Basic Strategies for Film Preservation in Libraries
Francis C. Poole · Technical Services Quarterly · 1999
Many school, college, university, and public libraries have collections of educational, industrial, scientific, and documentary films which are still being used in teaching and research. The majority of these films are in the 16mm format. Unfortunately, improper or inadequate storage, handling, and maintenance may result in premature aging and deterioration of the films. Yet, these film resources often include unique and valuable moving images that are not available on video formats such as videotape, laserdisc or Digital Video Disc (DVD). Taking a few simple and relatively inexpensive steps can improve the care of 16mm films and enhance chances for the survival of the moving image collections that exist in libraries. This can often be accomplished with modest investments in resources and time on the part of libraries and library staff.