Preservation awareness

I am responding to L. Hunter Kevil's request for suggestions for ideas
promoting preservation awareness in research libraries.

Some of the things we do at Northwestern are:

    *   Rain bags.  These are kept at the exits of the various libraries
        on campus. They have a preservation message and are funded by a
        small grant.

    *   Preservation quiz.  This is a handout for New Student Week and
        is kept on a table set up near the entrance to the Library.  It
        tries, in a humorous way, to foster an awareness of
        preservation.

    *   New Faculty Handout.  This is a one page handout used by the
        Reference Department for new faculty members' library education.
        It is intended to educate new faculty members to the various
        aspects of the Preservation Dept.

The following is a list of some of the things the Preservation
Department's education program does to promote preservation awareness
throughout the Library.

    1.  We show the video "Murder in the Stacks" to all incoming new
        students and to new staff.

    2.  We present a training session to ILL (Interlibrary Loan) and
        Circulation staff and students on the care and handling of
        library materials.

    3.  We put up posters near all the copying machines telling users
        the correct way to handle books while photocopying.

    4.  The Preservation Assessment and Replacement Librarian heads the
        Disaster Prevention and Action Team.  The team has compiled a
        Disaster Manula which is updated and revised on an annual basis.

    5.  The same librarian is responsible for all the environmental
        monitoring in our building and does this on a regular basis.

    6.  The Preservation Department is responsible for setting up an
        exhibit each year with a Preservation theme.  In addition, the
        department sponsors, along with the Chicago hand Book Binders,
        an exhibit of new design bindings each year.

    7.  Preservation bookmarks were designed with a preservation
        message.  These are distributed throughout the library at public
        service desks.

    8.  Posters with a preservation awareness message are encapsulated
        and hung in appropriate places throughout the library.

Hope this helps.

Elayne Bond
Head, Materials Processing
Preservation Department
Northwestern University Library

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:40
                Distributed: Tuesday, November 29, 1994
                        Message Id: cdl-8-40-007
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