Preservation of Collections

The library takes its responsibilities for the long-term preservation of the library collections very seriously, recognising that it has a duty of care for the historical continuity and cultural preservation of the Society.

Preservation is a library wide activity, involving all staff and informing most areas of library management - collection management, security, accommodation and storage, services to users, access policies, staffing, risk assessment and disaster preparedness, and conservation. The library also promotes and encourages good practice in record keeping to ensure that those documents selected for permanent retention are on stable material and in good condition on transfer. Its preservation responsibilities extend to those records belonging to local Quaker meetings as the library advises clerks and custodians of records about how to care for them to ensure their survival.

The Preservation Policy [PDF: 73kb - new window] gives a clear statement of how the library  will fulfil its duty of preservation, whilst also maintaining access; explains to library users and Friends the policy on preservation as part of an overall responsibility for  collection care; and will guide the library's conservation activities.