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Library Preservation and Conservation Audit Checklist

A comprehensive checklist for auditing preservation and conservation practices in educational libraries to ensure the long-term protection and accessibility of both physical and digital collections.

Library Preservation and Conservation Audit Checklist

by: audit-now
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About This Checklist

Preserving and conserving library collections is crucial for maintaining the intellectual and cultural heritage within educational institutions. This comprehensive Library Preservation and Conservation Audit Checklist is designed to help librarians, archivists, and conservation specialists evaluate and improve their preservation practices. By addressing key areas such as environmental control, disaster preparedness, digital preservation, conservation treatments, and staff training, this checklist ensures that libraries can effectively protect and extend the lifespan of their valuable collections, both physical and digital.

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Industry

Education

Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.79 - Library Preservation

Workspaces

Libraries

Occupations

Librarians
Archivists
Conservators
Preservation Specialists
Digital Preservation Managers
1
Are environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, light) within the recommended standards for preserving library materials?
2
Is there a documented disaster preparedness and recovery plan for the library's collections?
3
What percentage of the library's digital materials are backed up according to the digital preservation policy?
Min: 0
Target: 100
Max: 100
4
Are conservation treatments regularly performed on rare books and archival materials?
5
What is the overall condition rating of the library's collections?
6
Is there a comprehensive document detailing best practices for preservation and conservation?
7
When was the last environmental audit conducted for the library?
8
How many training sessions on handling rare books are conducted annually?
Min: 0
Target: 2
9
Are archival materials accessible to researchers and the public?
10
Is there an inventory management system in place for tracking archival materials?
11
What is the average number of preservation checks performed on archival materials each month?
Min: 0
Target: 5
12
What feedback has been received from users regarding the care of archival materials?
13
How effective are the current preservation strategies for the library's collections?
14
Is there a record of all conservation treatments performed on collections?
15
When was the last training session on preservation practices held for staff?
16
What percentage of the library's annual budget is allocated for preservation activities?
Min: 0
Target: 10
Max: 100
17
How often are condition assessments of the library's collections conducted?
18
Are appropriate preservation supplies used for storing materials?
19
What challenges have been encountered in the preservation of collections?
20
How many hours of training on conservation practices do staff receive annually?
Min: 0
Target: 10

FAQs

It is recommended to conduct a comprehensive audit annually, with ongoing monitoring of environmental conditions and regular assessments of high-risk or valuable materials throughout the year.

Key environmental factors include temperature, relative humidity, light exposure, air quality, and pest control. These factors should be consistently monitored and regulated to prevent damage to collections.

Libraries can preserve digital collections through regular backups, file format migration, metadata management, use of preservation-friendly file formats, implementation of digital preservation systems, and adherence to digital preservation standards and best practices.

A disaster preparedness plan should include risk assessment, prevention measures, emergency response procedures, salvage priorities, staff training, contact information for emergency services and conservation specialists, and post-disaster recovery strategies.

Libraries can balance access and preservation by implementing handling guidelines, creating digital surrogates for fragile items, using preservation-quality storage materials, providing supervised access to rare materials, and educating users on proper handling techniques.

Benefits of Library Preservation and Conservation Audit Checklist

Extends the lifespan of valuable library materials

Improves disaster preparedness and response capabilities

Enhances the preservation of digital collections and born-digital materials

Ensures proper handling and storage of rare and fragile items

Promotes best practices in conservation treatments and techniques