UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESERVATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT, FY 1991-92
Major Accomplishments
- 531,301 pages (1,261 volumes) of deteriorated library materials were preserved and made serviceable through a combination of original microfilming, photocopying, and purchase of commercial reprints and microforms.
- Building on the success of the UCPP conservation technician training project (an NEH-funded training project for 15 UC conservation technicians), a national conference was held (at UCB with NEH funding) to promote the development of training programs for conservation technicians in all regions throughout the country.
Program Components
- Environmental Monitoring and Disaster Response.
A multi-year project to gather information on the environmental conditions in bookstacks throughout UC nearly was completed. Compilation and evaluation will be completed in the next fiscal year. The information will assist planners to make improvements in conditions as major renovation and new construction allow.
- Education and Training.
On behalf of the Preservation Program, the Director attended the annual meeting of Cooperative Preservation Programs in Washington. The UC Preservation Program enjoys an advantage in being seen by funding agencies as a cooperative program and consequently is a candidate for funds earmarked for the development of cooperative solutions to the nation’s preservation problems. Our successful bid for funding for the NEH-supported national conference on conservation technician training was in part due to our “cooperative” character. Further, follow up from the conference, including regional planning and development of teaching materials, will provide an opportunity for UC to contribute to the nation’s preservation effort.
- Library Binding Services.
The major work of this program component is the ongoing monitoring of and communication with the UC Library Binderies. Problems in production, scheduling, billing, and communication have been identified, solutions devised and adopted, and communication among campuses and binderies much improved.
UC is anticipating delivery of new automated binding equipment in the next fiscal year that could very much influence binding types and costs offered by UC Binderies. Systemwide responsibility and overview of UC binding activities is assumed by the Director of the UC Printing Department, with whom the UCPP Director meets as needed to address technical and financial issues of concern to UC libraries.
Current library binding technology relies heavily on adhesives to ensure long-term performance of bindings. Improper adhesives can dramatically shorten the use life of bindings, resulting in loss of parts of the text as well as high rebinding costs. On behalf of UC libraries, the UCPP Director participated in a project (with funding from the Andrew Mellon Foundation) to review binding adhesives currently in use in library binderies to determine how long they can be expected to last. The results of the study, disseminated in the library binding and preservation communities, confirmed the need for adhesives specially formulated for longevity. UC currently is using adhesives with a formulation to maximize the life of library bindings.
- Preservation Technologies Review.
The UCPP maintains currency with developments in mass deacidification technology. Several commercial organizations have expressed an interest in offering mass deacidification services to libraries, but perhaps only one, Akzo Chemicals Inc., offers a process (DEZ) with sufficient merit to continue development. UC is following the work of the Library of Congress, the Canadian Conservation Institute, and the University of Texas-Austin to evaluate the applicability of DEZ to circulating and artifactual materials in UC collections.
The UCPP also is interested in potential preservation applications of optical disk technology, possibly to succeed microfilming. The Director is monitoring progress of several organizations exploring the technology, including the Commission on Preservation and Access, Cornell University (currently working with Xerox Corp. on an optical disk/photocopying project), and Yale University (microfilm to digital transfer). UCPP is not actively involved in a related project, but is prepared to recommend participation in projects that potentially offer benefits sufficient to warrant UC involvement.
- Preservation Replacement.
The majority of UCPP funds was allocated to the campuses to microfilm, photocopy, or purchase commercial reprints or microforms to replace materials in the collections that were no longer in serviceable condition. More than a half million pages of materials were replaced with preservation copies at a total cost of $140,863 (approximately $.27/page).
Cataloging master negatives for serials continues to be a problem for all campuses (as well as other research libraries) due to problems with tape exchanges between the national bibliographic utilities (particularly relating to serials holding formats and exchange of information on materials in process for filming) as well as lack of consensus on how to record multiple version information. Problems with “exchanging” master negatives for storage in the Regional Library Facilities (to enable camera masters and printing masters to be stored separately) have been identified and a task force has been established to resolve them. Ann Swartzell (Berkeley) is representing the UCPP and is chairing the task force.
Production (all campuses): Type # titles # vols. #pages $ cost % ttl $ commercial reprint 36 190 49,545 8,182 6 commercial microform 12 136 48,074 3,199 2 photocopy 314 519 220,038 58,620 42 microfilming 134 416 213,644 59,062 42 other/liens 11,800 8 Total 496 1,261 531,301 140,863 100
6. Preservation Steering and Operations Committees.
The Steering Committee conducted its business primarily by phone. The Operations Committee met once (the fall meeting was interrupted by the Oakland fire). The status of charges to and initiatives of the UC Preservation Program is as follows:
* two regional centers for reformatting be established for UC, one north and one south;
Status: UCLA and UCB are acting as regional filming centers for all UC campuses. Overall, the demand for microfilming has greatly exceeded the combined current capacity of both facilities and much filming is being contracted to microfilm service bureaus. The binderies are serving as centers for preservation photocopying.
