Current Training Programs

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From March 2021 – June 2021, NEDCC is providing free emergency preparedness training for California cultural heritage organizations sponsored by the California State Library and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

By attending this unique training series, you will—over a period of a few short months—prepare your organization to protect cultural heritage materials during the next disaster. 

Course Components

Please plan to attend all workshops and webinars in the course, as they build on one another.

Orientation Meeting - March 31, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #1  - April 21, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #2 - April 28, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #3 - May 5, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Collection Salvage - June 16, 2021 9am-1pm 
Disaster Plan Stress Test - July 14, 2021 9am-1pm

Who should attend?

This course is open to individuals associated with California cultural heritage organizations, county government departments and personnel, and offices involved with emergency management and public safety. See https://www.nedcc.org/cal-ep21 for more information.

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From March 2021 – June 2021, NEDCC is providing free emergency preparedness training for California cultural heritage organizations sponsored by the California State Library and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

By attending this unique training series, you will—over a period of a few short months—prepare your organization to protect cultural heritage materials during the next disaster. 

Course Components

Please plan to attend all workshops and webinars in the course, as they build on one another.

Orientation Meeting - March 30, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #1  - April 21, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #2 - April 28, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #3 - May 5, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Collection Salvage - June 15, 2021 9am-1pm 
Disaster Plan Stress Test - July 13, 2021 9am-1pm

Who should attend?

This course is open to individuals associated with California cultural heritage organizations, county government departments and personnel, and offices involved with emergency management and public safety. See https://www.nedcc.org/cal-ep21 for more information.

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From March 2021 – June 2021, NEDCC is providing free emergency preparedness training for California cultural heritage organizations sponsored by the California State Library and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

By attending this unique training series, you will—over a period of a few short months—prepare your organization to protect cultural heritage materials during the next disaster. 

Course Components

Please plan to attend all workshops and webinars in the course, as they build on one another.

Orientation Meeting - April 6, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #1  - April 21, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #2 - April 28, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Webinar #3 - May 5, 2021 - 10am-12pm
Collection Salvage - June 22, 2021 9am-1pm 
Disaster Plan Stress Test - July 20, 2021 9am-1pm

Who should attend?

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Free for Preservation Week!

This webinar will offer guidance and resources about preserving our “digital lives” – after all, digital files are today’s scrapbooks and personal collections. These digital assets represent a significant investment in both time and resources, and are often more fragile than we realize. This webinar will prepare you to collect your emails, photos, videos, and text messages and create a personal plan to ensure they are cared for well into the future

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Town, municipal, and county clerks care for historic ledgers, documents, and other records, while fulfilling everyday responsibilities to the community. By applying the preservation practices in this training webinar, municipal records holders can make the best decisions for the care and handling of their records today, while ensuring that they will be accessible for future generations. The methods and goals discussed in this webinar will help take the worry out of your responsibilities to your records.

Participants who are eligible Certified Archivists earn 1 Archival Recertification Credit (ARC) through the Academy of Certified Archivists.

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Disasters in or around our institutions can lead to loss in cultural heritage collections. While preventing and planning for disasters are important pieces of an overall preservation strategy, there may come a time when you need to recover your collections following an incident. This webinar covers strategies for prioritizing and triaging your collections for recovery, as well as techniques for salvaging books, works on paper, and audiovisual materials.

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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.

Participants who are eligible Certified Archivists earn 1 Archival Recertification Credit (ARC) through the Academy of Certified Archivists.

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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.

Participants who are eligible Certified Archivists earn 1 Archival Recertification Credit (ARCs) through the Academy of Certified Archivists.

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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: Preservation Basics for Paper and Media Collections is an interactive online course designed to introduce preservation topics such as environmental management, deterioration of materials, emergency preparedness, and preservation of paper-based, audiovisual, and digital formats. The course prepares participants to complete a preservation needs assessment and offers structured guidance on developing an institutional disaster plan. A series of live, instructor-led webinars builds on self-paced study between sessions, using assigned readings and other resources to supplement the “classroom” discussions. The instructor provides feedback on tasks throughout the course, although explicit homework is not assigned. Participants will have access to webinar recordings, readings, and additional resources, and can communicate with the instructor and fellow participants.

07/15/2021  Introduction to Preservation
07/22/2021  The Building and the Environment
07/29/2021  Caring for Collections
08/12/2021  Caring for Paper Collections
08/19/2021  Caring for Photographs
08/26/2021  Media Collections
09/02/2021  Reformatting, Digitization, and Digital Preservation
09/09/2021  Emergency Preparedness
09/16/2021  Building a Preservation Program
09/23/2021  Final Assignment Due! Final Review and Discussion

Participants who are eligible Certified Archivists earn 20 Archival Recertification Credits (ARCs) through the Academy of Certified Archivists.

 Meeting times are 2pm-4pm ET

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Many applications for preservation grant opportunities are due in the Winter. Get a head start on the application process and join NEDCC for an overview of preservation grants, including eligible projects, important deadlines, and administrative steps, like creating a Grants.gov account. The presenter will also provide application tips that are useful for all programs, no matter the grant you plan to apply to.

