5. Preservation Profiles


Information Network (NEFLIN)--which had already begun preservation programs within their regions
emphasizing educational outreach. NEFLIN has since begun to expand its collection and coordination
of environmental monitoring data, supported assistance in developing analyses of that data, and begun to
develop training sessions utilizing the resources of the University of Florida.

The Preservation Department at the University of Florida was established in 1987 and includes a
Reprographics Unit and Brittle Books Program, a Commercial Binding Preparations and Processing Unit,
and a Conservation Unit. The Department currently employs 10 FTE professionals and paraprofessionals
with 8 FTE student assistants, as well as additional FTE liaisons in the main and branch libraries. The
Department is chaired by Erich Kesse, a graduate of the Conservation and Preservation Programs at
Columbia University, who has served on several ALA and AIIM Committees.

The Reprographics Unit, under the direction of Robert Harrell, a member of the AIIM C-10 Standards
Committee, maintains one of the nation's largest preservation microfilming programs. The Unit filmed
the University of Florida's contribution to several RLG and SOLINET cooperative preservation
microfilming projects and has begun filming for the NEH-funded Florida Newspaper Project. The Unit
recently built a microfilm scanning section with funding from the Mellon Foundation for the conversion
of Latin American newspapers.

The Conservation Unit, under the direction of John Freund, a member of the American Institute for
Conservation, offers a full range of services from repair to restoration binding. The staff is fully
qualified and has prior experience in the preparation of deteriorated materials for preservation
microfilming.

University of Florida USAIN Project Staff

Florida's participation in the phase 2 project will be managed by John Ingram, Chair of Special
Collections, who also managed the phase 1 project to identify and select materials for preservation.
During phase 1, Vernon Kisling, Coordinator, Sciences and Agriculture Collections, was primarily
responsible for compiling the bibliography with the support of three collection managers, Anita Battiste,
Ann, King, and Carol Kem, who have direct responsibility for managing materials located through the
various subject headings used in the project. John Ingram provided additional support to locate
appropriate material within the special collections. Upon completion, the bibliography was referred to a
scholarly review panel to rank titles according to their importance.

During phase 2, cataloging responsibilities will be overseen by Dorothy Hope, who chairs the Resource
Services Department, with the support of Cecilia Botero, head of the Serials Cataloging unit, Jimmie
Lundgren, who specializes in cataloging agricultural materials, and Elaine Yontz, the head of the
Humanities Cataloging unit. The preservation functions within the project will be assumed by Erich
Kesse, Head of the Preservation Department, assisted by Robert Harrell, who is in charge of the
Reprographics unit, and John Freund, who heads the Conservation unit. For each function, appropriate
support staff and student assistants will be assigned.

The University of Florida secured bids for producing preservation microfilm from the University of
Florida and from Micrographics, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida, and selected the latter for this project. While
the University of Florida estimated a slightly lower per-frame cost, the Reprographics Unit has a full
queue and planned building renovations precluded commitment. Micrographics, Inc. is experienced in
preservation microfilming of archival materials, monographs and newspapers to AIIM/ANSI, RLG and
LC specifications and is one of the few service bureaus dedicated to quality in the Southeast.
Micrographics currently holds the University's state contract for microfilm processing and duplication of
film produced in-house as well as for preservation microfilming out of house.