Welcome to the Facilities section of the Library Preservation and Conservation Tutorial.

The location of preservation/conservation operations usually depends on the age of the library or archive and the overall objectives of the institution. In buildings constructed before 1950, space was allocated often for a bindery and sometimes for a microfilming unit. Beginning in the mid-1960s, less attention was focused on preservation; only modest preservation facilities were planned for buildings constructed during this period.

More interest has been focused on preservation over the last twenty years. There is growing concern about the need to preserve the world's cultural heritage, and administrators are now faced with difficult choices over facilities to accommodate old and new library/archive functions. Attempts to establish preservation operations in buildings not designed to house them have resulted in awkward space allotment, stress as different library departments vie for space, and increased strain on already tight budgets.

Space is becoming even more of a problem as libraries and archives fill up with research materials, and as the wave of new technologies diverts attention from preservation.

Below is an outline of some of the topics covered in this section.