Preservation Services ensures the continued existence of Georgia’s official historical records in all formats by providing a stable and secure storage environment, promoting careful handling and use, storing the records in non damaging enclosures, stabilizing fragile items through repair and conservation treatment, and copying deteriorated records to stable media. Preservation Services promotes the preservation of cultural resources by providing consulting, publications, and training to state and local governments, the general public, and other libraries and archives.
Conservation
The document conservation lab is equipped to treat items ranging from oversize maps to bound books and papers. Examples of treatments carried out include humidifying and flattening rolled or folded items, encapsulating documents in polyester, constructing specialized enclosures, removing dirt and mold, mending torn documents, repairing book collections, and preparing materials for reformatting and exhibition.
Emergency Planning and Recovery
Preservation Services coordinates and maintains the disaster plan for the Georgia Archives, conducts staff training, and serves as a GEMA representative for the Secretary of State. Preservation Services staff assists other institutions and members of the public with questions related to disaster planning and recovery, and on occasion provides on-site recovery assistance. Staff is available to conduct presentations and training on disaster planning and recovery.
Education and Training
Preservation services staff is available to answer telephone and email questions about archives preservation. We can provide in-person guidance on preserving individual items by appointment only. Staff is available to teach workshops and give presentations on a wide array of preservation topics. A variety of informational leaflets are available on this website.
Environmental Monitoring and Control
Controlling environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, light, and exposure to pollutants is the most cost effective strategy an institution can employ to preserve its collections. The Georgia Archives is equipped with a computerized monitoring system that maintains a constant temperature and relative humidity year round.
Preservation Services staff conducts additional monitoring using dataloggers, hygrothermographs, and light meters to ensure the internal system is functioning properly.
Reformatting
The reformatting lab facilitates preservation by copying deteriorated records to microfilm, and enhances access through digital imaging. Specialized scanners and digital cameras create high-resolution images of documents, books, photographs, and microfilm. These images can be stored as computer files, displayed on the Internet, converted into microfilm, or printed on high quality printers.
