Preservation Terms

Preservation encompasses the activities which prolong the usable life of archival records. Preservation activities are designed to minimize the physical and chemical deterioration of records and to prevent the loss of informational content. These activities include providing a stable environment for records of all media types, using safe handling and storage methods, duplicating unstable materials (e.g. nitrate film, thermofax) to a stable media, copying potentially fragile materials into a usable format (e.g. microfilming or digitization), storing records in housings made from stable materials (for example, document boxes made from "acid-free" paperboard), repairing documents to maintain their original format, establishing a pest control program and instituting a disaster recovery plan which includes plans for emergency preparedness and response.

Compiled from:

AIC Definitions of Conservation Terminology, Directory of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 1998, p. 22

Bellardo, Lewis J. and Bellardo, Lynn Lady, A Glossary for Archivists, Manuscript Curators, and Records Managers, The Society of American Archivists, Chicago, 1992, pp. 8, 26-27.

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, Preserving Archives and Manuscripts, The Society of American Archivists, Chicago, 1993, pp. 1-3.

Conservation is one component of a preservation program. Conservation comprises the examination, documentation, and treatment of records. Conservators perform treatments which preserve records in their original format. They examine records and assess their condition and the materials which comprise them, recommend remedial treatments to arrest deterioration, recommend treatments to improve condition, and document (in writing and with photographs) the treatments they perform on records. Treatment documentation is important because it provides information to future archivists and conservators about what was done to records in the past. Some of the treatments that might be performed on a record include cleaning, removing damaging materials (e.g. mold, tape, or deteriorating adhesives), mending tears, deacidifying records at risk from acid deterioration, and providing custom housing made from stable materials. Conservation is a dynamic and developing field. Conservators perform research on materials and techniques, participate in continuing education programs, and follow the Code of Ethics of the American Institute for Conservation.

Compiled from:

AIC Definitions of Conservation Terminology, Directory of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 1998, p. 22.

Bellardo, Lewis J. and Bellardo, Lynn Lady, A Glossary for Archivists, Manuscript Curators, and Records Managers, The Society of American Archivists, Chicago, 1992.

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, Preserving Archives and Manuscripts, The Society of American Archivists, Chicago, 1993.