Project History

Phase One

The Preservation Training Initiative for Small Libraries and Museums in South Carolina

Overview:

The Training Initiative was a National Leadership grant awarded to the University of South Carolina in which conservators in South Carolina taught proper preservation and collection care techniques through video broadcasts, internet streaming, and face-to-face learning. The program targeted small libraries, museums and related institutions in South Carolina with limited staff and budgets. The initiative was a joint effort of USC’s Thomas Cooper Library and Mckissick Museum with the assistance of Distance Education and Instructional Support and the School of Library and Information Science.

Phase One was conducted in three stages, beginning October 2001 and ending March 2002.

Stage One—Orientation Session

• On-site interaction at the USC Columbia campus

• Explanation of project format

• Explanation of the complementary technology (satellite broadcasts, website, streaming video, electronic discussion list)

Stage Two—A series of video broadcasts that featured various conservators:

• Environment/Storage

• Preservation of Photographs

• Preservation of Art on Paper and Electronic Media

• Preservation of Objects

• Preservation of Paintings

• Preservation of Books and Paper

• Disaster Recovery

Stage Three—Sharing and Evaluation

• On-site discussion at USC Columbia

• Conservators answered questions raised by participants

• Participants shared examples of how they used the information gained

• Evaluation of the Initiatives’ impact on collections care

The Preservation Training Initiative for Small Libraries and Museums in South Carolina and Virginia

Phase Two

Overview

In the fall of 2003, the University of South Carolina (USC) was awarded an extension of a National Leadership Grant to fund the Preservation Training Initiative for Small Libraries and Museums in Virginia and South Carolina.  In partnership with the Virginia Conservation Association and the Virginia Association of Museums, USC used the grant extension to answer internet queries from small libraries and museums using virtual reference software to small libraries and museums lacking in-house conservation or collection care specialists. The preservation Training Initiative for Small Libraries and Museums in Virginia and South Carolina became available for use February 23, 2004.