Special Collections and University Archives Preservation Assessment

FAIN: PG-51229-11

Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA 90263-0002)
Melissa Nykanen (Project Director: May 2010 to October 2012)

Hiring of a consultant to undertake a preservation assessment and develop an emergency preparedness plan, and purchase of archival storage supplies for Special Collections and University Archives. The collections include local history, personal papers, named collections, and nearly 5,000 rare books that range from a 16th-century edition of "The Aeneid" to first editions of Ernest Hemingway's novels, all of which support research, education, and lifelong learning among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the community.

The department of Special Collections and University Archives at the Pepperdine University Libraries seeks $6,000 in funding to conduct a preservation and emergency preparedness consultation. The University will hire a consultant, preservation expert Julie Page of the California Preservation Program, to assess Pepperdine University’s Special Collections and University Archives. The focus of the assessment will be the environmental conditions of the space and an emergency response plan. While also surveying the physical materials included in the collection, Ms. Page will comment specifically on collection maintenance, storage conditions, recommended treatments, supplies, and enclosures. The recommendations provided will inform the development of both short-term and long-term policies and practices related to the care and preservation of materials, including the proper implementation of an environmental monitoring system.