In This Issue

1. Ten Simple Ways to Preserve Your Collections
    
2. Online Resource Connects Libraries to Grant Opportunities

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Ten Simple Ways to Preserve Your Collections

By Kara M. McClurken, Preservation Services Librarian, SOLINET

Everyone has a role to play in preserving our cultural resources.  What can you do to preserve the materials in your public library?  Here are ten simple things anyone can do to get started:

1.  Make sure materials are shelved properly.  Proper shelving does wonders to reduce wear and tear—this includes using bookends that are wide enough to hold the materials snugly on the shelves, storing oversize items spine side down, and not stuffing too many books onto one shelf. 

2.  Handle items with care.  Proper handling during photocopying (and copiers designed for book copying) can prevent damage to spines and pages.  Teaching patrons how to remove books from shelves without pulling on the top or bottom of the books can help reduce the number of books with broken spines. 

3.  Implement good housekeeping practices.   Dust provides food for pests and speeds up deterioration of acidic materials.  It can also damage photographic materials and films.  Dusting regularly can extend the life of your collections.  Picking up the trash on a regular basis is a good way to prevent pest infestations.

4.  Learn how to properly repair materials.  Simple repairs performed by trained individuals can prevent future, more costly repairs as well as the need to rebind the materials by a commercial binder.  [Bad repairs, unfortunately, can actually reduce the useable life of materials, so be sure to be trained in appropriate repair techniques.]  

6.  Monitor the environmental conditions in your library.  Controlling the environment is the single most cost-effective thing you can do to preserve every item within your collection.  It is important to monitor your environment in order to see what the current conditions are and to be made aware of potential problems.  If you don’t have your own monitoring equipment, SOLINET can loan out equipment for free (plus the cost of shipping/insurance) for up to a month at a time.  More information about SOLINET's monitor equipment loan program is available online.

7.  Turn off the lights when not in use.  Ultraviolet light can be quite damaging to collections.  Ultraviolet light is present in both natural sunlight and fluorescent lights.  Whenever possible, closing the blinds and turning off the lights not only saves on energy costs, but can help your collections last longer.

8.  Maintain your HVAC system.  Make sure that your filters are replaced regularly and that the system gets its regular check-ups.  Just like a car, an HVAC system runs best when properly maintained.

9.  Remain vigilant against potential building problems.  Be on the lookout for water leaks or pest infestation.  The sooner you can stop such problems, the less damage will occur to your collections.

10.  Hand out rainy day bags.  Give your users a bag to protect materials on rainy days.  This could be as simple as reusing plastic bags from the grocery store or you can buy bags with the library’s logo on it from a library vendor.  Empower your users to play a part in protecting the materials.

If patrons and staff work together to preserve library resources, we can ensure that these materials will be available for all of us well into the future.

Online Resource Connects Libraries to Grant Opportunities

On the State Library’s Grants for Libraries webpage you’ll find links to local and nationwide grant opportunities. Check out links to top library grants clearinghouses like Library Grants Blogspot and the Michigan State University—Library Grants Web Portal, visit top charitable-giving foundations and endowments, or look for national library funding initiatives through the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

If you have any questions about the Grants for Libraries webpage, LSTA Grants or for assistance with applying for and writing grants, please contact Amy Holliday at 317-234-6550 or aholliday@lib.in.gov.