Preservation Activities in ARL Libraries

The recently published ARL Preservation Statistics 1993-94 confirm that
preservation microfilming activity in ARL libraries continues to grow,
with 127,650 volumes preserved on microfilm last year.  The report also
indicates a continued reliance on special grants or external funds, such
as grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, to carry out
preservation microfilming activities.  In 1993-94 such grants accounted
for 12% of the total preservation expenditures for the 115 reporting
institutions.  Additionally, over the past six years, in-house
microfilming production has steadily declined while use of contract
filming agencies has expanded. 

Overall, the expansion of preservation programs that occurred through
the 1980's and into the early 1990's appears to be leveling off.  For
example, the current data show only slight increases over 1992-93 in the
area of total preservation expenditures and the number of personnel
involved in preservation activities. 

The ARL Preservation Statistics is an annual publication and is
available for sale from ARL.  To order, contact the Publications
Department at (202) 296- 2296 or email arlhq@cni.org.  There is also an
electronic edition available via the ARL gopher; select Statistics and
Measurement or Preservation. 


ARL Library Preservation Programs 1989 - 1994
---------------------------------------------
Number of Institutions Reporting
1988/89          107
1989/90          115
1990/91          117
1991/92          119
1992/93          114
1994/95          115

Number of Preservation Administrators
1988/89           76
1989/90           86
1990/91           90
1991/92           95
1992/93           91
1994/95           92

Total Staff Library-wide Engaged in Preservation Activities
1988/89        1,621
1989/90        1,761
1990/91        1,744
1991/92        1,867
1992/93        1,842
1994/95        1,900

Total Preservation Expenditures
1988/89     $60,714,802
1989/90     $66,045,392
1990/91     $70,705,449
1991/92     $76,550,655
1992/93     $76,793,364
1994/95     $77,674,363

Conservation Treatment (volumes)       
1988/89     Contract:                     In-house:             
            Minor:       2,336            Minor:     658,711
            Interim:     8,393            Interim:   176,901
            Major:       4,623            Major:     17,113
            Total contract: 16,801        Total in-house: 888,868

1989/90     Contract:                     In-house:
            Level 1:     5,162            Level 1:   682,735
            Level 2:     4,906            Level 2:   272,464
            Level 3:     3,090            Level 3:    32,233
            Total contract: 15,697        Total in-house: 987,432 

1990/91     Contract:                     In-house:
            Level 1:  3,970               Level 1:    668,597
            Level 2:  2,317               Level 2:    271,508
            Level 3:  2,376               Level 3:     16,253
            Total contract: 8,717         Total in-house:  956,358 

1991/92     Contract:                     In-house:
            Level 1:  2,979               Level 1:  1,035,955
            Level 2:  7,957               Level 2:    257,934
            Level 3:  2,794               Level 3:     21,665
            Total contract: 18,029        Total in-house:  1,316,757       

1992/93     Contract:                     In-house:
            Level 1:  4,756               Level 1:    664,860
            Level 2:  3,826               Level 2:    262,022
            Level 3:  3,208               Level 3:     21,033
            Total contract: 12,278        Total in-house:  952,097 

1993/94     Contract:                     In-house:
            Level 1:  2,703               Level 1:    680,602
            Level 2:  3,054               Level 2:    243,421
            Level 3:  3,028               Level 3:     20,701
            Total contract:   8,424       Total in-house:  982,830

Microfilming    
1988/89     Titles:         75,198
            Volumes:        60,502
            Exposures:  18,254,133
        
1989/90     Titles:         68,904
            Volumes:        92,093
            Exposures:  23,687,873      

1990/91     Titles:         77,740
            Volumes:       123,233
            Exposures:  28,264,637      

1991/92     Titles:         93,052
            Volumes:       204,934
            Exposures:  28,892,445      

1992/93     Titles:        104,818
            Volumes:       124,455
            Exposures:  32,844,044
      
1993/94     Titles:        106,733
            Volumes:       127,650
            Exposures:  29,900,149

Source: ARL Preservation Statistics.  (Washington, D.C.: Association of
Research Libraries, 1995 )

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ARL 181
A Bimonthly Newsletter of Research Library Issues and Actions
Association of Research Libraries
August 1995