British Library Preservation Advisory Centre

British Library Preservation Advisory Centre

Formation	1984;41 years ago (1984)
Dissolved	31 March 2014;11 years ago (2014-03-31)
Location	96 Euston Road London, NW1 2DB [1]
Coordinates	51°31′46″N0°07′37″W / 51.52944°N 0.12694°W / 51.52944; -0.12694
Parent organisation	British Library
Formerly called	National Preservation Office

The British Library Preservation Advisory Centre, formerly the National Preservation Office, was a British organisation for the development and awareness of preservation management within libraries and archives in the UK and Ireland. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} The centre closed in 2014. ^[3]

Purpose and activities

In April 1984, the British Library Board established the National Preservation Office following the publication of the Ratcliffe Report. ^{[2] [3] [5]} During its existence it raised public awareness of preservation issues in libraries and served as a nexus for developing and promoting improved preservation management of library and archive materials in the UK and Ireland. ^[3] The Centre aimed to create a strategic policy for preserving current library collections, and addressed issues arising as digital collections evolved. ^[6]

Its work was focused on practical results:

• To assist cultural heritage agencies and organizations develop strategies for the preservation of cultural heritage assets in museums, libraries and archives, including the further development of the "Preservation Assessment Survey" (PAS) ^[7] and training in the use of the PAS tools
• To provide print and web-based information services for individuals and organizations, especially for collections throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
• To provide training in preservation management for individuals and organizations including relevant training in the following areas: introduction to preservation management; disaster management; environmental control and monitoring. ^[8]

The Centre published an annual digest and report. ^[9]

International influence

The need for national entities like the Centre had been documented in surveys conducted by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Section on Preservation & Conservation and by the Ligue Internationale des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherches. Other than the United Kingdom, at least seven other countries have set up a similar entity, including Canada and New Zealand. ^[10]

Merger and closure

In 2009 the National Preservation Office merged with the British Library Department of Collection Care to form the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre. ^[4] Following the Centre's closure on 31 March 2014, all publications and resources were transferred to the British Library Collection Care webpages. ^[3]

See also

• Digital Preservation Coalition
• Consortium of Research Libraries in the British Isles
• Ronald Milne
• National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program of the Library of Congress (NDIIPP)

References

1. "National Preservation Office Publications". National Preservation Office. London: The British Library. 2 May 2003. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
2. Marshall, Vanessa C. (15 June 2001). "Collection Care in Libraries Today". Digital Preservation Resources Symposium. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
3. "About". British Library Preservation Advisory Centre. London: British Library. 2009. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
4. "British Library. National Preservation Office". Library of Congress Name Authority File. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
5. "About the NPO". National Preservation Office. London: The British Library Board; The British Library. 29 September 2005. Archived from the original on 2 July 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
6. Beagrie, N. et al. (1998) "A Strategic Policy Framework for Creating and Preserving Digital Collections." British Library Research and Innovation Report 107.
7. PAS overview
8. "Key Goals and Key Objectives 2005 - 2008". National Preservation Office. London: The British Library Board; The British Library. 29 August 2005. Archived from the original on 2 July 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
9. NPO/PAS reports Archived 5 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
10. Foot, Mirjam. (1997) "Paper: Towards a National Preservation Policy," 63rd IFLA General Conference (Copenhagen).

• Beagrie, N. and D. Greenstein. (1998) "A Strategic Policy Framework for Creating and Preserving Digital Collections." British Library Research and Innovation Report 107. London: British Library.
• Bennett, J.C. (1997) "A Framework of Data Types and Formats, and Issues Affecting the Long Term Preservation of Digital Material." British Library Research and Innovation Report 50. London: British Library.
• Clements. (1986). "The National Preservation Office in the British Library," IFLA Journal (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions). 12:25-32.
• Feeney, Mary, ed. (1999). Digital Culture: Maximizing the Nation's Investment. London: National Preservation Office, The British Library.
• Haynes, D., D. Streatfield, T. Jowett., and M. Blake. (1997). "Responsibility for Digital Archiving and Long-term Access to Digital Data." British Library Research and Innovation Report 67. The British Library, London: United Kingdom.
• Hendley. T. (1998). "Comparison of Methods and Costs of Digital Preservation." British Library Research and Innovation Report 106. London: United Kingdom.
• Matthews, G., A. Poulter, and E. Blagg. "Preservation of Digital Materials Policy and Strategy Issues for the UK." British Library Research and Innovation Report 41. London: United Kingdom. 1997.
• Ross, S. and A. Gow. (1999). "Digital Archaeology: The Recovery of Digital Materials at Risk." British Library Research and Innovation Report 108. London: United Kingdom. 1999.
• Stephens, David O. "Digital preservation in the United Kingdom," Information Management Journal, October 2000.