Current Training Programs

The six-session online course offers an in-depth introduction to the preservation of photographs, including their identification, deterioration, and care. Participants will learn how to recognize various photographic processes ranging from daguerreotypes to contemporary prints. Preservation problems associated with specific processes will also be studied.

The course will address storage concerns and preservation priorities, including environmental guidelines, enclosures, and proper care and handling. The course will include an optional assignment in which participants create a preservation plan for a selected photographic collection within their institution.

This course is intended for individuals who want to learn in more detail how to care for photographs including curators, collection managers, exhibit preparators, catalogers, archivists, photographers and collectors.

• Session 1: Introduction – Photograph Preservation Checklist
  May 27, 2020 
• Session 2: Paper, Glass and Plastic: Id and Care of Negatives
  June 3, 2020
• Session 3: Finding a Balance: Caring for Cased Images
  June 10, 2020
• Session 4: Black and White Photographic Processes:  Salt to Silver Gelatin Print
  June 17, 2020
• Session 5: Color and Contemporary Photography
  June 24, 2020
• Session 6: Review of Course and Preservation Plans
  July 1, 2020

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Pests and mold are common culprits for damage and loss in cultural heritage collections. While preventing infestation is central to good preservation practice, there may come a time when you discover pests or mold (or both) in your collections. This webinar covers strategies for preventing and mitigating issues in library, archives, museum, and personal collections, as well as institutional policies and procedures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of infestation.

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In this 1-hour “hands on” webinar, participants will learn about various surface cleaning methods that can be safely used to clean books and paper. Using a combination of lecture and live demonstration, the pros and cons and appropriate application of each method will be discussed. Each participant will receive a supply kit in the mail and will have the opportunity to participate in a unique hands-on experience. This class is appropriate for anyone responsible for the care of paper-based collections – no previous conservation experience is necessary. The registration fee includes supply kit and shipping.

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PLEASE NOTE: This workshop has been temporarily postponed. Once the program has been rescheduled we will post the new date. Thank you for your patience.

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Mold can pose a serious threat to cultural heritage materials. In this 1-hour webinar, participants will learn how to asses identify mold, how to safely clean moldy materials, and how to prevent future mold outbreaks through proactive preservation measures.

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Providing access to collections and mounting exhibits are great ways to expand the reach and impact of your collections, but also come with inherent security risks. This webinar will explore the nature of these security risks; provide guidance for assessing your building, reading room, and storage spaces; and cover basic policies that help protect your collection from theft and vandalism.

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This webinar introduces participants to issues in audio preservation, beginning with an overview of common formats and their preservation risks. The instructor will describe basic care and handling techniques, briefly discuss reformatting-as-preservation, and share tools for format identification, inventory, and storage. Note that many of these concepts apply to moving image collections as well. Participants will gain a solid understanding of how to devise next steps for their audio collections and where to find more information.

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An introduction to the preservation of paper-based collections, this webinar focuses on books, documents, photographs, and works of art on paper. It will include information on paper manufacture, deterioration, and proper storage. Also discussed are inks and colorants, adhesives, and image layers.

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Join us for a look behind the scenes in NEDCC’s Photograph Conservation Laboratory and learn about discoveries of unique photographic materials that illuminate the nation’s past.

Images are everywhere… on your living room walls, in your family albums, on the sides of buses and on your phone. However, the actual physical photograph can sometimes be taken for granted…forgotten in an attic, a shoebox, or a trunk. This webinar will cover the highlights of three photograph conservation  projects at NEDCC. Photographic collections and unique objects that were rediscovered and brought back into the public’s eye.

• North Hampton (NH) Heritage Commission found two 19^th century viewers with fourteen photographs on curved wooden frames in an attic during a photographic survey of their campus.  This rare find of Megalethoscope slides and their viewer provided both a conservation challenge and opportunity to recreate a historic process. 
  
