june06c.indd


Jane Hedberg P r e s e r v a t i o n  N e w s  

IMLS survey 
The Institute of Museum and Library Ser­
vices (IMLS) recently published “Status of 
Technology and Digitization in the Nation’s 
Museums and Libraries.” In 2004, IMLS con­
ducted a survey of museums, public libraries, 
academic libraries, archives, and state library 
administrations to update the results of their 
2001 study. This new survey was designed to 
discover “the kinds of technology in use, the 
extent of digitization activities, and the adop­
tion, maintenance, funding of, and staffi ng 
for technology and digitization activities at 
museums and libraries.” Following collection 
of the survey data, IMLS conducted phone 
discussions with representative individuals 
to determine high­priority issues and what 
could help these institutions move forward. 
The report contains an introduction, key 
findings, a description of the methodology, 
results for each of the five survey groups, 
an afterword with a summary of the phone 
discussions, and copies of the survey ques­
tionnaires. 

The report is available free­of­charge as 
a 1.7 MB PDF at www.imls.gov/publications 
/TechDig05/index.htm. 

Digital audio best practices 
The Council on Library and Information Re­
sources (CLIR) and the Library of Congress 
published “Capturing Analog Sound for 
Digital Preservation: Report of a Roundtable 
Discussion of Best Practices for Transfer­
ring Analog Discs and Tapes.” This 37­page 
report describes challenges faced when 
preserving audio materials, and summarizes 
the roundtable discussions about mitigat­
ing deterioration of originals, obtaining 
accurate transfers, using best practices for 
digital conversion, considering a sampling 
standard, relying on the human touch or 

Jane Hedberg is preservation program offi  cer at Harvard 
University Library, e-mail: jane_hedberg@harvard.edu; 
fax: (617) 496-8344 

automated transfer, and creating metadata. It 
also includes a list of 15 recommendations, 
in priority order, that would improve analog 
audio transfer practices. Although there was 
agreement among roundtable participants 
on many points, there was no consensus 
in some key areas, so more research is 
necessary. 

The report is available free­of­charge at 
www.clir.org/pubs/abstract/pub137abst. 
html. Print copies cost $20 each and may be 
ordered through the same Web page. This is 
CLIR publication 137. 

Emergency wheel 
Heritage Preservation, in support of the 
Heritage Emergency Task Force, has issued a 
new edition of the “Emergency Response and 
Salvage Wheel.” This version has a revised 
section about electronic records and sports 
a water­resistant coating and magnets in the 
handle for convenient display. Production 
was sponsored by BMS Catastrophe, a ven­
dor of emergency response and restoration 
services. 

The wheel may be purchased for $12.95 
by individuals and corporations and for $7.95 
by nonprofit organizations and government 
agencies. For more information, visit the 
Heritage Preservation online Bookshop 
at https://www.heritagepreservation.org 
/catalog/Wheel1.htm. 

LBI Web site 
The Library Binding Institute (LBI) has 
launched a new Web site. It is divided into 
library binding and hardcover binding, and 
provides information about LBI, its member­
ship, its activities, and events related to bind­
ing. The Web site also features “What’s New” 
sections, and buttons to “Ask a Binder” and 
“Find a Binder.” 

The URL is www.lbibinders.org. For more 
information about the LBI, contact Debra 
Nolan, executive director; phone: (561) 745­
6821; e­mail: dnolan@lbibinders.org. 

380C&RL News June 2006

mailto:dnolan@lbibinders.org
http:www.lbibinders.org
http:https://www.heritagepreservation.org
www.clir.org/pubs/abstract/pub137abst
mailto:jane_hedberg@harvard.edu
www.imls.gov/publications