ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


Be sure to read “Preserving the 
nation’s intellectual heritage: A 
synthesis” by Sheny Byrne and 
Barbara Van Deventer in this 
issue of the News. It concisely 
reviews the role o f major ARL 
libraries in the National Preser­
vation Program  an d  contains 
som e interesting recommenda­
tions for the future. The News 
hopes this article will engender 
discussion about the role of all 
libraries in preserving our intel­
lectual heritage.

AALL develops preservation program
T h e  A m erican  A sso ciatio n  o f Law Libraries 
(AALL) has developed recom m endations, guide­
lines, an d  p rototypes for a national program  to 
address th e special preservation p roblem s o f 
law  libraries. T he program  will b e  im plem ented 
using AALL’s existing com m ittee structure and 
is designed to  raise “preservation consciousness” 
by involving a cross-section o f its m em bership.

T h e re c o m m e n d a tio n s fo r this p ro g ra m  a p ­
p e a r in A m e r ic a n  A sso c ia tio n  o f  L aw  L ib ra r­
ie s’ S p ecia l C o m m ittee o n  P reservation N eeds 
o f  L a w  Libraries: R eport a n d  R e c o m m e n d a ­
tions, w h ic h  also in clu d es a sse ssm e n ts o f th e  
c u rre n t c o n d itio n  o f law  lib rary  collections, 
th e  status o f law  library p reserv atio n  program s, 
a n d  th e  sp e c ia l p re s e rv a tio n  p ro b le m s faced  
b y  law  libraries. T his re p o rt is av ailab le as an 
o ccasio n al p a p e r  from  AALL, 53 W. Jack so n , 
C hicago, IL 60604.

CPA sponsors preservation science 
w o rk sh o p
T h e C om m ission o n  P reservation a n d  Access 
an d  P eter G. Sparks, form er director o f p reser­
vation at th e  Library o f C ongress, are d ev elo p ­
ing a tw o-day invitational w o rk sh o p  o n  p res­
ervation science to  b e  h eld  in S ep tem b er 1992. 
F o u rte e n  p re s e rv a tio n  a d m in is tra to rs a n d  a 
g ro u p  o f scientists e n g a g e d  in p reserv atio n  re­
search  will discuss h o w  scientific research can 
inform  preservation decision-m aking an d  p ro b ­
lem -solving. T he w o rk sh o p  h as tw o  im portant 
objectives: to  pro v id e p reserv atio n  adm inistra­
tors w ith a b e tte r u n d e rsta n d in g  o f scientific 
research an d  its uses, a n d  to  p ro v id e scientists 
w ith a research  ag e n d a  o f specific technical 
problem s.

P reservation  
N e w s

J a n e  H e d b e rg

Bentley A w a rd  sup­
ports archives pres­
ervation seminar
Dr. M argaret Child has re­
ceived a R esearch Fellow ­
ship for th e  Study o f M od­
e r n  A r c h iv e s  f r o m  th e  
Bentley Historical Library of 
th e  University o f Michigan. 
T h e fellow ship su p p o rts a 
four-day preservation sem i­
n a r for archivists w h ich  will 
focus o n  appraisal, d o c u ­
m entation strategy, ch an g ­
in g  in s titu tio n a l p ra c tic e , 

a n d  d ev elo p in g  a n ational p reserv atio n  p lan  
for archives. A ttendees have already b e e n  se­
lected  o n  th e  basis o f their interest in these 
issues.

CPA plans preservation microfilm 
distribution facility
T h e C om m ission o n  P reservation an d  Access 
h as received six resp o n ses to  its req u est for a 
p ro p o s a l fo r m a n a g e m e n t o f a p re se rv a tio n  
microfilm  distribution facility. T he central facil­
ity is n e e d e d  to  pro v id e cost-effective access to 
th e  450,000 titles w h ich  will b e  p reserv ed  o n  
microfilm  b y  th e National E n dow m ent for th e 
H um anities D ivision o f P reservation an d  Ac­
cess Brittle B ooks program .

Fox reports on NARA meeting
Lisa Fox, M anager o f P reservation Field Ser­
vices at SOLINET, h as p re p a re d  a tw o -p ag e 
sum m ary o f several p resen tatio n s m ade at the 
N ational A rchives a n d  R ecords A dm inistration 
A nnual Preservation C onference in March 1992. 
N ew  research  o n  environm ental standards for 
p a p e r-b a se d  m aterials a n d  effective fire p ro ­
tectio n  for c o m p a c t shelving is o f particular 
interest to  librarians. F ree copies o f th e  sum ­
m ary are available from  SOLINET, 1438 W est 
P e ach tree Street NW, Suite 200, A tlanta, GA 
30309-2955; (800) 999-8558. ■

J a n e  Hedberg prepares this colum n f o r  the College 
Libraries Committee, Commission on Preservation 
a n d  Access. Items f o r  this colum n are welcomed, 
a n d  c an be subm itted via Internet: JHEDBERG® 
LUCY. WELLESLEY.EDU; F ax (617) 239-1139; p hone 
(617) 2 3 5 -0 3 2 0 x 2 1 03; or mail: J a n e  Hedberg, 
Wellesley College Library, 1 06 Central Street, 
Wellesley, MA 02181-8275-

M ay 1992 /  3 3 9

WELLESLEY.EDU