[PADG:548] Preservation Administration DG Report, Chicago 2005

[Jane Hedberg <jane_hedberg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Preservation Administration DG
Friday, June 24, 2005
2-5 P.M. at the Palmer House, Chicago

PADG serves a special function.  It provides the venue for PARS attendees to reconnect at the start of the conference, so most preservation professionals attend.  With the right topics and meeting management, it can also set a positive tone for subsequent conference meetings.  We have been experimenting with a format that features two discussion topics, a long break with a poster session, and a shorter time for general announcements.

The first topic for discussion was Automating Preservation: Voices from the Field.  Tyra Grant, Preservation Librarian at Northwestern University, reported about Northwestern's development and use of the Kirtas robotic page-turning book scanner.  Next, Cathy Aster, Project Manager of the Digital Services Group at Stanford University, reported about their use of the Digitizing Line automatic book scanner.  Last, Sayeed Choudhury, Associate Director for Library Digital Programs at Johns Hopkins University, reported about CAPM (Comprehensive Access to Printed Materials), which is a project to develop robotics, automated systems and software to enhance access in the JHU romote storage facility.

Just before the break, Yvonne Carignan, Chair of PARS, lead a brief discussion about the conference scheduling changes mandated by ALA and their impact on PARS meetings.

During the break, there were nine posters:

1. Victoria Heidushke       Acetate negatives
2. Ann Marie Willer          Hiring a new preservation technician
3. Kris Kern                     PORTAL disaster recovery group
4. Sayeed Choudhury       CAPM
5. Tyra Grant                    Kirtas Scanner
6. Tyra Grant                    Quality Control for Kirtas Images
7. Tom Clareson               OCLC Updates
8. Carla Montori               ARL statistic gathering
9. Jin Ma                          Publicity for MT 1 and 2 programs

The second discussion topic was Mass Deacidification: New LC Research on the Extension of Paper Life.  Chandru Shahani, Chief, Preservation Research and Testing Division, Library of Congress reported about a newly developed accelerated aging test and experiments to determine the extension-of-life benefit derived from mass deacidification of paper.  At the end of the discussion, Yvonne Carignan read a tribute to Dr. Shahani, on his retirement from the Library of Congress, thanking him for his long-time service to the preservation profession.

 Special Announcements:

Andy Hart and Bob Strauss introduced Paul Conway, the Director of Information Services at Duke University Library, as the most recent winner of the Banks/Harris Award.

Charles Kolb introduced Thomas Mallon, the new Director of the National Endowment for the HumanitiesDivision of Preservation and Access.

Jane Hedberg
Preservation Program Officer
Weissman Preservation Center
Harvard University Library
Holyoke Center 821
Cambridge, MA 02138
voice: (617) 495-8596   fax: (617) 496-8344
jane_hedberg@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://preserve.harvard.edu