General online preservation sources
http://www.conservation-us.org/
The following resources are good sources of information for a variety of preservation related topics. Some required and suggested readings will be drawn from them over the course of the semester, and others might be helpful with assignments:
| Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), | www.amianet.org | A non-profit professional organization of archivists who work with moving image materials. Offers information about the preservation and care of moving image formats and media (film, tapes, and discs). |
| Canadian Conservation Institution (CCI), | www.cci-icc.gc.ca/main_e.aspx | A source of conservation information for a number of audiences from museum staff to archivists, students to the public. Provides information on the deterioration of various formats/media and some more specialized tools such as a light damage calculator. |
| Connecting to Collections, | www.connectingtocollections.org | A great source of free resources organized by type of material directed towards smaller cultural heritage institutions. Also be sure to check out their archives of free webinars for recordings, powerpoint slides, and suggested readings and links. In particular, this is a great basic one: Collections Care Basics |
| Conservation On-Line (CoOL), | www.cool.conservation-us.org | A free source of information about a range of conservation topics. Some of the material is a little dated, but still provides a helpful foundation for a number of types of materials. |
| Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), | www.clir.org | CLIR is “an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning.”Their website offers reports on a variety of topics concerning preservation and digital libraries, among other topics. |
| Digital Curation Centre, | www.dcc.ac.uk | An UK-based organization with a focus on digital curation and digital preservation. |
| International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA), | www.iasa-web.org | The IASA “functions as a medium for international co-operation between archives that preserve recorded sound and audiovisual documents.” Their website offers a listserv, helpful links, and information about publications they offer. |
| International Council on Archives (ICA), | www.ica.org | A professional organization at the international level that is focused on archives and archivists. Their website provides information about archival organizations, professional resources, and annual conferences. |
| International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), | www.ifla.org/preservation-and-conservation | The Preservation and Conservation Section “is concerned with the preservation of the world's documentary heritage. It provides an international forum for all types of libraries to exchange, develop and disseminate knowledge and experience dealing with theories, policies and practices for the preservation of all recorded knowledge, regardless of the storage medium.” Their website provides news, helpful links and resources, and information about publications they offer. |
| Image Permanence Institute (IPI), | www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org | The IPI “provides cultural institutions, preservation scientists, and consumer preservation industries in the US and abroad with significant research, publications, and tools to enable the preservation of image collections and material culture. Our resources are committed to specialized scientific research, the development of up-to-date standards and reliable tools, and the dissemination of useful and understandable information to a broad range of cultural institutions and media consumers.” |
| Library of Congress, | www.loc.gov |
| Preservation | “The Preservation Directorate at the Library of Congress is responsible for ensuring long-term access to the intellectual content of the collections. This is achieved through a multi-faceted approach carried out by four divisions and the Library's mass deacidification program.” |
| Digital Preservation | “This site presents information about [National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program] NDIIPP partners and initiatives, along with details about digital preservation standards and best practices, tools and services and education and training. There is also a substantial section on personal digital archiving that focuses on tips and guidance for how individuals and families can preserve their digital memories.” |
| Audio-Visual Conservation |
| PREMIS | A preservation metadata format managed by LOC. |
| Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), | www.nedcc.org |
| Preservation 101 | “This free online resource provides a basic introduction to the concepts and standards used to build an effective preservation program, and includes discussion of preservation policies, building and environment, care and handling of collection materials, reformatting, emergency preparedness, and conservation practices.” |
| Preservation Leaflets | A collection of short leaflets on a range of pertinent preservation topics. Each one is revised regularly and contains a wealth of information and citations for additional sources. |
