Conservation and storage

Useful guidance on storing, handling, preserving and conserving library materials and resources.

Collections Trust: The Collections Trust works to connect the public with collections, demonstrate the value of good collections management and build digital capacity for libraries, museums and archives.

Handle with Care: A video tutorial from Harvard’s Houghton Library which demonstrates basic handling procedures for bound, unbound, and oversized collection materials.

ICON: The website of the Institute of Conservation.

National Conservation Service: The National Conservation Service is a new consortium aimed at supporting libraries, archives and businesses to care for their collections. NCS is based at the Royal Institution and operates in association with University of the Arts London.

Preservation Advisory Centre: Supports the preservation of library and archive collections of all types through the provision of preservation management tools, training and information services.

British Standard BS 4971:2017 Conservation and care of archive and library collections: This standard is for use by archivists, librarians, conservators, museum curators, architects, designers, contactors, engineers and others concerned with planning, construction, equipment, maintenance and working of such repositories.

First do no harm: IFLA Preservation and Conservation Section, 2005. A register of standards, codes of practice, guidelines, recommendations relating to preservation and conservation in libraries and archives.

Moving collections: This booklet, produced by the Preservation Advisory Centre at the British Library, provides guidance on best practice for moving library and archive collections, but is not intended to address the routine movement of books within a library or archive.

Disaster management in archives, libraries and museums: Ashgate, 2009. Assesses the current state of disaster management in archives, libraries and museums in the UK and around the world, and provides recommendations for addressing current and future threats.

Preserving archives, 2nd edition: Facet, 2013. Content includes chapters on materials and their preservation, archive buildings and building safeguarding, storage, risk management and the training of volunteers.

Preserving our heritage: Facet, Dec 2014. Drawing on historical texts, this accessible volume provides a broad understanding of preservation for librarians, archivists, and museum specialists, offering students and professionals an overview of longevity, reversibility, enduring value, and authenticity of information preservation.