Adjunct Faculty
Associate Preservation Librarian, University
of Utah Marriott Library
295 South 1500 East, Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860
email: randy.silverman@utah.edu
Phone: 801-585-6782
Class taught:
IRLS 541-031 Preservation syllabus
[Prerequisite: IRLS 504 or consent of the instructor.]
This course provides an introduction to the preservation of library materials. The curriculum includes an overview of the causes of physical and chemical deterioration to various forms of library media and explores the body of knowledge related to ameliorating these problems. The sequence includes a history of papermaking and book production for the purpose of understanding the physical “stuff” of traditional library collections, as well as addressing some non-book media including digital. Inherent causes of book and paper deterioration will be discussed in relation to currently accepted standards for book and paper conservation. Current replication practices will be contrasted with older methods. The role of preventive measures, including appropriate care and handling, archival housing, the use of alkaline paper, and environmental control will be explored. Technical aspects of commercial library binding, in-house book repair, and rare book conservation will be evaluated. Approaches to disaster preparedness and response will also be reviewed.
∙ Knowledge of the history of books, paper, photographs, and related library media (including paper, parchment, microforms, phonograph records, magnetic tape, and digital media), the ways in which information packages have evolved during the past 4,500 years, some of the noteworthy contributors (papermakers, printers, illustrators, typographers, bookbinders, and designers) who are responsible for this evolution, and the types of physical and chemical deterioration that affect these materials.
∙ Knowledge of current book and paper conservation options for decelerating deterioration including preventive conservation strategies such as the use of appropriate environmental controls, care in collection handling and storage, and proper exhibit practices.
∙ Knowledge of current book and paper conservation treatment options for repairing library and archival media, including library binding, book repair, and rare book and paper conservation methodologies.
∙ Knowledge of ethical considerations related to the preservation of historical, culturally significant library material versus replication of media for access purposes.
∙ Knowledge of disaster planning and response options.
Required Texts (to be read by the first class meeting) — A single text book that provides a broad introduction to the field of library preservation is very difficult to identify. Readings from a number of sources are therefore required to gain a broad overview of the subject. This semester we will use three books as required readings: one deals with the hubris of dogmatic behavior; the second deals with standard approaches to library and archives preservation problems; and the third provides an argument for the importance of original material in research libraries (two of the three are available without charge as web documents; the third can probably be procured on the out-of-print market).
The first is quite controversial among some librarians and preservation professionals (many have an opinion about it although few can claim to have actually read it!). The book takes the position that national preservation practices, especially during the past couple of decades, resulted in a significant loss of historical material.
Baker, Nicholson, Double fold : Libraries and the assault on paper (New York : Random House, 2001).
Double fold was the 2001 National Book Critics Circle Award winner for general nonfiction. (Founded in 1974, The National Book Critics Circle consists of nearly 700 active book reviewers, interested in communicating with one another about common concerns, annually presenting an award for the best book in five categories: fiction, general nonfiction, biography/autobiography, poetry, and criticism). This is a very well written and researched text (a real page turner!) that I hope you’ll enjoy.
The second required reading is a series of leaflets developed over the years by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) for their institutional clients to answer commonly-asked preservation questions. There is no requirement to purchase this material as each can be accessed online and downloaded at: http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets.list.php
There are 58 leaflets, so this is going to require a serious commitment.
The third required reading is an argument concerning the need to preserve material in original format to support the long-term research needs of scholars.
Nichols, Stephen G., and Abby Smith, The evidence in hand: report of the Task Force on the Artifact in Library Collections (Washington, D.C.: Council on Library and Information Resources, 2001). 114 p. This publication can be downloaded in its entirety at: http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub103/pub103.pdf
Participation
Students are expected to attend class, complete all assigned readings prior to class, participate in the class discussions, practicums, on the class listserve, and complete a research paper or project. Research papers or projects can be sent to me as an email attachment or by US Mail at the contact information at the top of this syllabus. Every student is also expected to send me a self evaluation which is described below.
Research Paper or Project
Your research paper or project will be graded on four criteria:
1) relevance of the argument to the general topic of library preservation and material culture
2) interest the topic holds for a reader (in this case, that would be me)
3) intellectual strength and evidence of depth of involvement in the research, and,
4) quality of the mechanics of the paper (organization, grammar, spelling, footnoting, etc. or project).
If your choice is to produce a project, the three-dimensional work should be carefully prepared and include commentary interpreting the work for the observer (e.g., Why did you produce this work? What went into the work’s creation, including research conducted? How is the work useful to you or to others in the profession?).
