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Effective Date August 2024

Last Revision Date August 2024

Responsible Party Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department

Policy Purpose

This policy describes how NYU’s Division of Libraries preserves its collections.

Policy Statement

NYU Libraries is committed to preserving and providing access to our rich and diverse collections. The Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department determines and implements strategies to meet this commitment. We apply a values-based approach to the preservation of collections owned by NYU Libraries based on NYU Libraries’ mission and values, an understanding of our collections, preservation standards, and user needs.

Responsibilities

Preservation of the NYU Libraries’ collection is a shared responsibility among users and staff. Users and staff support preservation by following the Use of Materials Policy and ensuring the proper care and handling of the collections. The Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department staff determine and direct preservation and conservation activities for those collections owned by NYU Libraries.

Definitions

  • Preservation: The broad range of activities aimed at prolonging the life of library materials.

  • Conservation: The physical treatment and repair of materials to ensure their usability and stability.

  • Collections: The organized assortment of books, periodicals, manuscripts, electronic resources, multimedia materials, artifacts, and other informational items that the Libraries acquire, maintain, and make available to our users.

  • Environmental control and monitoring: Utilizing tools and systems to track and maintain storage spaces’ temperature and relative humidity with the objective of limiting chemical and biological deterioration of collections.

  • Integrated pest management: A method of pest control that considers the physical environment and the pest life cycle to minimize the use of pesticides.

  • Emergency preparedness and response: Creating resources and strategies to mitigate damage to the collections that result from unexpected events.

  • Standardized storage: Physical and digital space that safeguards collections and aligns with best practices for material storage.

Preventive Strategies

NYU Libraries prioritizes prevention in our approach to preservation. This involves broad and effective actions to ensure the integrity of materials and long-term access to collections. Staff across the Libraries engage in preventive strategies to protect collections, including shelf maintenance, rehousing, rebinding, digitization, and creating redundant digital copies. The Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department’s Preventive Conservation Program includes environmental control and monitoring, integrated pest management, emergency preparedness and response, and standardized storage.

Preservation and Conservation Activities

Collection materials are evaluated by the Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department for preservation or conservation activities when the condition or format of the item presents a risk to its continued access. The selected activity is based on the item’s composition, condition, collection, and copyright status.

The Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department prioritizes preservation and conservation activities based on information provided by Libraries’ colleagues about:

  1. Current and projected use
  2. Value (informational, research, artifactual, or rarity)
  3. Existing preservation agreements
  4. Available resources