The MBLC works to enhance the capacities and knowledge of libraries and their staff in managing their special community collections. Preservation and access were once considered mutually exclusive, but with reformatting, digitization, and online hosting, that is no longer typically the case. Preservation activities can be essential steps to broaden access to special collections, supportive of outreach and programming with positive outcomes for education, advanced scholarship, and community understanding.
Grants
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants supports libraries for Preservation. In addition to yearly Preservation Assessment grants, the MBLC offers Direct Grant to libraries in areas of preservation, specifically: "Archives Arrangement and Description," "Protecting Priority Collections," and "Managing Fine and Decorative Arts."
Consulting
Available for free on-site consulting for libraries and their staff with strategic and technical questions about their historical or community collections. Happy to connect and learn more about your collections and goals - and help you get there.
Education, Training, & Services to Enhance Collections Preservation and Access
Host and organizer of a number of events, in person and online, connecting libraries and their staff with best practices, new viewpoints, and opportunities for discussion and leadership on topics in special collection preservation, access, and management.
Disaster Preparedness & Mitigating Catastrophic Loss
MBLC is a founding partner of COSTEP MA (Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness for Cultural Heritage in Massachusetts), connecting libraries and the emergency management community with high quality, current information to mitigate or recover from disasters.
MBLC Environmental Monitoring Program: Free Tools, Software, & Trainings
Through a public contracting process, MBLC has partnered with Conserv Solutions to provide libraries free tools, software, and training to empower them to use the latest technology solutions to easily implement museum-quality monitoring for their special or historic community collections.
Sharing Best Practices for Preservation and Access for Special Collections
Periodic webinars, in partnership with the Massachusetts Library System, to improve standards and practices for special collections management among libraries in the Commonwealth. Selected recorded events:
- "Practical Disaster Resources for New England Libraries," April 27, 2022.
- "Managing Historic Collections," November 2021 MA Small Libraries Forum.
- "COSTEP MA: Pandemic Safety at Cultural Heritage Institutions," April 29, 2021.
- "Special Collections Symposium for Smaller Institutions, Part 2," December 14, 2020.
- "Special Collections Symposium for Smaller Libraries, Part 1," July 23, 2020.
- "COSTEP MA: Hurricane Season 2020 Readiness Webinar," June 16, 2020.
- "Massachusetts Libraries Respond to Emergencies with COSTEP MA," April 24, 2020.