Preservation Management for Libraries, Archives and Museums

Memory Institutions such as libraries, archives, galleries and museums all share concerns about preserving heritage, both material and documentary cultural artefacts in collections and new digitally-born material. The management of a wide range of traditional and new media formats creates a challenging environment for institutions.

This new state-of-the-art collection offers guidance from a range of international experts on preservation methods for the sustainability of collections. The book deals with a wide range of contemporary issues including: collection management; the relationship between access and preservation; relevance and use; heritage mandate; funding and sustainability; government directives, including wider promotion/public; user-pays and free access; specialist training; and the impact of digitization and resultant status of the artefact. An informed guide to managing preservation for anyone working in the library, archives, museum and heritage sectors.

The chapters cover: managing the documentary heritage: issues for the present and future preservation policy and planning intangible heritage: museums and preservation surrogacy and the artefact moving with the times in search of permanence a valuation model for paper conservation research preservation of audiovisual media: traditional to interactive formats challenges of managing the digitally born artefact preserving cultural heritage in times of conflict access and the social contract in memory institutions redefining 'the collection' in the 21st century.