PEM/Climate Notebook field trial

Invitation to Test New Environmental Assessment Technology for
Preservation

The Image Permanence Institute (IPI) seeks libraries, archives, and
museums in the USA to participate in a field trial of newly
developed preservation management technology. IPI will offer
hardware, software, and training free of charge to eighty different
cultural organizations under the terms of a grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities. The purpose of the project is to test
and refine a computerized system for gathering and interpreting data
on environmental conditions in collection storage and display areas.

Participating institutions will receive two Preservation Environment
Monitors (PEMs) and a copy of the Climate Notebook software program.
The PEM is an advanced datalogger developed specifically for
preservation use in an earlier NEH-funded project. Climate Notebook
is a windows-based software application created by IPI with support
from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Climate Notebook offers
advanced interpretation and reporting capabilities for temperature
and RH data collected from a variety of devices. The hardware and
software will be given to participating institutions during a
mandatory 1 1/2 day training session, four of which will be held in
different locations across the country. The field trial will last up
to two years, beginning in fall 2000.

Responsibilities of field trial participants include:

    *   sponsorship of a staff representative  (travel and
        accommodation expenses) to attend an initial training
        session

    *   written evaluation of the complete system

    *   willingness to share (anonymously) summary data on
        collection storage environments

    *   good faith effort to advance the utility of the new
        technology

Deadline: Applications must be received by Sept 1, 2000.

Selection criteria: Selection of participating institutions will be
based on achieving a diversity of institutional types, sizes,
geographic locations, and existing preservation capabilities. Level
of interest in the project will also be a consideration. Successful
applicants will be notified by Sept. 15, 2000.

More information including the application form is available at
<URL:http://www.rit.edu/ipi/>

IPI contact information:

    Image Permanence Institute
    Rochester Institute of Technology
    70 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester
    NY 14623-5604
    716-475-5199
    Fax: 716-475-7230
    ipiwww [at] rit__edu


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 14:1
                   Distributed: Monday, June 19, 2000
                        Message Id: cdl-14-1-005
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