National Preservation Office
Encyclopedia
The National Preservation Office was established by the British Library Board
in 1984. In 2009 it was renamed the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre. The Centre's function is to raise public awareness of preservation issues in libraries and to serve as a nexus for developing and promoting improved preservation management of library and archive materials in the UK and Ireland.
(IFLA) Section on Preservation & Conservation and by the Ligue Internationale des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherches. Other than the United Kingdom, at least seven other countries have set up an similar entity, including Canada and New Zealand.
The Preservation Advisory Centre's mission is expressed in hortatory goals, but its work is focused on practical results. It aims to create strategic policy framework for preserving current library collections, and addressing issues arising as congruent digital collections evolve:
The Centre maintains a PAS database and publishes an annual digest and report.
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
in 1984. In 2009 it was renamed the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre. The Centre's function is to raise public awareness of preservation issues in libraries and to serve as a nexus for developing and promoting improved preservation management of library and archive materials in the UK and Ireland.
Purpose and activities
The need for national entities like the Centre has been documented in surveys conducted by the International Federation of Library Associations and InstitutionsInternational Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is the leading international association of library organisations. It is the global voice of the library and information profession, and its annual conference provides a venue for librarians to learn from one another...
(IFLA) Section on Preservation & Conservation and by the Ligue Internationale des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherches. Other than the United Kingdom, at least seven other countries have set up an similar entity, including Canada and New Zealand.
The Preservation Advisory Centre's mission is expressed in hortatory goals, but its work is focused on practical results. It aims to create strategic policy framework for preserving current library collections, and addressing issues arising as congruent digital collections evolve:
- To assist cultural heritage agencies and organizations develop strategies for the preservation of cultural heritage assets in museums, libraries and archives, including the further development of the "Preservation Assessment Survey" (PAS) and training in the use of the PAS tools
- To provide print and web-based information services for individuals and organizations, especially for collections throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
- To provide training in preservation management for individuals and organizations including relevant training in the following areas: introduction to preservation management; disaster management; environmental control and monitoring.
The Centre maintains a PAS database and publishes an annual digest and report.
Institutional support
The governing Board is composed of representatives from eleven institutions; and a corollary Advisory Board includes more than twice that number. Shared-interests bring together a number of disparate contributors and points-of-view, including:- British LibraryBritish LibraryThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
(BL), British Library website - Cambridge University LibraryCambridge University LibraryThe Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of Cambridge University in England. It comprises five separate libraries:* the University Library main building * the Medical Library...
(CUL), Cambridge University Library website - Consortium of National and University Libraries (CONUL), Consortium of National and University Libraries website
- Heritage Council of Ireland, Heritage Council of Ireland website
- The National Archives, National Archives website
- National Archives of IrelandNational Archives of IrelandThe National Archives of Ireland is the official repository for the state records of the Republic of Ireland. Established by the National Archives Act 1986, it came into existence in 1988, taking over the functions of the State Paper Office and the Public Record Office of Ireland. The National...
, National Archives of Ireland - National Archives of ScotlandNational Archives of ScotlandBased in Edinburgh, the National Archives of Scotland are the national archives of Scotland. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe...
(NAS), National Archives of Scotland website - National Library of IrelandNational Library of IrelandThe National Library of Ireland is Ireland's national library located in Dublin, in a building designed by Thomas Newenham Deane. The Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism is the member of the Irish Government responsible for the library....
(NLI), National Library of Ireland website - National Library of ScotlandNational Library of ScotlandThe National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
(NLS), National Library of Scotland website - National Library of WalesNational Library of WalesThe National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
(NLW), National Library of Wales website - Oxford University Library Services (OULS), Oxford University Libraries website
- Public Record Office of Northern IrelandPublic Record Office of Northern IrelandThe Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is situated in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a division within the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ....
(PRONI), Public Record Offices of Northern Ireland website - Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL)
- Trinity College Library (Dublin)Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
(TCL), Trinity College Library website
See also
- Digital Preservation CoalitionDigital Preservation CoalitionThe Digital Preservation Coalition is a UK-based non-profit limited company which seeks to secure the preservation of digital resources in the UK and internationally to secure the global digital memory and knowledge base.-History:...
- Consortium of Research Libraries in the British Isles
- Ronald MilneRonald MilneRonald Milne is a British librarian and administrator whose work has been particularly associated with the development of library research collections and with issues of digitisation of library materials.-Career:...
- National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation ProgramNational Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation ProgramThe National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program is an archival program led by the Library of Congress to archive and provide access to digital resources. The U.S. Congress established the program in 2000...
of the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
(NDIIPP)