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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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Come behind the curtain to learn all about NEDCC’s newest imaging service - microfilm digitization. In this free webinar, participants will learn the basics of microformats, including both fiche and rolls, and have an opportunity to learn more about the work involved in digitizing them. This will include seeing equipment and workflows in action, meeting the staff involved, and hearing about the unique challenges these formats can present. If you’re new to microfilm this will be an excellent introduction to the format and the process involved in migrating it into the 21st century.

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Framed collections offer a unique set of challenges for institutions like museums and historical societies as well as collectors with framed works who all have a range of challenges to overcome in order to properly maintain and care for these complex objects. From how to identity poor quality framing materials, triaging failing frames, effective storage techniques and working with conservation professionals and framers; this session will offer practical advice on caring for collections of framed works.

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Providing the right kind of storage with the right number of copies for your digital files can make the difference between losing and saving your orgnaization's digital cultural heritage. If you are completely new to digital preservation storage, or simply need a refresher or tips for how to work with your IT department, this webinar will help you improve storage at your institution. The instructor will cover requirements for storage environments as well as several affordable and scalable options to meet small and mid-size orgnaization's needs for storage.

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Having scholars, students, genealogists, and others research our collections is the reason we preserve them, but how do we make sure our collections remain safe when we provide access to them? This 1-hour webinar will give 10 quick tips for making your reading room a safer place for your materials. Participants will learn strategies for improving security, providing the right supplies for the right collections, and empowering your researchers to make smart handling decisions. Example policies for reading room access will also be provided.

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Metadata, and especially preservation metadata encompassing the technical and administrative aspects of description, is essential for providing continued access to your digital objects. It provides assurance that digital objects are authentic, renderable, and useable. This webinar serves as a starting point for understanding the kinds of information you will want to gather to support digital preservation, using current guidelines, standards, and models in the field to identify core information required to steward digital objects over time.

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PLEASE NOTE:  This workshop, originally scheduled to take place on April 20, 2021, has been postponed to October 26, 2021.

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.

Participants who are eligible Certified Archivists earn 2 Archival Recertification Credits (ARCs) through the Academy of Certified Archivists.

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Field recordings, audio recordings made outside a recording studio, are unique; they are oftentimes created in uncontrolled environments with consumer-grade equipment by untrained audio recordists. This makes their long-term management and preservation especially challenging. This webinar explores the special technical challenges presented in field recordings and offers solutions for caring for your one-of-a-kind recordings. Participants will also see case studies that show a variety of audio formats and their preservation concerns.

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This session covers digitization project stages; selection criteria for converting paper, audio, video, and film collections; and handling considerations for vulnerable media across these format categories. How existing descriptive metadata and available institutional resources factor into conversion planning will also be covered. Learning goals for this webinar include understanding how to outline a conversion project plan, evaluate collections for conversion, and articulate special requirements for unique media.

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Making sure the stories of your oral history subjects will be available long into the future starts before you even press “record.” This session teaches participants about the technical considerations that go into making an oral history recording preservation-quality. This includes selecting the right equipment, capturing audio that is clear and with as few ambient noises as possible, and making sure your recordings are in file formats that support digital preservation. The instructor will cover practical and achievable recommendations that meet different resource levels and budget needs so that both small and large organizations can improve the preservation quality of their oral history recordings.

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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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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.

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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 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, and getting requisite information from consultants.

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Vellum bindings are books bound in parchment covers, which creates unique vulnerabilities that collections managers need to consider when improving the preservation outlook of these specific materials. The instructor will walk participants through key terms, the mechanical structure of vellum bindings, common condition issues of vellum-bound books, and storage solutions for these materials. Participants will learn when it is appropriate to apply preventive care solutions in-house and when a collections manager should instead seek a conservator for treatment.

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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 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, and getting requisite information from consultants.

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Part 1: 12/2/2021
Part 2: 12/9/2021

Who should attend: Anyone who wants to learn how to start an environmental monitoring program or refine their existing program. Maintaining an environmental monitoring program is among the most impactful activities collections stewards can undertake. This two-part webinar teaches participants how to understand their building’s environment and make changes that help to preserve the collections in their care.

Part 1 of 2 provides participants with the background knowledge needed to start collecting data, including key terms, how to understand your building’s current systems, and how the environment impacts different collections. Participants will also learn about environmental monitoring equipment and software and best practices for its placement.

Part 2 of 2 guides participants through the analysis of environmental monitoring data and how to make improvements to the environment using techniques appropriate for both small and large organizations. This session will conclude with guidance on advocacy techniques and funding sources to achieve resource-intensive goals.

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Have you inherited a microfilm collection but are unsure how to properly preserve and provide access to it? Or maintaining the collection you’ve had for years but seeking options for improving access and minimizing wear to the originals? This new webinar will provide an introduction to micro formats (including both fiche and film) and the role they’ve played in the preservation and dissemination of information, from their introduction until today. From this introduction the webinar will move on to cover the best practices of microfilm storage, housing, handling, and use, and conclude with the methods available and questions to consider when planning a microfilm reformatting (aka digitization) project.

