The Preservation Management Handbook

Reviews / Votes

The recently published The Preservation Management Handbook: A 21st-Century Guide for Libraries, Archives, and Museums by Ross Harvey and Martha R. Mahard provides a snapshot of what 21st century preservation looks like, and a framework for how to manage preservation in this ever widening context. . . .[I]t can serve as useful reading for anyone working in preservation, and the media section is a particularly handy reference tool. [T]his book seems to be best suited as a textbook for an Introduction to Preservation course. There is a real need for such a text. . . .I am grateful to the authors for tackling the large challenge of perceiving and portraying what preservation looks like, or should look like in the 21st century. * Library Preservation 2 * The Preservation Management Handbook fills a void in current literature as a textbook for the preservation of information resources in the digital age. The editors and contributors to this volume have served the profession by mapping a new approach to a rapidly changing landscape. . . .The book includes clear explanations of the structure and vulnerabilities of library media and materials, from paper objects and books, to photographs, sound and moving-image materials, digital media, textiles, and paintings. . . . The Preservation Management Handbook is a good resource to keep within reach as an up-to-date compendium, and guide to other resources, on the preservation of library materials. * Metropolitan Archivist * One of the book's strengths lies in the fact that it addresses the current issues surrounding digital (especially 'born digital') records. This is not surprising as Harvey has written extensively about the subject in other publications. Saving digital records is a growing challenge for most repositories, and it is important that this is addressed in any new overview alongside the more traditional materials and methods. The authors brought in additional specialists to contribute sections to the final part of the book, each in their respective area of expertise. As a result, each specific category of material (paper, photographs, etc.) receives a solid overview that provides a strong introduction for beginners. . . .[I]t is an excellent resource that provides a foundation on which to build further education. The Preservation Management Handbook could be an introductory textbook or a useful reference volume for those with experience. Harvey and Mahard have succeeded in capturing the current state of a field that is changing more rapidly than it has in the past. * Technical Services Quarterly * This manual...[is] a very useful textbook for a preservation management course taught within information, archive, or museum studies programs. The use of experts for the materials chapters provides excellent information by format type and references standards and other useful websites for more in-depth information. . . .As a textbook for semester long course work this manual provides an abundance of resources for the student. The bibliography and list of standards are helpful. I recommend this book for professionals who may be starting out in collections management or who have recently been assigned that responsibility. It also serves as an excellent reference tool for collections management across cultural institutions with collections of all types. * Library Resources & Technical Services (LRTS) * This is a very strong book that belongs on any archives' preservation bookshelf. From a practical standpoint, the fourth section alone makes the book worth the investment. . . .That the book is designed for libraries, archives, and museums is exciting, perhaps even enhancing possibilities for partnerships on collaborative preservation projects between institutions. The book promises to be useful in a classroom setting as well, giving students a strong understanding of the most important concepts in managing preservation programs in any type of cultural heritage institution. Ross Harvey, Martha R. Mahard, and the many expert contributors of chapters on materials have created a much-needed textbook that fills a void in the literature. The Preservation Management Handbook is a must-have work for archivists involved in the preservation of cultural heritage collections, particularly those in small institutions or without a formal preservation background. * The American Archivist * I would not be surprised if The Preservation Management Handbook were to be referenced in GLAMR course content as an introductory textbook or a useful reference volume for those with experience. Harvey and Mahard have successfully captured the current state of an ever-changing field. * Archives and Manuscripts: Journal of the Australian Society of Archivists * Ross Harvey and Martha Mahard take preservation out of an institution-specific setting. Of particular value are the authors' thoughtful discussions about longevity, choice, quality, integrity, and access. Their book includes the components one would expect to find in a preservation program: assessment and planning; artifacts and information; risk assessment; the environment; media-specific concerns; and so on. Harvey and Mahard have made an important contribution to preservation by writing a book that will expand the forums in which its basic principles are considered. -- Michele V. Cloonan, editor-in-chief, PDT&C, and dean emerita and professor, School of Library & Information Science, Simmons College