Preserving
Our Heritage![stars](images/star-smlr.gif)
The task of preservation is to assure that our documentary heritage
remains available for use over time without losing the information and
essence that makes it important to our culture. The Library's strategy
for preserving its vast collections reflects the diversity of its holdings.
Every item in the collection has its own preservation needs, determined
by its nature, condition, and intended use. Because library materials
are primarily organic in nature, they will eventually deteriorate over
time. Environmental control, appropriate housing and storage, and careful
handling, all supported by a team of highly skilled conservators, constitute
our first line of defense.
Sometimes, when materials are especially fragile, the Library takes
special measures to ensure that the documents survive. Treasures such
as the Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence and the Library's
two copies of the Gettysburg Address, written by Abraham Lincoln on inexpensive,
acidic paper with inks that further corrode it, are in specially built
environmental containers that have been purged by the inert gas argon
to reduce oxygen and moisture to minimal levels. These cases prevent
oxidation, including photo oxidation, and are covered with double ultraviolet
light-filtering acrylic glazing to enable safe display under low-light
conditions. These containers are in turn stored in a low-temperature
vault that is maintained at a constant environmental level of 50 degrees
Fahrenheit and 50 percent Relative Humidity. The vault has a fire-suppression
system and is maintained under high security protocols.
Though these precious documents themselves are safe in their special
housing and storage, people can still have access to them through the
Library's Web site. Just as the digital age promises to make the Library's
collections more widely available, the challenge to preserve the cultural
heritage that the Library holds in trust for the American people continues
to grow. As more and more of what the nation produces is stored on potentially
unstable machine-readable media such as video and audio tape, the Library's
world-renowned preservation research and development facilities are addressing
these current challenges and anticipating those of the future.
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July 5, 2005
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