Preservation Education

Preservation is not always the focus of today's library education. Many library schools are focusing on the technology aspects of information science, leaving some library activities behind. When looking through the listings provided by ALCTS in their Preservation Education Directory, the majority of library and information schools only have a a course or two dedicated to preservation and a few courses that touch on preservation. While GSLIS at UIUC has a dedicated Preservation course, it is not unlike many of the library and information science schools accredited by the American Library Association.

GSLIS seems, at first glance, to only have one dedicated preservation course, Preservation of Information Resources. However, eighteen courses in the course catalog mention preservation, conservation, archives, or rare books. Only five were offered this semester, only two of which preservation or archives was the focus; ten are offered in the spring, with two having a main focus on preservation. Preservation is integrated into the curriculum, even if it is not the entire focus of numerous courses.

The University of Texas at Austin, on the other hand, happens to have a focus on preservation and conservation. The School of Information program at Texas lists over twenty-five courses dedicated to preservation and conservation. To get an idea of how often they are offered, thirteen were offered this fall and twelve are scheduled to be offered in the spring. The UT course descriptions page lists not only introductory courses, but also classes on digital preservation, conservation, laboratory work and fieldwork. The number of courses allows for specializations, for example, one class focuses on photography and cinema archives.

Students who want more preservation experience than their schools can offer can gain some experience through other means. Workshops, such as the Book Arts Workshop, this past October at UIUC: Organization and Preservation of Your Family Treasures or workshops offered by ALCTS can provide some specialized information and experience. It is also possible to do an assistantship, practicum or volunteer in a local conservation lab, archive, or museum. Student groups and professional organizations, such as Society of American Archivists or ALCTS, can also offer possibilities to meet others in the field and to discuss mutual interests.

In what ways does your school spend time on preservation, either through courses or other opportunities? Is it enough for your purposes? What types of opportunities would you like to see more widely available? What opportunities are there in your area (e.g. volunteering, assistantships, workshops)?