NSW public library wiki

Managing a local studies collection encompasses a range of activities. As you continue to grow the collection, management activities will include selection, accessioning, cataloguing, preservation/conservation,digitisation and reformatting. Accession all items as soon as they have been purchased or donated either by:

• Downloading full Libraries Australia record. Make sure donor/purchase information is collected and stored. This information is for library use only. Accession information may be stored on your LMS or separately. Wherever it is stored it needs to be linked to the material.
• If original cataloguing is required create a short MARC record with Author, Title and donor details ( DELETE? as this is personal info)until full record can be created. Add record to Libraries Australia.

Cataloguing

• Medium/Standard level - Less detailed description (AACR2 2nd level), one or two subject headings, limited notes and not all coded data with shortened classification numbers. Completed to RDA minimum required elements. See -Libraries Australia RDA required data elements
• include a link - extracted catalogue data

Appropriate housing and storage

• Australian Institute of Conservation of Cultural Material has useful reference documents

Plan priorities for digitisation

• Use Digital practice guidelines to plan and start digitising.Preservation and access copies should be digitised at the highest resolution possible.

Disaster planning and recovery plan

• Be prepared
• ALIA guide to disaster planning
• ALIA disaster planning for libraries
• SLNSW strategy and planning

Digital preservation strategy See the Digital practice guidelines for this

Cataloguing

• Information to be added in

Appropriate housing and storage

• Australian Institute of Conservation of Cultural Material has useful reference documents

Plan priorities for digitisation

• Additional areas to consider include applying for grants, having a continuing, structured digitisation plan, increase the range of formats being digitised, seek partners to help with digitising, digitisation in relation to exhibitions.
• Write a Digitisation Plan.

Disaster planning and recovery plan

• Be prepared
• ALIA guide to disaster planning
• ALIA disaster planning for libraries
• SLNSW strategy and planning

Cataloguing

• Information to be added in
• High level indexing or finding aids
• Local studies portal
• Available for single search options

Appropriate housing and storage

• Australian Institute of Conservation of Cultural Material has useful reference documents including best practice models for cultural institutions.

Plan priorities for digitisation

• All relevant material digitised. Some duplicate or very similar items may not need to be digitised and ensure this is covered in the Digitisation Plan.

Disaster planning and recovery plan

• Be prepared
• ALIA guide to disaster planning
• ALIA disaster planning for libraries
• SLNSW strategy and planning
• www.blueshieldaustralia.org.au/

The library is responsible for the collecting, creating, storage, display and handling of the local studies collection. Preservation encompasses everything which helps to prolong the life of those materials and/or their informational content. A great deal can be undertaken in house by following various guidelines as suggested. However, it is important to know when to call a professional.

'Significance' relates to the meaning and value that objects and collections have for their community. These items may be significant to your local community or the nation. A significance assessment helps explain the collection's meaning and value in the context of the community which shaped or produced the collection or items.

An assessment can be undertaken for the whole collection, for a particular section of the collection or selected items and can assist you in making good collection management decisions, including planning for digitisation.

More information about significance assessments can be found in the publication 'Significance 2.0'

Conservation management includes:

• conservation treatment options for a range of library materials
• appropriate collection storage
• digitisation and reformatting options

A good approach to housing your collections is to provide several layers of protection by first placing individual objects into sleeves or envelopes, then into suitable boxes or folders. Always label boxes and folders for ease of access and retrieval.

There are two main materials used for archival enclosures: paper and polypropylene. The choice between paper and polypropylene enclosures should be based on the type of object being housed and its condition, the anticipated amount of use, financial resources, and environmental storage conditions.

Preservation - Access in perpetuity

• Digital preservation - Digitisation for preservation/conservation/; Digitisation for access; Digital archives – ensure hardware is available to support future access and superseded formats. Consider migrating data rather than maintaining hardware. May consider emulation.
• Archive file formats
• Non-digital preservation, including preservation storage see AICCM collection care

Printed photographs and postcards can be stored in mylar sleeves. Mylar (a brand name) is a sheet made of polyester, used extensively in conservation work. It gives acid free, long term protection for all types of documents and photography. Mylar comes in a variety of sizes and is suitable for documents, maps and photographs. Mylar can be purchased as a roll or in a range of standard size envelopes.

Negatives, slides and transparencies can also be stored in mylar sheets and then boxed or stored in folders appropriate to the format. Polypropylene Photo Storage Albums (comprising binder & slipcase) are available in A4, Foolscap, A3 and A2 sizes. Items can be stored in hole-punched polypropylene sleeves. A range of sizes are available for negatives, slides, CDs, prints & ephemera.

Glass negatives or other non-standard size negatives can be individually wrapped in appropriate non-acidic paper such as four-flap folders and then boxed. Items can then be stored in standard archival boxes ranging from upright storage of glass negatives to flat storage of prints. Glass negative storage boxes should be labeled with “Glass – Fragile – Heavy.” Custom-sized boxes also available. Suppliers for these and other areas can be obtained from NAA list of suppliers.