  
• Greensboro History Museum (NC) houses the Dolley Madison Collection, a nationally significant collection including two Mathew Brady daguerreotypes. It also contains other archival materials, two dresses, a turban, shoes and a calling card case, all found in a Pennsylvania attic in the 1950s. A group of Greensboro ladies raised money to purchase the collection, which was donated to the museum in 1963. The Mathew Brady daguerreotype of Dolley Madison and her niece Anna Causten was housed loosely in a blue velvet case since 1963 and difficult to handle. After raising the funds, the conservation of the daguerreotype became a priority and ultimately was loaned for an exhibit. 

• Francesca Woodman, American photographer known for her black-and-white self-portraits, attended The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) from 1975-1979.  Woodman’s BFA thesis is a favorite piece among RISD students and access to the object is in high-demand. The archivist at the Fleet Library, RISD brought Francesca Woodman’s BFA thesis to NEDCC as it was becoming increasingly difficult to handle and was in desperate need of conservation. The conservation treatment preserved the thesis’ original essence and provided safe access to the object for the researchers and RISD students.

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Custom enclosures can be time consuming and costly to outsource, and commercially available options may not meet the needs of more unusual artifacts. However, with a little bit of creativity and a few basic tools and supplies, commercially available boxes can often be modified to suit the needs of a variety of artifacts. This talk is geared towards library, archives, and museum professionals charged with collections care. We will discuss how to navigate archival supply catalogs to find the necessary tools and supplies to create customized enclosures on-site, give examples of some innovative boxing solutions, explain how to use easily accessible laser cutting technologies to create custom storage mounts, and provide an overview of available vendor solutions.

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This session provides an overview of digitizing scrapbooks, photo albums, and other unique bound items. Selecting, preparing, and imaging scrapbooks requires careful planning and the right equipment. Scrapbooks often include fragile binding, adhesives, and folded or tucked-in elements that require careful handling during the digitization process. This one-hour webinar addresses the benefits and drawbacks of various digitization methods, as well considerations related to file formats and resolution, in order to help you decide on an approach that is right for your project.

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The Instructor-led Preservation 101: Preservation Basics for Paper and Media Collections course gives participants the foundation needed to be effective collections stewards. This comprehensive introduction prepares participants to complete a preservation needs assessment and provides structured guidance on developing an institutional disaster plan. Revised and updated, the course uses the free online version of Preservation 101 as its textbook, adding expanded resources and assignments, interactive discussions, and new content covering audiovisual and digital formats and digital preservation. Putting theory into practice, participants will develop recommendations for improvement and a long-range preservation plan.

Preservation 101 is a hybrid course. A series of ten live webinars builds on self-paced study through assigned readings. Feedback will be provided by the instructor. The webinars are interactive, and are supported by NEDCC’s Preservation 101 Education Classroom. Participants will have access to webinar recordings, readings, and additional resources, and can communicate with the instructor and fellow participants.

09/17/2020  Introduction to Preservation
09/24/2020  The Building and the Environment
10/01/2020  Caring for Collections
10/08/2020  Caring for Paper Collections
10/15/2020  Caring for Photographs
10/22/2020  Media Collections
10/29/2020  Reformatting, Digitization, and Digital Preservation
11/05/2020  Emergency Preparedness
11/12/2020  Building a Preservation Program
11/19/2020  Final Assignment Due! Final Review and Discussion

 Meeting times are 2pm-4pm ET

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PLEASE NOTE:  This workshop, originally scheduled to take place on April 28th, has been rescheduled to Septermber 21, 2020

This hands-on workshop offers an introduction to the preservation of photographs, including their identification, deterioration, and care. Participants will learn how to recognize various photographic processes ranging from daguerreotypes to inkjet prints. Preservation problems associated with specific processes will also be studied. The workshop will address storage concerns and preservation priorities, including environmental guidelines, enclosures, and proper care and handling. Participants are encouraged to bring photographs for examination and discussion. 

The one-day workshop is intended for individuals who want to learn how to care for photographs including curators, collection managers, exhibit preparations, catalogers, archivists, photographers and collectors.

