PSAP is Now Live

Posted on by Nicholas Ferraz de Oliveira

PSAP

The University of Illinois and its project partners are proud to announce that after two years of development and testing, the Preservation Self-Assessment Program (PSAP) is available for use. The PSAP is a free online tool that helps collection managers prioritize efforts to improve conditions of collection materials. Through guided evaluation of items and collections, storage/exhibit environments, and institutional policies, the PSAP produces reports on the factors that impact the health of cultural heritage materials, and defines the points from which to begin care.

The PSAP was created to assist any organization that collects paper documents/books, photographic and image materials, and audiovisual media, including library special collections, archives, museums, and historical societies. Like the Audiovisual Self-Assessment Program (AvSAP) which preceded it, the PSAP is designed to assist in organizations where little to no prior preservation training exists. The goal is to help collections managers develop a prioritized preservation plan as well as to educate them on the “health risks” posed to their collections and what they can do to mitigate them with the resources at hand.

In addition to the assessment functions, the PSAP also offers the Format ID Guide among other useful resources. The Format ID Guide is a stand-alone guide that can assist collection managers in identifying the formats of materials in their collections ranging from matte collodion photographs to U-matic video recordings. Once identified, the Format ID Guide provides useful advice on that material type’s history, composition, preservation challenges, and optimal storage and display.

About the developers of PSAP:
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library partnered with Heritage Preservation, the Spurlock Museum, the Illinois State Library, the McLean County Museum of History, the Chicago History Museum, The Urbana Free Library, and the Illinois Heritage Association on this project. The PSAP was made possible with generous support through a National Leadership Grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS).

For more information on the Preservation Self-Assessment Program, visit the PSAP website at https://psap.library.illinois.edu/ .

Do you have a story you’d like added to the Library News & Events? If so, please contact Heather Murphy ( hmurphy@illinois.edu ).