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Metadata is essential to the care of audio collections at every stage of stewardship, from planning a reformatting project to managing and providing access to digital files for the long-term. This webinar will provide instruction on metadata best-practices for physical and digital audio collections, with guidance on when and how to gather and record essential metadata. A variety of metadata standards for audio collections will be introduced, and considerations for adopting or selectively incorporating elements of audio-specific standards into your metadata strategy will be discussed.

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Do you need to start working on the nitrate and acetate in your stacks, but don’t know where to start? This webinar, presented by NEDCC’s Director of Imaging Services, will cover all of the logistical complexities involved in a digitization/reformatting project that includes nitrocellulose- and cellulose acetate-based film, from packing and shipping to long-term storage and maintenance to the ethical dilemma of retention vs. disposal. The concepts and approaches will be applicable to any nitrate or acetate digitization project, from the very small to the very large, and while the webinar will focus on still photographic film, the information will be applicable to motion picture nitrocellulose and cellulose acetate film as well.

Note: this webinar does not address in detail digitization methods or specifications for film-based media; see NEDCC’s webinar “Digitizing Photographic Collections” for information on this subject.

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Early grooved audio formats may be found in many unexpected places, and their management can be intimidating due to their variety, fragility and the general lack of standardization in their production. This webinar will provide a brief overview of the history of grooved audio media, and provide guidance on the identification and management of these formats. This webinar will cover how to identify different cylinders, discs and dictation formats, and provide relevant details on their composition, characteristics and manufacturing history. Participants will finish this webinar with a better understanding of grooved audio formats and how to pragmatically prioritize and plan for their long-term preservation.   

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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 preparations, catalogers, archivists , photographers and collectors.

01/24/2022 Session 1: Introduction – Photograph Preservation Checklist
01/31/2022 Session 2: Paper, Glass and Plastic: Id and Care of Negatives
02/07/2022 Session 3: Finding a Balance: Caring for Cased Images 02/14/2022 Session 4: Black and White Photographic Processes: Salt to Silver Gelatin Print
02/28/2022 Session 5: Color and Contemporary Photography
03/07/2022 Session 6: Review of Course and Preservation Plans

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The task of establishing a digital preservation program at your institution can be daunting. Join NEDCC's Preservation Services Department to learn about 10 tips to help move your program and its practices forward. The first half of this webinar will address introductory concepts to digital preservation, making this an ideal webinar for beginners. The second half will cover 10 achievable tips for launching a digital preservation initiative, addressing topics such as policy writing, developing intelectual control over digital collections, and storing and providing access to the files your organization preserves.

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Renovation and construction projects in your facility can present significant risks to your collections. In this webinar, you will learn the most common risks for collections, risks for personnel, strategies for risk mitigation, and issues with temporary storage.

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This webinar will provide an overview of the history of the book with a focus on the evolution of Western binding styles and techniques. Materials and methods from antiquity to the present will be reviewed, providing important context for the cataloging, care, and handling of bound collections. Research tools and resources that provide further insight into historical binding structures will also be discussed.

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This session provides attendees with an in-depth introduction to developing and implementing a storage plan for audiovisual media, including grooved media, motion picture film, magnetic tape, and optical discs. The instructor will cover fundamental activities needed to carry out a storage plan from start to finish, including inventorying materials, proper handling, selecting the right enclosures, and improving the storage environment. Attendees will receive guidance on how to track the condition of materials in storage, understand each format’s unique vulnerabilities, and how to implement cold storage. Prioritization for storage will also be covered to help participants make optimal use of their resources.

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When your community is celebrating a major anniversary, the public and press will be interested in museum and archival collections related to that time period. Before you bring out your most precious items, though, you'll want to attend this introductory webinar to learn the basics about how to protect them during handling, scanning, and exhibition. The instructor will also explain how you can collaborate with other local organizations to save time and money as you engage the public in your community's history. It's never too early to begin planning!

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Now including exhibition of 3-D objects and textiles! Cultural heritage organizations often look to their collections to create public exhibitions, but putting the spotlight on rare books and documents is inherently at odds with preservation. Exhibits, though, provide a powerful avenue for outreach and also present opportunities for collection advocacy. Preparing collections for safe exhibition ensures that these materials remain accessible into the future. This webinar will help you understand the risks of exhibition so that you can develop policies and guidelines to mitigate those risks. Selection for exhibition will be covered, along with space considerations, safe handling, and display methods.

Note: Sign up for Exhibit Cradles for Bound Volumes to explore designing and implementing display solutions for books

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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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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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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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Visit NEDCC's YouTube Channel for Free Training Videos, Conservation Shorts, and more. You’ll find the playlist of free preservation training videos at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSqxpHY476Jy1ffYgdE6JahUxhHvoK155.

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