November / December 2001 Vol. 33, no. 6

Preservation Activity in Canadian Libraries

Ralph W. Manning, National and International Programs

Introduction

In order to ensure that information will be accessible for generations to come, libraries have a fundamental obligation to preserve the intellectual content of their collections. This is often accomplished by creating surrogate copies of documents in microform or on permanent paper. Digitization of original paper documents greatly enhances access to materials but is not considered a long-term preservation solution. The need for conservation of original documents for their historical, aesthetic or artistic value must also be taken into consideration because of the heritage value of this material.

Library materials deteriorate at varying rates and for a variety of reasons. Whatever the cause, if library collections are to be saved action must be taken to preserve them. Preservation is a fundamental component of library service, ensuring the library’s ability to provide access to its information resources over a long period of time. Libraries of all types have a responsibility for preservation  -  at the very least, disaster planning and proper care and handling should be part of the concerns of every library. The National Library of Canada includes the protection and preservation of the national collection as one of its strategic priorities.

Unfortunately, preservation is a library activity that has historically been neglected, undervalued and under funded. In order to gauge the level of preservation activity in Canadian libraries, a survey of 104 libraries  -  representing all types of libraries (except school libraries) and all geographic regions of Canada  -  was conducted in 2000. The survey demonstrated a shockingly low level of activity.

The Survey

The survey instrument developed by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) for its annual ARL Preservation Statistics compilation was used, with ARL’s permission. The survey "is designed to yield statistical information on the current level of preservation efforts in … libraries and on the key organizational, functional, and fiscal components that characterize preservation programs." Out of 104 questionnaires sent to Canadian libraries, 62 were returned, for a response rate of 59.6%. The following table summarizes the response rate by type of library.

Table 1

Preservation Administration

Preservation administration includes all activities related to the protection of library materials. While this includes conservation treatment and reformatting, it also includes activities related to disaster preparedness, accommodation facilities planning and environmental controls. The complete range of activities is normally managed by a preservation administrator; the presence of a full-time preservation administrator can therefore be used as an indicator of the library’s commitment to preservation. The survey consequently asked whether the library had a preservation administrator, and if so, what percentage of that person’s time was devoted to preservation activities.

A second indicator of the library’s level of preservation activity is the number of staff devoted to this activity. The survey asked for the total FTE (Full Time Equivalent staff) devoted to all preservation activities, including binding and minor repairs.

Of the public libraries that responded to the questionnaire, 95% reported that they did not have a preservation administrator. The average number of staff devoted to preservation activities in the public libraries that responded is 0.7 FTE. It is remarkable, however, that 60% of the public libraries responding reported that no preservation activity whatsoever takes place in the library. Only 15% of the respondents devote more than 1 FTE to preservation activities.

Five federal government departmental libraries responded to the survey. While two of them have a person responsible for preservation, the average FTE devoted to preservation activities by all five respondents was less than 0.5. One federal government library with significant and unique heritage collections undertakes no preservation activity.

The only detailed data on preservation activities in North American university libraries are the ARL Preservation Statistics. The latest available data are for the 1997 fiscal year. While the membership of ARL represents larger libraries, there is sufficient overlap with Canadian university libraries that comparisons are useful. Thirty percent of the university libraries that responded to the survey have a preservation administrator on staff, but in only 10% of the responding libraries is this a full-time person. This is significantly below the numbers for the Association of Research Libraries, where 72% of libraries had a preservation administrator; in 55% of ARL libraries this person worked full time on preservation activities. The average percentage of time devoted by preservation administrators to preservation activities in Canadian university libraries is less than 0.5 FTE. The average number of staff devoted to preservation activities of all types in Canadian university libraries is 3.19, while the average number of staff involved in preservation activities in ARL libraries is over 15.

Expenditures related to Preservation

Another measure that can be used to gauge preservation activity is the total expenditures on these activities. This figure encompasses expenditures on staff, binding, reformatting and supplies. The average amount spent by public libraries on preservation activities is $47 311 per year; it should be noted, however, that almost 60% of the total preservation expenditures among public libraries is accounted for by a single institution. Nine of the 21 responding public libraries reported that they spent no money at all.

The average university library expenditure on preservation activities among reporting libraries was $190 596. Five libraries reported zero expenditure. The average expenditure among ARL libraries was $702 367.

Conclusion

In 1992, an Advisory Committee established by the National Librarian, Marianne Scott, developed a National Strategy for Preservation in Canadian Libraries. The executive summary of the Strategy stated that "Canadian libraries now possess a high level of awareness and knowledge of preservation matters" and that "Canada’s published heritage is in safe hands, provided that sufficient resources are made available to implement an effective national preservation strategy." The results of the survey undertaken in 2000 indicate that we have fallen far short of the expectations of 1992. The main recommendations of the Strategy supported the idea that the "most effective way of coordinating preservation activities in Canadian libraries would be through the establishment of a permanent body to ensure that preservation work is appropriately funded and duplication of effort avoided."

Failing some form of action, there appears to be little doubt that we are seriously at risk of losing parts of our published heritage through deterioration.