Preservation in the Libraries
As part of the University of Arkansas Libraries, the Preservation Unit oversees the protection and treatment of the Libraries’ physical collections in order to facilitate long-term preservation and access for all users.
In other words, we’re involved in…
- preservation planning
- conservation
- proper care and handling of collections materials
- environmental monitoring
- integrated pest management
- disaster response and recovery
- commercial binding
- collection security
A preservation program is designed to maintain collections as a whole in the best possible condition, for as long as they are needed, by minimizing and preventing damage. Preservation encompasses policies, principles, and practices for preventive strategies, and conservation encompasses the treatment and repair of individual items to slow decay or restore to a usable form.
Preventive collection care is the most cost effective and efficient means of extending useful life of a collection. Remedial actions, such as binding, repair, conservation treatments, and reformatting, are performed to ensure continued access to collections.
Preservation and conservation encompass a range of activities associated with maintaining materials for use in original physical form or in other usable ways appropriate for the institution and collection. We manage physical preservation only; the Digital Services Department and Special Collections manage digital preservation for items they process.
About the Lab
Preservation at Mullins Library
Our lab space is located in MULN 102.
This is where we handle treatment and repair of collection items, with book and paper repair, humidification and flattening, large scale surface cleaning, handling oversized or fragile materials, and more. The room is fitted with a fume hood, fire safe, and sinks, allowing us to work with items needing remediation or treatments involving chemicals.
Access to the lab is limited to library staff, but visits may be arranged by contacting preserve@uark.edu.
About the Staff
Mary Leverance
Preservation and Conservation Coordinator
Mary is focused on managing the unit, and preventive conservation and collections care, including environmental monitoring, emergency response, integrated pest management, reviewing materials needing treatment, and preservation planning.
She’s often discussing preservation measures with staff from all Libraries units, monitoring environmental building conditions, and dabbling in making enclosures here and there.
She has a Master’s in Information Sciences and a B.S. in Geography.
Email: mleveran at uark.edu
Sally Crutcher
Preservation and Binding Supervisor
Sally is focused on the physical conservation of circulating and Special Collections materials, including assessing damaged items, repairing books and paper, and rehousing items in premade and custom enclosures. She also oversees the Libraries’ binding operations.
You can usually find Sally listening to podcasts while making wheat starch paste, cleaning and mending paper, and repairing the spines of books.
She has a Master’s in Library and Information Science, a B.A. in History, and a graduate certificate in Archival Studies.
Email: crutcher at uark.edu
Amber Cooper
Preservation and Binding Assistant
Amber is focused on the physical conservation of circulating collections, including repairing books and paper and rehousing items in premade and custom enclosures. She also sends periodicals and monographs for commercial binding, and assists in any other tasks needing extra help.
For training purposes, she also has a long-term book repair project, where she’s reassembling a book from scratch, including fixing any tears and binding issues the book has, which is usually the highlight of her week. Her role is filled with learning new information and gathering experience she’ll bring to furthering her education in graduate school.
She has a B.S. in Anthropology, with a History minor.
Email: arc026 at uark.edu