Additional Resources on the Storage and Care of Architectural Records
There are many organizations who have developed excellent resources for consulting
and study on the Web. Here is a selection, with brief descriptions of their publications
and activities. Quoted phrases are excerpts from the organizations' own web sites.
- Conservation OnLine (CoOL)
- Conservation OnLine is a primary clearinghouse for conservation
information on the Web, maintained by the Preservation Department of Stanford
University Libraries. Of particular interest are:
Conservation/Preservation Information for the General Public
(a well-organized selection of educational
materials for the lay reader available on the Web); an excellent compliation
of links on Disaster
Planning and Response (including model plans and resources on the Web);
and the links “Conservation Topics” and “Finding People”
off the site's home page.
- Council on Library and Information Resources
- CLIR activities include research, publications, grants, international
cooperation and task forces on library and information issues.“CLIR's
agenda embraces the entire range of information resources and services, from
traditional library and archival materials to emerging digital formats, and
the entire network of organizations that gather, catalog, store, preserve,
distribute, and provide access to information.”
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services
- IMLS is a federal agency that supports the activities of
museum and library organizations, whether self-administered or part of a larger
organization, with grants, research, publications and other resources. Ongoing
grants include Conservation Project Support and the Conservation Assessment
Program (for CAP, see Heritage Preservation on this page), and many more.
- Heritage Preservation
- Heritage Preservation has developed resources with other organizations
such as the National
Task Force on Emergency Response's Cultural Heritage Resources for Disaster Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery and the Conservation
Assessment Program (CAP). (“CAP provides noncompetitive grants for
small and mid-sized museums to conduct general conservation assessments of their
sites and collections.”)
- “Heritage Preservation works to ensure the preservation of America's
collective heritage. Our programs and publications provide advice and guidance
on the proper care and maintenance of historic documents, books and archives,
works of art, photographs, architecture, monuments, anthropological artifacts,
historic objects, natural science specimens and family heirlooms. We work
with our members÷the nation's leading museums, libraries and archives, historic
preservation organizations, and historical societies÷to inform the public
of the need to preserve our collective heritage.”
- The National Archives and Records Administration
- NARA publishes general advice, publications and guidelines
for archives administration and preservation in print and on the Web. They
have developed an excellent FAQs
page with questions and answers across record types. Of particular interest
are an extensive listing of Archives and
Preservation Resources, and suggestions for
reformatting unstable office records such as may exist in architectural
archives and manuscript collections.
- National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP)
- “NTHP is committed to saving America's diverse historic
environments and to preserving and revitalizing the livability of its communities.”
The National Trust are an excellent resource for grants and information on
Historic Preservation of buildings, environments and monuments.
- AMIGOS Library Services, Inc.
- Imaging & Preservation Services
- From their website - “Imaging & Preservation Services
is a non-profit, grant-funded service which provides preservation information,
support and training to librarians and archivists in the Southwestern U.S.,
[....] Today, IPS provides information, disaster planning and recovery assistance,
training and site surveys, as well as developing state and local cooperative
networks and serving as an advocate for preservation regionally and nationally.”
In particular, AMIGOS is an excellent resource for basic preservation information,
training, site surveys, disaster planning/response and digital imaging. They
have developed excellent tools on their website, including lists of vendors
and service providers, a brief guide on digitizing
architectural drawings, and a variety of pamphlets on preservation topics.
- Conservation Center for Art and Historic
Artifacts (CCAHA)
- CCAHA is a regional conservation center in Philadelphia,
PA. They sponsored the Architectural
Records Conference (May 3 through 5, 2000) and the Architectural Records Symposium: Managing and Preserving Design Records (July 16-17, 2007) and have published the proceedings
on the Web.
- Northeast Document Conservation Center
- NEDCC is a "nonprofit, regional conservation center [....]Its
mission is to improve the preservation programs of libraries, archives, museums,
and other historical and cultural organizations." Their main services include
collections treatment, consultation and education through publications and
outreach programs. NEDCC has published useful
tools and publications, available for viewing and purchase. See
Bibliography for specific resources.
- Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP)
- RAP is a membership network of Preservation Field Service
programs and Regional Conservation Centers (ARCC). “The mission [...]
is to provide comprehensive preservation information to cultural institutions
and the public throughout the United States.” RAP does not provide
direct service, but their website can direct you to local regional members.
- The American Institute for Conservation
- The A.I.C. is a membership body for professional conservators.
AIC publishes the Journal of the American
Institute for Conservation, hosts annual conferences, provides information
about conservation and referral services for the public.
- Art Libraries Society of North America
(ARLIS/NA)
- “...membership includes architecture and art librarians,
visual resources professionals, artists, curators, educators, publishers,
and others interested in visual arts information.” ARLIS/NA supports
chapters, conferences, publications and the ARLIS-L list-serv.
- COPAR - Cooperative Preservation of Architectural Records
- COPAR is a national advocacy and action effort supported
by regional COPAR chapters (Committees for the Preservation of Architectural
Records.) Please see our TxCOPAR page for more
information on regional COPARs and joining the Texas regional chapter!
- The Society of Architectural Historians
(SAH)
- “SAH and its members invite the support and active participation
of all who share our interest in architecture -- past, present, and future.
Founded in 1940, the Society encourages scholarly research in the field and
promotes the preservation of significant architectural monuments that are
an integral part of our worldwide historical and cultural heritage.”
- Society of American Archivists
- The Architectural Records Roundtable of SAA “supports
the preservation of architectural, engineering, landscaping, and construction
records and brings together care-givers to discuss the storage, conservation,
arrangement, and description problems inherent in specialized records.”
SAA is a membership organization and the ARR convenes at SAA annual meetings.
SAA supports the Museum Archives Section Electronic Mailing List (SAAMUS-LIST)
and the Visual Materials Section Cataloging and Access Roundtable (VMCAR)
and its VisualMat Listserv.