The topic you choose should be one that has meaning for you and provides an opportunity for you to synthesize the course. The paper should be as long as necessary to present a thoughtful, informative and interesting piece of research, but should be short enough to have publication possibilities in professional journals. Collaborative work with one or more classmates is welcome, as long as each individual independently submits a unique paper or project. Poor physical presentation of the work, including misspellings, grammatical errors, inadequate footnoting, and the like will result in a lower grade. All papers should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point type, and prepared in a consistent manner using a standard style guide appropriate to the journal you envision publishing the piece. Papers should be well edited, grammatically correct, and written using standard English. Sources from which information is derived should be accurately cited, including the page number(s) of the citation (please note: a citation is an opportunity to lead the reader into an ongoing exploration of the topic; please try to be as encouraging as possible and help the reader know where to turn for further information).
Extra credit (one half letter grade) is available for submitting papers to a qualified reader (including one of your classmates) for proofreading and editorial comment prior to submitting it to me. This should resultant in a tighter, more carefully groomed piece of work than would otherwise be the case (this is a norm prior to all submissions for publication and, if you have not submitted articles for publication to date, you should start to assume that getting feedback from an astute reader is an extremely valuable step in the writing process).
Beyond the proficiency of the written or three dimensional work (the strength and organization of the argument, the overall readability or craftsmanship of the piece, etc.), I would very much like to see your research and writing benefit you. I sincerely encourage you to select a topic relevant to the themes of this class that allows you to develop areas of interest to you. You can run your ideas past me if you are at all unsure of a direction, and I may be able to help suggest some topics, but please (please) feel free to chose your own direction for this work. This is an opportunity for you to take control of your library school education and invest your time in an area that is meaningful for your own professional development.
While the sky is the limit as far as a topic goes (as, indeed, it is any time you choose to write an article for a professional journal), I expect some clear link back to the course’s themes. The following are offered as suggestions only to kick off your own creativity – you are welcome to use one of these but I sincerely encourage you to use your imagination and personal interests to pick a topic that has meaning for you:
* explore an aspect of the history of (pick one) papermaking, bookbinding, xerography, sound recording, photography, etc., with specific attention to manufacturing methods and materials that affect the permanence of the media;
* create a biographical sketch of one or more key figures whose contributions have affected the development of specific aspects of library media or its preservation;
* fashion a defensible argument for or against a specific preservation approach, including, but not limited to, the National Preservation Microfilming program, library binding, paper splitting, digitization, etc.;
* argue convincingly for or against the need to preserve material culture within libraries in the digital age;
* write an NEH Preservation Assistance Grant to secure funding to support a professional preservation assessment of your institution or an institution you’d like to help (these are small, e.g., five-page proposals and quite manageable; I’d be happy to share examples of successful Preservation Assistance Grant proposals, if that is useful, and this is an excellent opportunity to get some experience in the grant writing arena). More information can be found at NEH’s website at: http://www.neh.fed.us/grants/guidelines/pag.html;
* investigate an actual preservation problem and its solution dealing with a specific rare item or a collection (this topic lends itself to a brief history of applicable preservation standards; an analysis of the problem; and recommendations related to the optimal long-term preservation of the object/collection, including possible funding sources);
* explore the historical development of U.S. library preservation;
* undertake a three-dimensional project, such as creating an effective preservation-awareness brochure for distribution at public service points within a real library; bind and document the process involved in binding a book; outline the history of papermaking and provide handmade examples of historical patterns; or,
* chose any other topic related to the preservation of library and archival material that overlaps your personal or professional interests.
Self Evaluation (mandatory)
When you send me your paper or project as an email attachment or via US Mail (at the address listed on the first page of this syllabus), please include:
1) a scanned picture of yourself (to help me connect your name with your face), and
2) a one-page self evaluation; include in this evaluation your assessment of the grade you’ve earned for the course.
Your self evaluation should cover class attendance, a assessment of the thoroughness of your reading in preparation for the class, your class participation, how well you did with the hands-on activities, and an evaluation of your research paper or project using the four criteria listed above. I am interested to learn what you got out of the class.
Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.
<Put your own material for the stuff in red>
The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a term, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded in place of a failing grade or when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case, a grade other than I must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incomplete grade before the end of the term ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.
Research paper or project: 60% of the total grade (60 points). Evaluation of the research paper or project will be determined by the four evenly weighted categories mentioned above:
1) Relevance of the argument to preservation
2) Interest the topic holds for reader
3) Intellectual strength and evidence of research depth
4) Quality of the mechanics
Participation: 40% of the total grade (40 points). Evaluation of participation will be determined by four evenly weighted categories:
1) Demonstrated knowledge derived from reading
2) Demonstrated class participation
3) Demonstrated respect for fellow classmates and overall responsibility
4) Timeliness in meeting assignments
