Preservation Awareness Week

Indiana University Presents:
Preservation Awareness Week, November 6-10,
"The Life of a Book: It's In Your Hands"

Indiana University-Bloomington Libraries will sponsor Preservation
Awareness Week November 6-10. The theme for the locally designated
preservation awareness week, "The Life of a Book: It's in Your
Hands," was selected to emphasize the responsibility every library
user has to care for the library materials he or she handles.

"The Libraries' collections represent a multimillion dollar
investment made over 150 years, and we should treat materials like
valuable assets," says Lorraine Olley, head of the IUB Libraries
Preservation Dept. "The libraries' collection as a whole, and each
book in particular, is expensive to repair or replace. When funds
need to be spent on repair or replacement of damaged, abused or lost
materials, the amount available to purchase new materials and
services is diminished."

The IUB Libraries lose thousands of dollars a year in library
materials through careless handling, Olley notes. "Preservation
Awareness Week, will help focus attention on keeping our research
resources intact for current use and future scholarship, and for
making our very limited collection funds go farther."

To promote conscientious use of library materials and help IUB
Libraries reduce their repair and replacement costs, Preservation
Awareness Week events will feature exhibits and live demonstrations
of Preservation Department activities in the IUB Main Library lobby.
The demonstrations will include a "book clinic" each afternoon
(M-Th,2:00-4:00), where patrons will have the opportunity to ask
questions, seek advice about their own deteriorating books, as well
as see demonstrations of some of the techniques the library employs
to preserve its materials.  Also during the week, preservation
awareness materials will be distributed. These include posters,
acid-free bookmarks which don't speed deterioration of books, and
plastic book bags to protect library items from rain and spills.

Although the live demonstrations will continue for Preservation
Awareness Week only, the standing promotional exhibit will remain in
the Main Library lobby throughout November. After November, the
exhibit will travel to other parts of the IU Libraries system,
including the regional campuses. The posters, bookmarks and other
preservation awareness materials will be available as long as
supplies last.

The IUB Libraries Preservation Committee encourages library staff to
display preservation awareness items at all times to remind patrons
to use library materials with care.  Especially at the beginning of
the school year, the impact of new and returning students can stress
library collections.  IUB Libraries preservation awareness materials
are available free to all Bloomington campus libraries, and on a
cost-recovery basis to other libraries.  To order any of the
materials, or to request a sample packet, contact

    Lorraine Olley
    Preservation Dept.
    Main Library E050
    olley [at] indiana__edu
    812-855-6281.

Dick Vaughan
Indiana University

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 9:35
                 Distributed: Monday, October 16, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-9-35-013
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