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This webinar introduces participants to concepts that will facilitate the care and management of moving image collections. The instructor will discuss common film formats and their preservation risks, as well as introduce tools for film identification and assessment. Participants will gain a solid understanding of how to devise next steps for their moving image collections and where to find more information.

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This hands-on workshop offers an introduction to the preservation of photographs, including their identification, deterioration, and care. Participants will learn how to recognize various photographic processes ranging from daguerreotypes to inkjet prints. Preservation problems associated with specific processes will also be studied. The workshop will address storage concerns and preservation priorities, including environmental guidelines, enclosures, and proper care and handling. Participants are encouraged to bring photographs for examination and discussion. 

The one-day workshop is intended for individuals who want to learn how to care for photographs including curators, collection managers, exhibit preparations, catalogers, archivists, photographers and collectors.

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NEH Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions are relatively easy to apply for and have launched successful preservation projects and programs in institutions across the country. Be ready for the round of applications! This webinar is presented by an NEH Program Officer and an NEDCC Preservation Specialist and covers the issues that should be considered when preparing to submit an NEH Preservation Assistance Grant. Emphasis will be on preparing the grant narrative, making the case for your project, getting requisite information from consultants, and putting together a good budget.

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NEH Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions are relatively easy to apply for and have launched successful preservation projects and programs in institutions across the country. Be ready for the round of applications! This webinar is presented by an NEH Program Officer and an NEDCC Preservation Specialist and covers the issues that should be considered when preparing to submit an NEH Preservation Assistance Grant. Emphasis will be on preparing the grant narrative, making the case for your project, getting requisite information from consultants, and putting together a good budget.

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Part 1: December 10, 2020
Part 2: December 17, 2020

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Most digital preservation software uses free, smaller tools that run on the command line. This webinar introduces attendees to Windows command line tools, including ROBOCOPY, MD5DEEP, FIDO, EXIFTOOL, and BagIt. Participants will receive an introduction to the command line and a demonstration of these tools in a workflow that breaks down the steps most digital preservation software automates for you. Watch this webinar if you want to learn more about the command line, gain a deeper practical understanding of digital preservation activities, and make more informed decisions about the workflows you build. Watch Building an Easy Digital Preservation Workflow with Small Tools to learn how to use more free digital preservation tools and build your workflow.

Duration: 2 hours

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session. 

Ready to move from theory to practice with digital preservation at your institution? This webinar shows attendees how to implement a simple, free workflow with user-friendly tools, including DataAccessioner, Fixity by AVP, and Bagger. Participants will learn about the preservation activities that these tools support and receive a step-by-step instructional demonstration of the workflow in action. Attendees will finish the webinar with a strong idea of how to implement and build on this workflow at their institution with handouts and guidance on next steps. Watch Diving Deeper with Digital Preservation Tools using the Command Line to learn how to use more free digital preservation tools and gain a deeper insight into digital preservation workflows.

Duration: 2 hours

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session. 

This webinar instructs participants on good practices for caring for oversized materials in their collections, including those made of paper (e.g. posters, maps, large books, architectural plans) and textiles (e.g. flags, quilts). Storage and handling methods will be covered in detail. Participants will gain a solid understanding of how to protect oversized collections and will receive a decision-making tree and a bibliography.

NEDCC also offers an in-person, hands-on workshop on caring for oversized collections that goes into greater detail than this one-hour webinar. If you are interested in receiving a cost proposal, please contact us at info@nedcc.org.

Duration: 1 hour

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session. 

Mold can pose a serious threat to cultural heritage materials. In this 1-hour webinar, participants will learn how to asses identify mold, how to safely clean moldy materials, and how to prevent future mold outbreaks through proactive preservation measures.

Duration: 1 hour

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Scrapbooks document personal moments alongside local and national history. The variety of records and materials inside--and the myriad methods of fastening them to the page--pose significant preservation challenges. Participants will learn about the structure of scrapbooks, the types of materials commonly found in them, methods of attachment, implications for preservation and conservation, and how to provide the best level of care for scrapbook collections. Low-cost, in-house preservation approaches are included.  

