LSTA Grants

This opportunity provides libraries funds to support preservation planning goals and the identification of digital collections stewardship. Preservation assessment types include physical preservation assessments, digital curation readiness assessments, and fine and decorative art and object condition reports. Awarded libraries will contract with an MBLC-approved preservation consultant able to conduct one or more site visit(s), assess the overall state of the facility, condition(s), and/or object(s), identify areas of concern and potential improvements, and complete the assessment process via delivery of a formal Preservation Assessment report. The entirety of the award must be paid to the selected preservation consultant.

Types of eligible assessments:

• Comprehensive library preservation readiness
• Comprehensive digital curation readiness
• Focused local history, archives, and/or digital collection(s) preservation needs
• Fine and decorative arts assessment(s), inventory/ies and condition surveys

The Preservation Assessment report will identify short-, near- and long-term preservation priorities and recommended actions specific to the library, spaces, collections, and/or items being assessed.

At a minimum, the report must cover the following preservation areas, when and at a level of detail appropriate to the type and focus of the assessment:

• Overview of institution and/or responsible department(s)
• Collection(s) overview
• Structural stability for collections' storage, use, and exhibition spaces
• Security for building, collections-care spaces, and/or local IT infrastructure
• Current state of and recommendations for environmental controls
• Current state of and recommendations for disaster planning/emergency response planning
• Policies and procedures for all aspects of building and/or collections management
• Selection procedures and prioritization recommendations for digitization and/or conservation
• Current practices review and recommendations for safe storage and management of collection, including shelving, storage furnishings and equipment, object enclosures, local infrastructure, and/or cloud storage options
• Overview of current digital collections care practices and risks related to renderability and intellectual control, including formats, metadata, tools and platforms, access and use controls
• Specific recommendations for any challenging physical or digital formats
• Prioritized 'next steps' for immediate, near-term, and long-term preservation planning