PEM/Climate Notebook field trial

Image Permanence Institute Call for Applicants:
NEH Funded Environmental Monitoring Project

The Image Permanence Institute has received a major grant from the
National Endowment for the Humanities to continue its ground
breaking work in developing environmental analysis tools for the
preservation community. The goal of the project is to disseminate
the valuable information regarding environmental monitoring and
analysis that IPI has gathered through years of practical experience
and research. As a natural extension of the original work done in
the NEH sponsored grant, "Field Trial for the Preservation
Environment Monitor and Climate Notebook Software", this grant will
explore three methods for wide-scale implementation: 1) development
of a service model in which IPI provides a consultant-like service
to institutions that lack staff time and/or expertise to conduct
environmental monitoring themselves, 2) a "train-the-trainers"
program for preservation service providers, such as regional
conservation centers, national and state government services and
private conservators where IPI will provide training and monitoring
equipment 3) advanced training for participants from the first IPI
field trial to take them to the next level in the environmental
management process.

History/Field Trial I

In 2000 IPI called for applications from U.S. libraries, archives,
and museums to participate in a field trial of newly developed
preservation management technology. The project's goal was to test
and refine a computerized system for gathering and interpreting data
on environmental conditions in collection storage and display areas.
Approximately 180 participating cultural organizations received two
Preservation Environment Monitors (PEM) and a copy of Climate
Notebook. The PEM is an advanced datalogger developed with NEH funds
specifically for preservation use. Climate Notebook is a
Windows-based software application developed by IPI with funds from
the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. IPI provided the hardware,
software, and training free of charge, fulfilling the terms of
grants from NEH and the Institute of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS). The field trial began in November 2000 and ended in July
2003.

Through our work with the Field Trial participants and in our other
preservation management projects several things have become obvious;
1) developing an environmental monitoring program is much more than
placing monitors and uploading data, 2) many institutions need to
develop monitoring programs but do not have the staff, the
expertise, or the budget to implement one, 3) service providers can
help smaller institutions document and analyze their environmental
conditions in a much more efficient manner than was previously
possible. We invite you to learn more about the project and apply
for participation online at:
<URL:http://www.rit.edu/~661www1/sub_pages/8page21a.htm>.

Note: Due to Federal funding for this project, we regret that only
institutions within the United States will be considered for
participation.

The deadline for applications is September 15, 2004.

Please call or email IPI with your questions: 585-475-2843
<fldtrial [at] rit__edu>.

The Image Permanence Institute Staff


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:11
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