Re: conservation vs preservation

[WILLIAMS SARA R <Sara.Williams@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, the way I've always understood it is that conservation involves
physical treatment of the book (or other object). Preservation is the set
of management decisions and practices that (you hope) will reduce the need
for conservation.

I once explained it to a colleague in the reference department by saying
that conservation was the equivalent of a coronary bypass, while
preservation was the equivalent of jogging, eating lots of vegetables,
etc.

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Sara R. Williams			Phone:  (303) 492-3849
Head, Preservation Department		FAX: (303) 492-0494
University Libraries			Sara.Williams@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Campus Box 184
University of Colorado - Boulder
Boulder CO  80309-0184
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On Mon, 23 Feb 1998, Gretchen Fulforth Stroh wrote:

> Thanks to all who responded about where the preservation dept.
> fits into the library.  This has brought up another question,
> which wasn't answered by a visit to the dictionary.
> 
> Is there a difference between conservation and preservation?
> I feel as though there is, but I can't really say what it is.
> I know that we don't preserve energy, we conserve.  Anyone out
> there have a really good definition of the differences?
> 
> Gretchen
> 
> 
> Gretchen Fulforth Stroh
> Materials Processing Specialist
> McCabe Library, Swarthmore College
> 500 College Ave, Swarthmore PA 19081
> gstroh1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
>