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Preservation Grants
Preservation vs. Conservation
Preservation is a non-transformative act. It does not physically alter the material being cared for in any way. The goal of preservation is to ensure that items remain in their original, well-maintained condition for as long as physically possible.
Conservation physically alters the material in some way to reverse existing damage and prevent further damage.
Ideally, most actions taken on an item should be reversible, in case best practices change. If irreversible action is undertaken, a conservation professional should be directly involved.
Preserving your Materials
Controlling the storage environment of materials is key to preserving a collection. Different materials have different needs. While the environmental considerations listed below will assist with the long-term preservation of most materials, the NEDCC Preservation Guidelines and the Preservation Week Resources below include in-depth information on preserving manuscripts, bound materials, photographs, digital materials and more.
Conserving your Materials
Conservation is different from preservation because it transforms the material in some way. If you need to conserve your materials, it is best to consult a professional.
- American Institute for Conservation, Find a ConservatorThis highly-functional search engine provides an up-to-date listing of conservators in various location with expertise in a variety of materials.
Environmental Controls
Key Considerations in Environment
Remember: Safe, Cool, Dry, and Dark
- Handle materials carefully and limit handling of fragile materials.
- Keep storage areas cool when possible.
- Avoid temperature fluctuations.
- Avoid humidity fluctuations. Use dehumidifiers or humidifiers if needed.
- Invest in a tool to monitor temperature and relative humidity in the storage space. Keep a log of temperature changes and fluctuations.
- Avoid constant exposure to light, especially direct sunlight.
- Prevent the presence of pests.
- Take necessary security and disaster precautions. Ensure materials are stored securely and that you have a plan of action for disasters, particularly flood and fire damage.
- NEDCC Environmental GuidelinesThese guidelines give basic parameters on temperature and relative humidity. The focus is on documents, but there are guidelines for other formats as well.
Preservation Week Resources
- Ask Donia, A Question/Answer Session with a ProfessionalDonia Conn maintains an advice column "Dear Donia" answering a variety of questions on preservation, conservation, and emergency management for archival collections.
- Dear Donia, Artifacts and MoreDonia provides advice for artifact preservation, including some materials typically found in church archives.
- Preservation Week Resource ListThis link provides links and descriptions for multiple preservation sites and resources.
- Preservation Week Resources, How to Save your StuffBroken down by media type (paper, audiovisual, etc.) this guide covers basic storage practices to minimize damage to and prolong the life of collections.
- Preservation Week VideosOnline videos on a variety of preservation topics with easy-to-follow instructions.
The resources below include video tutorials, preservation information specific to different kinds of materials, a question and answer column and more on a variety of preservation topics.
Professional Preservation Assistance
Local archival organizations, local history collections, and other groups may be able to provide assistance with your collections. If you have questions about Free Will Baptist materials or would like to know more about how we approach preservation at the Free Will Baptist Historical Collection, please reach out to our Curator, Gary Barefoot.
The Free Will Baptist Historical Collection and University Archives are open from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM Tuesday-Thursday or by appointment. To make an appointment or consult with our Curator, please call or email using the information below. Please include your name, the best way to contact you, and the days/times best for contacting you.
Gary Barefoot
Phone: 919-658-7827
Email: gbarefoot@umo.edu
- Directory of Archival ConsultantsThe Society of American Archivists provides a directory of paid archival consultants. These are freelance consultants who advise on a variety of topics related to archives.
