Skip to Main Content

Digital Projects Toolkit: Preservation

Preservation Overview

Preservation

What is Preservation?

  • Preservation is the "activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay" (Merriam-Webster).
  • In libraries and archives, preservation is "a set of activities aimed at prolonging the life of a record, book, or object while making as few changes as possible. Preservation activities vary widely and may include monitoring the condition of items, maintaining the temperature and humidity in collection storage areas, writing a plan in case of emergencies, digitizing items, writing relevant metadata, and increasing accessibility" (Wikipedia).

Digital Projects Toolkit: Preservation

This section of the Digital Projects Toolkit provides additional information and resources on two areas of preservation: digital and physical. Click on the links below to be redirected to those pages.

Preservation Quote: Brewster Kahle, Founder & Digital Librarian of the Internet Archive

Quote: Preservation is a relay race and the baton

IMLS logo

Many of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.