* a comprehensive environmental survey of UC libraries be undertaken to assess the overall situation;
Status: Equipment purchased, survey instrument designed and distributed, data gathered. Completion anticipated in the next fiscal year.
* two regional centers for major conservation treatment be established, with minor treatment undertaken by all campuses;
Status: Proposal discussed by Operations Ctte; total expenditures systemwide currently for major conservation treatment, approximately $200,000/year. No action taken because funds are inadequate to support regional treatment centers.
* education and training be organized both centrally and regionally, as appropriate;
Status: UC conservation technician training project completed. UCPP to assist with ongoing information needs of campus preservation programs. The need for training of additional preservation administrators (three of the original eight trained in the UC Preservation Implementation Project either have retired or have accepted other positions) has been discussed, but no plans have been made.
* a decision on the establishment of mass deacidification treatment facilities be deferred until a technology has been selected for UC;
Status: UC monitoring current developments and informally participating in review efforts of other institutions.
* preparation of documentation to support an increase in state funding for the UCPP;
Status: Several Operations Committee members and the former Chair of the Steering Committee, Joe Rosenthal, participated in drafting a California statewide preservation plan; no further action anticipated until the plan has been reviewed the California Networking Task Force and by the advisory board for the LSCA, California program.
* investigate issues of security of collections and make recommendations for action.
Status: A task force worked to identify problems and needs of General Collections materials, but the theft problem as perceived by libraries could not be substantiated by survey data for collections as a whole. The task force was dissolved with the understanding that evidence of problems would be cause to reconstitute it.
Personnel
The membership of the Steering Committee in 1991-92: Joseph Rosenthal succeeded by Dorothy Gregor (UCB – Chair), Marilyn Sharrow (UCD), Dennis Smith (UCOP), Jim Thompson (UCR), and Barclay Ogden (UCB – as Director, UCPP).
The membership of the Operations Committee in 1990-91: Lynda Claassen (UCSD – as LAUC observer), Christopher Coleman (UCLA), Sheryl Davis (UCR), Clinton Howard (UCD), Lynn Jones (UCB – as Librarian, UCPP), Eric MacDonald (UCI), Karen Mokrzycki (UCSC), Barclay Ogden (UCB – Chair), Cameron Folsom Olen (UCB – as Admin. Asst., UCPP), Julie Page (UCSD), Andrew Shroyer (UCSB), and Paul Wakeford (UCSF).
Respectfully submitted
Barclay W. Ogden
Director, UC Preservation Program
24 November 92
Attachment: UC Preservation Program Financial Statement, FY 1991-92
UC Preservation Program Financial Statement, FY 1991-92
Component Budget Request Alloc. Exp./Liens Balance
1. Envi/Disaster
S & E 1,500 1,067 1,239 (172)
Staffing 1,634 1,634 1,634 0
2. Ed. and Train
Travel 1,600 1,200 1,075 125
Staffing 9,866 9,866 9,866 0
3. Lib. Binding
Travel 600 0 0 0
Staffing 6,534 6,534 6,534 0
4. Tech. Review
Staffing 1,634 1,634 1,634 0
5. Op. Ctte. Mtgs.
Meetings 500 100 53 47
Phone/copy/post. 1,500 1,500 1,500 0
Staffing 9,581 9,581 9,581 0
6. Pres. Repl.
Production
Berkeley 48,606 46,175 46,175 0
Davis 10,000 9,500 9,500 0
Irvine 10,000 9,500 9,500 0
Los Angeles 44,469 42,240 42,240 0
Riverside 10,342 9,825 9,825 0
San Diego 10,000 9,500 9,500 0
San Francisco 10,000 9,500 9,500 0
Santa Barbara 10,000 9,500 9,500 0
Santa Cruz 10,000 9,500 9,500 0
Staffing 1,634 1,634 1,634 0
_______________________________________________________________________
Total 200,000 189,990 189,990 0
24nov92a
UC PRESERVATION PROGRAM BUDGET REQUEST FISCAL YEAR 1992-93 1. Environmental Monitoring / Disaster Response Equipment (monitoring and salvage) 3,200 Staffing 0.025 FTE Director 1,634 2. Education and Training Travel (2 conf/mtgs) 1,600 Staffing 0.05 FTE Director 3,267 3. Library Binding Services Travel (2 mtgs.w/binderies) 600 Staffing 0.05 FTE Director 3,267 4. Preservation Technologies Review Staffing 0.05 FTE Director 3,267 5. Preservation Program Management Meeting Expenses 250 Phone/Postage/Copying 1,000 Staffing 0.1 FTE Director 6,534 0.1 FTE Administrative Assistant 3,047 6. Preservation Replacement Reprints, Photocopies, Microfilming 170,700 Berkeley 52,029 Davis 10,000 Irvine 10,000 Los Angeles 47,601 Riverside 11,070 San Diego 10,000 San Francisco 10,000 Santa Barbara 10,000 Santa Cruz 10,000 Staffing 0.025 Director 1,634 TOTAL REQUEST $200,000 24nov92a
Last reviewed: March 4, 2004