British Library Preservation Advisory Centre
Archival association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The British Library Preservation Advisory Centre, formerly the National Preservation Office, was a British organisation for the development and awareness of preservation management within libraries and archives in the UK and Ireland.[2][3][4][5] The centre closed in 2014.[3]
- 96 Euston Road
London, NW1 2DB [1]
 | |
| Formation | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 31 March 2014 |
| Location(s) |
|
| Coordinates | 51°31′46″N 0°07′37″W |
Parent organisation | British Library |
Formerly called | National Preservation Office |
Purpose and activities
In April 1984, the British Library Board established the National Preservation Office following the publication of the Ratcliffe Report.[2][3][5] During its existence it raised public awareness of preservation issues in libraries and served as a nexus for developing and promoting improved preservation management of library and archive materials in the UK and Ireland.[3] The Centre aimed to create a strategic policy for preserving current library collections, and addressed issues arising as digital collections evolved.[6]
Its work was focused on practical results:
- To assist cultural heritage agencies and organizations develop strategies for the preservation of cultural heritage assets in museums, libraries and archives, including the further development of the "Preservation Assessment Survey" (PAS)[7] and training in the use of the PAS tools
- To provide print and web-based information services for individuals and organizations, especially for collections throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
- To provide training in preservation management for individuals and organizations including relevant training in the following areas: introduction to preservation management; disaster management; environmental control and monitoring.[8]
The Centre published an annual digest and report.[9]
International influence
The need for national entities like the Centre had been documented in surveys conducted by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Section on Preservation & Conservation and by the Ligue Internationale des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherches. Other than the United Kingdom, at least seven other countries have set up a similar entity, including Canada and New Zealand.[10]
Merger and closure
In 2009 the National Preservation Office merged with the British Library Department of Collection Care to form the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre.[4] Following the Centre's closure on 31 March 2014, all publications and resources were transferred to the British Library Collection Care webpages.[3]