The Joanine Library at the University of Coimbra in Portugal houses almost 60,000 volumes—and a colony of bats that keep harmful insects at bay:
“In the daytime—as scholars lean over historic works and visitors admire the architecture—the bats roost quietly behind the two-story bookshelves. At night, they swoop around the darkened building, eating the beetles and moths that would otherwise do a number on all that old paper and binding glue.” - Atlas…
We're excited to announce that we are accepting applications for DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services, and the next submission deadline is Friday, November 22, 2024. Offered free of cost to New York State collecting institutions, Planning & Assessment Services pair accepted sites with our specialists to assess preservation practices, create customized recommendations, and develop actionable plans tailored to each organization's specific needs. Final…
Successful digital preservation programs go beyond just technical solutions. Effective planning and documentation are key to ensuring long-term preservation of digital content. In our most recent DHPSNY webinar, Digital Preservation Planning, presenter Jennifer Palmentiero, Digital Services Manager at the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, guided participants through the essential first steps of establishing a digital preservation program. Jennifer shared valuable insights on how to assess an organization's digital preservation needs, develop a digital asset…
We concluded our summer 2024 Planning & Assessment Services application review period this past July, and we're pleased to announce our independent field reviewers have selected 16 institutions to receive DHPSNY services.
We commend the following organizations for their dedication to enhancing their preservation programs and practices and look forward to beginning site visits in the coming weeks.
Welcome to Behind the Lens, where we offer an inside look at DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services. Through this series, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of our assessment process and outcomes, with first-hand accounts from participating sites sharing their personal experiences. If you’re interested in learning more about previous Behind the Lens posts, see how we kicked things off with a spotlight on Preservation Surveys.
In this edition, we turn our focus to …
A regular housekeeping program is essential to the preservation of the collections. Maintaining clean conditions is important for long-term collections care and for good emergency preparedness. Dust, dirt, and debris cannot only accumulate and cause damage to collection items but can also potentially complicate collections salvage operations. When materials are handled, dust and dirt will stain and abrade papers and books. If there is a disaster, such as a water leak, the recovery will be complicated by the presence of dust and dirt.
As with housing materials, it’s important…
We're excited to accounce a new round of the DHPSNY Mentorship Program for cohorts that will meet from September – November 2024. The DHPSNY Mentorship Program establishes mentorship circles to support individuals across New York State who care for historical records and unique library research collections or who are pursuing an MLIS degree. Each circle consists of four to six individuals at varying stages in their careers, including students, new and emerging professionals, established practitioners, and volunteers. These circles offer valuable…
We’re excited to announce our Fall 2024 workshop, Caring for Photograph Collections! Presented at multiple locations throughout New York State, this one-day workshop is designed for collections professionals at all levels, offering practical guidance and hands-on experience to help you manage and preserve photographic materials.
As always, DHPSNY education programs are offered free of charge to NYS institutions. Visit our Workshops page to learn more.
Caring for Photograph Collections…
DHPSNY’s most recent webinar took an in-depth look at what defines a successful digital collection. Drawing on examples from New York Heritage Digital Collections and other repositories, Ryan Hughes from RRLC examined current standards and best practices. This webinar covered each stage of the digitization process, from selecting materials to creating metadata and digital objects.
This year's DHPSNY Antiracism Programming takes inspiration from two key resources: the AASLH Making History at 250 Field Guide and the New York State 250th Field Guide. Our guiding question: How do we make our collecting organizations interdisciplinary and representative of the realities of our many New York histories?
This July, our DHPSNY Dialogue, "Building an…