April 24–30, 2022 is Preservation Week, sponsored by Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures,. Preservation Week encourages libraries “to connect our communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared collections.” The 2022 Preservation Week theme is “Preservation in the Face of Climate Change” and this year’s honorary chair is Elizabeth Yeampierre, the Executive Director of the Brooklyn-based Latinx community organization UPROSE.
ACRL has a number of resources to help you celebrate this year.
Free Resources From RBMS
ACRL’s Rare Books & Manuscripts Section (RBMS) has developed many freely available resources for those working with rare collections and materials, including:
- “Your Old Books,” a publication that addresses frequently asked questions about rare and older books and their values.
- Various guidelines for rare and special collections, including the Selection and Transfer of Materials from General Collections. An RBMS Climate Readiness task force is currently working on recommendations related to the intersection of climate change and cultural heritage materials. Updates to the guidelines dealing with security and theft of collections, and with the lending of special collections materials are also underway. Stay tuned!
- The recently revised Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (RDA Edition) and other cataloging aids for rare book catalogers.
- A wealth of resources to support outreach and teaching with primary sources, hosted by the RBMS Instruction & Outreach Committee.
You can find these and more on the RBMS website.
If these topics are of interest to you, dig deeper with RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, ACRL’s journal covering issues pertaining to special collections libraries and cultural heritage institutions.
Attend the upcoming RBMS 2022 Conference, “What Now? Reflection, Reckoning, and Recovery,” featuring a mix of live programs, interactive discussions, conversation wall, collegial connections, and content access for 1 year. Conversations will focus on continuing actions for racial, social, and environmental justice, along with examining opportunities to focus our efforts toward effecting necessary change. RBMS is where you find content and connections that matter, keep up-to-date, and find new approaches to your work. Register today!
Dive into a Good Book!
ACRL’s book publishing program features several titles to help you celebrate Preservation Week.
- Approaches to Liaison Librarianship: Innovations in Organization and Engagement
- Collaborating for Impact: Special Collections and Liaison Librarian Partnerships, available in print and as an open access edition
- Ethnic Studies in Academic and Research Libraries
- Leading Together: Academic Library Consortia and Advocacy
- The Sustainable Library’s Cookbook
- The Teaching with Primary Sources Cookbook
Free Webinars from Core
This year, Core is hosting two free webinars in celebration of Preservation Week. You can also find past recordings of Preservation Week webinars on the event website.
- How to Implement Sustainability in your Facility (Tuesday, April 26, 2022)
- Digital Preservation’s Impact on the Environment (Thursday, April 28, 2022)
Follow Along!
Make sure to follow #PreservationWeek on social media to learn more and share how you’re celebrating Preservation Week and preserving oral history! For more information about Preservation Week, including additional resources and ways to participate, visit the celebration website.