Duration: 1 hour

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session. 

Historic collections often have many framed items not currently on display, including paintings, art on paper, and photographic prints, and even three dimensional objects and ephemera. These objects can be difficult to store safely, and prioritizing them for re-framing or other treatment can be difficult. This session will discuss common problems with framed objects, guidance for reframing, and safe, effective storage options for items in frames and unframed oversized items.

Duration: 1 hour

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Originally developed by Tim Walsh at Concordia University, this webinar covers the identification of various removable media and organizing workflows for capturing and ingesting the data contained on these media at collecting institutions. For the capture of data, we will touch on disk imaging and digital forensics, and go over some of the programs that are being used to extract, package, and manage data for collections. We conclude with considerations for choosing whether to complete projects in-house or with a vendor.

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An introduction to the preservation of paper-based collections, this webinar focuses on books, documents, photographs, and works of art on paper.  It will include information on paper manufacture, deterioration, and proper storage.  Also discussed are inks and colorants, adhesives, and image layers.

Duration: 2 hours

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session.

Many audiovisual and moving image collections are at risk due to their material instability and the ever-growing issue of technological obsolescence. While reformatting is a valuable tool for both preservation and access, preserving the original objects nevertheless remains important.  Perhaps the most important action that archivists can take to guarantee the long-term preservation of audiovisual objects is to ensure that they are held in the proper storage conditions. This webinar provides an introduction and overview of best storage practices. It will identify appropriate packing and storage containers and include a detailed discussion of proper environmental standards. Formats covered during the webinar will include magnetic tape, motion picture film, and photographs. It is suitable for both new and experienced professionals and will be taught by Jean-Louis Bigourdan, Senior Research Scientist at the Image Permanence Institute.

Duration: 90 minutes

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session.

All too often researchers look to archivists and librarians for information regarding complex copyright law and fair use policies. This two-part webinar course aims to arm library and information professionals with a working knowledge of concepts relating to copyright and intellectual property, specifically as they relate to audiovisual collections, which present particular challenges. The webinar will begin at an introductory level—offering a basic discussion of copyright law, the public domain, and the implications for collections. The second webinar will be a “deep dive” into some of the broad concepts that are presented in Session 1. Issues such as creator and transfer rights and open access will be addressed. No previous knowledge of copyright law is required. Session 1 will be taught by Hope O’Keeffe, Associate General Counsel at the Library of Congress and Session 2 will be taught by Greg Cram, Associate Director of Copyright and Information Policy at the New York Public Library.

Duration: 90 minutes

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session.

All too often researchers look to archivists and librarians for information regarding complex copyright law and fair use policies. This two-part webinar course aims to arm library and information professionals with a working knowledge of concepts relating to copyright and intellectual property, specifically as they relate to audiovisual collections, which present particular challenges. The webinar will begin at an introductory level—offering a basic discussion of copyright law, the public domain, and the implications for collections. The second webinar will be a “deep dive” into some of the broad concepts that are presented in Session 1. Issues such as creator and transfer rights and open access will be addressed. No previous knowledge of copyright law is required. Session 1 will be taught by Hope O’Keeffe, Associate General Counsel at the Library of Congress and Session 2 will be taught by Greg Cram, Associate Director of Copyright and Information Policy at the New York Public Library.

Duration: 90 minutes

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session.

Oral histories, which are nearly ubiquitous in archival and cultural heritage collections, capture first-hand accounts of their subjects and are particularly valuable resources as they often record the histories and memories of underrepresented people and groups. However, oral history interviews may be maintained on a variety of media formats (both analog and digital), which can make them daunting to care for. This 90-minute webinar will offer guidance to those archivists charged with maintaining these important recordings and will present a workflow—from beginning to end—for how best to process, preserve, and make accessible oral history materials. The webinar will also introduce some important concepts that are particular to oral history collections, including conversations on ethical considerations, the use of outside vendors, and the role of transcription and index tagging. This is a beginner-level webinar and previous experience processing oral history and/or audiovisual collections is not required. The course will be taught by Mary Larson, Associate Dean for Special Collections at Oklahoma State University Library and former President of the Oral History Association and Sarah Milligan Associate Professor and Head of the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at Oklahoma State University.

