>
> NATIONAL PRESERVATION OFFICE
> PRESERVATION ASSESSMENT SURVEY
>
> The NPO is holding a workshop for potential users of its Preservation
> Assessment Survey on 25 June 2002 at the British Library. Places are
> limited to fifteen.
>
> During this workshop you will be able to plan, sample and compile survey
> data, and we will demonstrate how the database works. .The workshop will
> be led by Alison Walker and Julia Foster.
>
> Practical sessions take place in the British Library's basement bookstack.
> Participants must be physically able to ascend three levels of stairs in
> an emergency.
>
> The cost of the workshop is £50 plus VAT. Please contact Julia Foster
> ([log in to unmask]) to book a place.
>
> Programme
>
> 10.30 Welcome and introduction
> 11.30 Coffee
> 11.45 Measuring a sample
> 13.00 Lunch (not provided, but the BL has a restaurant and a snack bar)
> 13.45 Assessment
> 15.00 Using the database
> 15.30 Finish
>
>
> NPO PRESERVATION ASSESSMENT SURVEY
>
> What is it?
> The NPO Preservation Assessment Survey is a means of obtaining a picture
> at a moment in time of the state of preservation of a library collection
> or archive holdings. It is quick to do, and provides information which can
> be used to develop preservation activity in the institution. It can be
> repeated in order to generate comparative data at different times or from
> different parts of a collection. The compilation of survey results from
> many institutions will allow the NPO to build up a national picture which
> will be used to develop preservation activity at the national level.
>
> How does it work?
> The PAS surveys a 400 item sample from a collection, which provides a
> statistically reliable report. It factors in not only condition but also
> use, value and environmental conditions. The sample is chosen on a random
> basis, either by random selection from a database or by systematic
> sampling from a random starting point.
>
> Each item in the sample is assessed. The survey form is simple, and fills
> two sides of A4. Part 1 asks questions relating to the preservation of the
> item, including assessment of value and use, and Part 2 examines the
> condition of the item, and the types of damage it may show.
>
> The information from the forms is keyboarded into an Access database, or
> may be entered directly into a laptop. The database structure developed by
> the NPO will organise the data to provide a number of pre-set reports, or
> can be interrogated by the institution's staff.
>
> What can it do for me?
> Knowing the state of preservation of your collection or archive is not
> just good management, it is essential when applying for funding, whether
> internally or for external grants. The way you care for collections must
> be monitored, and progress reported. The effect of proposed improvements
> in preservation provision must be evaluated, and the need for specific
> forms of treatment justified. The PAS reports can provide this
> information.
>
> Why should I use it?
> The PAS can provide management information in a verified, standard format,
> which allows comparison across parts of an institution, between different
> storage areas, between institutions, within regions, and across sectors.
> External funding bodies and internal management boards find such
> information invaluable for assessing applications and can be expected to
> require a survey to be undertaken to support an application. The method
> takes full account of differences between libraries and archives, and can
> be used in institutions which have both printed and archive material.
>
> How do I get started?
> The National Preservation Office will provide a guide to the survey
> method, with full instructions on creating the sample and completing the
> form, and a database tailored to your default values. When the data has
> been returned to the NPO, we will generate a series of reports on
> preservation priorities, types and level of damage and options for
> improvement. NPO staff can advise you if there are questions that the
> printed guidance does not answer. Each collection is different, and we now
> have experience of many layouts and situations. Provision of the guidance,
> database and standard reports is charged at £250 + VAT.
>
> Contact: Alison Walker 020 7412 7798 or Julia Foster 020 7412 7758
> National Preservation Office, British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1
> 2DB.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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