Maps, plans and posters may be stored in mylar sleeves. Rolls of mylar are available which allow you to customise the housing for larger items by making the sleeve to the appropriate size. Items may be stored in map cabinets. Cabinets may either store items flat in a drawer or use a hanging system.Very large maps may be rolled.The method of digitisation may depend on the size of the item and the available facilities. Photographing the item may be necessary.

- Prints, drawings, and watercolours should be stored flat.Interleave artworks with archival tissue to protect them from abrasion and ink or adhesive transfer from other items. Remember some medium may have specific storage or display requirements and it may be necessary to consult a professional. When working with artworks, use pencil not ink. Pencil marks are readily removed, whereas ink can be difficult or impossible to remove. Archival enclosures such as boxes, folders, wallets and paper cards protect paper based items against mechanical damage, light and dust.

- Documents,pamphlets and other paper-based ephemera can be stored in buffered foolscap manila folders, document wallets, four-flap folders or paper envelopes. Alternatively store in inert plastic sleeves such as polypropylene or polyester. Standard archival boxes are available for both upright and flat storage of these files.

Foil backed self-adhesive labels can be used to label folders, enclosures and containers that house archival material. The foil layer prevents ink from penetrating the label and affecting the adhesive, and also prevents adhesive penetrating the foil layer to attack the ink and cause excessive fading.

Index cards.

Standard archive boxes for large and small index cards are available. Custom-sized boxes are also available. Cards can be interleaved with buffered tissue or paper, or housed in polypropylene/polyester sleeves if appropriate.

Scrapbooks/cutting books.

The preservation of scrapbooks and albums can be a challenge because of the variety of items which may be included.

• Store the album flat, preferably in a preservation-quality, well-fitting box that keeps out light, dust, and pests
• Digitise and consider microfilm

- Digitise out of copyright material if possible, and search if material already digitised (Google books, Hathi Trust) Digitise for archival purposes, if in copyright. If book is rare, do not write on book. Write barcode number in pencil or consider the use of buffered archival bookmarks or id strips. Archival bookmarks (rare book id strips) are buffered archival bookmarks with semicircular slot for securing onto book pages. Protruding tabs allow for the recording of information.

- Make available online where possible, including for loan. Include in digital preservation, and migrate formats when required. Make sure have high quality preservation copy as well as access copy. For donated ebooks, see if they can be available online, check on conditions at time of donation and sale PDF can work

- Store in archival housing. Digitise and consider microfilm. Finding aids may be replicated in the catalogue record.When counting archives, consider counting volumes and boxes or measure in linear metres.

- Store flat, in boxes, or wrapped.Consider having materials digitised at the same time as having items microfilmed

- Consider having materials digitised at the same time as having items microfilmed.

- Consider having materials digitised at the same time as having items microfilmed.For original masters consider offsite, secure storage.

- Digitise. Consider transcripts. Consider OHMS Oral History Metadata Synchronizer.

- There will be changes to this section once Digital practice guidelines are updated. Consider OHMS Oral History Metadata Synchronizer. Consider transcripts (will be required if online). Youtube has transcript options

- Digitise. Consider transcripts. Preservation digitisation is permitted under copyright for material in copyright. See copyright council. Libraries: Introduction to copyright Film and copyright

- Digital preservation requires a proactive program to identify records at risk and take necessary action to ensure their ongoing viability. Consider using non-proprietary software.

- Consider capturing your website. Check if your council website is captured on Pandora. Search Pandora for local sites of relevance. Nominate sites for Pandora

- Materials and dimensions are varied and will require different types of handling, storage and preservation needs. Once again a good place to start is Australian Institute of Conservation of Cultural Material has useful reference documents. The document reCollections: caring for collections provides advice on handling, storing and transporting a range of non-paper based items including metals, plastics and wood.

Building on the information in the Guidelines section, you need to be ready for a disaster. You will need to respond to the immediate disaster and then long term recovery. It may be possible to approach the localfire brigade for assistance with preparing a disaster recovery plan and for backup if disaster does occur. As well as training library staff in disaster handling procedures perhaps thelocal historical society and groups such as scouts and girl guides may also be trained to assist with disaster recovery.

National Archives of Australia Provides advice on recovering flood-damaged records, fire-damaged records

Library of Congress Emergency preparedness Discusses risk management, emergency management, response and recovery, and some good links to other sites. (SR)

Preservation Australia Some Youtube videos on dealing with water damage to different types of materials.

Be Prepared Guidelines for small museums in writing a disaster preparedness plan found on several sites, still a valuable resource

Blue Shield Australia established in 2005 focuses on preventing, preparing for, and responding to emergency situations in case of armed conflict or natural disasters that may affect Australia’s cultural heritage.

Guidelines for having a local studies collection

The value of a local studies collection

Who is the audience local studies

Collection policy local studies

Managing collections local studies

Providing access local studies

Rights and permissions local studies

Staff local studies

Researching local studies

Programs and publicity local studies

Evaluation local studies