Preventative Preservation

The staff members of the USC conservation lab are actively involved in the preventative preservation activities throughout the university library systems. Environmental Monitoring, Staff and User Education, and Disaster Preparedness, Salvage, and Recovery efforts are all included in the university's preventative preservation capabilities. Below, some of the activities the lab is currently involved in are listed.

• Environmental Monitoring
  • We use Preservation Environment Monitor (PEM) data loggers from the Image Permanence Institute in many university library collection areas. These allow us to compile data on the temperature and relative humidity fluctuations over time, and to create reports that will allow us to locate potential environmental problems quickly.
  • Integrated Pest Management is in place in several university buildings. This is monitored with the Zpest database, freeware created by Leon Zak. Download Zpest.
  • Mold abatement, when needed, is performed by the conservation lab staff.
  • HVAC analysis recommendations are made based on the PEM data we collect.
• Staff and User Education
  • Interns from several graduate departments of the university are often trained in the lab for course credit.
  • Seminars on preservation awareness and workshops on various preservation activities are taught by the lab staff.
  • Laboratory staff often give guest lectures or lab tours to graduate classes in the departments of Public History, Museum Studies, and Library and Information Science.
• Disaster Preparedness, Salvage, and Recovery
  • Lab staff will assist in the development of disaster plans and their successful implementation.
  • Lab staff will also be available for assistance with disaster response as necessary.
• Preservation Planning
  • Laboratory staff will arrange and conduct a variety of surveys for specific collections or library departments. These may include item level, random sampling, or stratified sampling surveys. The surveys conducted will generally be used to create a Preservation Priority Survey, which will allow the Conservation lab to work effectively with Curators to plan for the conservation and preservation needs of the collections.

Preservation Training Initiative

Arthur E. Holman, Jr. Conservation Lab

Preservation Resource links

Staff