programs started. It also means having the dis­ cipline and determination to see projects through, despite distractions that may arise in the libraries where the services are being of­ fered. Because many preservation activities are im­ portant, but not urgent, it is often tempting for library staff to allow preservation-related du­ ties to get moved to a back burner and never get picked up again. It is the PA’s job to pro­ vide the leadership and motivation necessary to keep this from happening. He or she must clearly demonstrate, by example, how to com­ plete tasks on time and follow up regularly with preservation team members to ensure they are meeting their obligations. Despite all this, the PA must be flexible and adaptive. Procedures that work in one library may not work in another. The PA should have the experience necessary to recognize what will and will not work and be dynamic enough to adjust an agenda to meet the specific needs o f individual libraries. Few people naturally have the skill sets nec­ essary to effectively administer preservation programs at more than one institution at a time. However, these skills can be learned just as other management skills are learned. Final thoughts T h e idea o f libraries acq u irin g part-tim e ( “ACRLin Atlanta” continued from page 565) willing to pay $20 a month for Questia. Will­ iams is pursuing global markets where he envi­ sions the Questia product bundled with required textbooks. Morris Shephard (chief marketing officer of Knowledge Ventures) described his develop­ ment strategy: to produce nonfrustrating re­ search tools that keep students interested at teachable moments and that enable teachers to retrieve sources quickly, thus attaining credibil­ ity with their students. Shephard promoted emerging partnerships between libraries and preservation expertise is certainly not new. Ser­ vice bureaus around the country offer such ser­ vices to libraries on a regular basis.4 While these programs are excellent, a consortial agreement between libraries allows participating institu­ tions to have access to preservation expertise on a more regular and consistent basis. In many research libraries, PAs have ac­ cepted additional job duties as needed by their institution. Instead of capturing time from the PA to accomplish other library du­ ties, institutions should consider opportuni­ ties to offer preservation services to neigh­ boring libraries unable to support these needs for themselves. The KU-KSU model is just one example of how this can work well. Establishing consortial preservation manage­ ment agreements has great potential that should be investigated in earnest by more research libraries. Notes 1. Julia Blixrud, “Preservation Expenditures Level; Microfilming, Staffing D ec lin e,” B i­ m onthly Newsletter o f R esearch Library Issues a n d A ction s, Issue 201 (Decem ber 1998). See the ARL Web site at http://www.arl.org/newsltr/ 20 l/stats%2Dpres. html. 2. Mary Jo Lynch, “What we Now Know about Librarians,” A m erican L ib raries 31 (Feb­ ruary 2000): 9. 3. See the University o f Kansas Libraries’ Preservation Department Web page for more information about this service at http:// w w w 2. lib . k u . edu/preservation/. 4. For exam ple, see the Regional Alli­ ance for Preservation Web page at http:// w w w .rap-arcc.org. ■ knowledge industries and blasted textbook pub­ lishers as wrong-headed old losers. Susan Swords Steffen (Elmhurst College) reported on a pilot project with Questia at her library. Students who used Questia were disap­ pointed with their search results, but they were unaware o f the superior database products available to them via proxy campuswide. Steffen implored librarians to market their services more effectively and take a proactive role with vendors to make library database products more accessible and convenient to use.— C la u d ia Shon; Gwinnett University CenterL ibrary, csborr® guc..usg.edu ■ http://www.arl.org/newsltr/ http://www.rap-arcc.org