Preservation surrogacy and collection management

Abstract

Reports on a Library and Information Commission‐funded research project, Developing a National Strategy for Preservation Surrogates, commissioned by the National Preservation Office based at the British Library, and carried out at the Centre for Information Research, University of Central England in Birmingham. The project aimed to develop a national strategy for preservation surrogates in the UK. Presents findings regarding collections suitable for preservation surrogacy and discusses the significance of the definition of “collection”. Examines the project alongside other relevant research and discusses it in the context of these other collection‐based initiatives; in particular, digitisation and access improvement. An outline of the “Draft Preservation Surrogacy Selection Criteria Checklist” developed in the project is provided, and the difficulties associated with recommending preservation surrogacy options for types of collections are considered. Presents recommendations for moving forward the development of a national preservation surrogacy strategy in line with other collection‐based initiatives.

Citation

Edwards, A. and Matthews, G. (2000), "Preservation surrogacy and collection management", Collection Building, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 140-150. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950010354822