The Preservation Environment

Abstract

A preservation environment is the most cost-effective collection management tool that librarians and archivists have for extending the .collective life expectancy of their vast scholarly resources. The preservation environment built in a modern library shelving facility embodies a conscious commitment to preservation and distinguishes such a building from a book warehouse, a book attic, or a typical full-service library. The concept of a "preservation environment" is a complex one.that has emerged over nearly a century of concern over deteriorating library collections, several key conceptual breakthroughs in the past 40 years, and focused research in materials science. This chapter reviews how the idea of the library building as a preservation facility has changed over time, how materials science has contributed to the definition of a preservation environment, and how architects, engineers, and librarians designed the Yale University Library Shelving Facility to maximize the building's preservation value. The chapter concludes by identifying one lingering preservation issue that requires further research.