Duration: 90 minutes

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PLEASE NOTE: After purchase allow 24-48 hours to receive a login and password to access this webinar session.

What can institutions that house audiovisual collections do to mitigate their environmental impact while also preserving their collections according to professional best practices? This important question is one that preoccupies Linda Tadic, CEO of Digital Bedrock.  This webinar will explore the relationship between AV collections, digital storage, and the environment. In particular it will cover how things such as staff actions, technology choices, and environmental planning can enable archivists to care for their collections responsibly. Webinar attendees will leave with a working knowledge of and a vocabulary pertaining to the relationship between the responsible custody of collections and the larger environment in which we live. No previous knowledge of the subject is required. The webinar will be taught by Linda Tadic, CEO of Digital Bedrock and former AMIA President.

Duration: 90 minutes

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Preservation is an underlying responsibility of any collections caretaker, whether you are an archivist, a public librarian, a family collector, or anyone in between. Preservation has a lot to do with knowing your collections and prioritizing the materials that need the most help to survive. This webinar will discuss preservation activitiesthat require no additional funding or supplies, including collection management, assessment ofstorage environment, care and handling practices, and emergency preparedness.

Duration: 1 hr.

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Duration: 1 hr.

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NEH Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions are relatively easy to apply for and have launched successful preservation projects and programs in institutions across the country. Be ready for the January 15, 2020 deadline! This webinar focuses on eligibility requirements, the application review process, scoping the project and preparing the grant narrative, and getting requisite information from consultants. Time will be included for Q&A.

Duration: 1 hour

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Early record books contain important historical information that must be preserved for current and future generations. Proper care and maintenance of these records is required to ensure long term access to this information.  This webinar will discuss how to identify different types of early records that you may have in your collection and special considerations for their storage and handling, provide an overview of available preservation strategies, and outline how to find and work with a qualified vendor.

Duration: 1 hour

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Caring for digital collections can be a complex undertaking which involves many decisions about policies and responsible stewardship. A digital preservation assessment can help document the decision making process and the rationales behind our policies and activities. In this free webinar, you will learn about the framework for a digital preservation assessment and how it can help sustain our digital collections care. The information in this session will also cover resources and grants available to perform this activity, and will be useful for cultural heritage institutions of all sizes that are looking for resources for caring for digital collections. This program is one of the products of the Digital Preservation Assessment Training grant, funded by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Duration: 17 minutes

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This webinar introduces participants to the key considerations of writing a preservation plan, an essential tool for coordinating preservation activities over time.  Participants will learn about the steps of preservation planning, including assessment, prioritization, and the identification of resource needs.  Different types of assessment for preservation planning will also be discussed as well as how to communicate the value of preservation planning to all stakeholders involved.  Participants will also leave having seen a sample preservation plan. 

Duration: 1 hour

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PRESERVATION WEEK FREE WEBINAR

As members of the cultural heritage community, we want our collections and activities to reflect all people in our communities . Hosting a community scanning day is an interactive, participatory way to collect--and digitize--memories from our communities for the sake of documenting our own history. However, a lot of planning goes into hosting one, with a set of logistics consider, as well as selecting equipment, determining access and delivery systems of scanned content, and ensuring the rights to view and disseminate information online. This webinar provides an overview of each of these tasks and will help you organize your next event.

Duration: 1 hour

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PRESERVATION WEEK FREE WEBINAR

Looking for creative fundraising ideas for your book conservation project or other conservation / preservation initiative? Join us for tips on developing an Adopt-a-Book, or Adopt-an-Artifact program, using web content, crowdfunding, and social media. We’ll provide examples of successful initiatives and give you a check-list to follow, as well as resources to help with your fundraising efforts.

Duration: 45 Minutes

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Duration: 1 hour

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