Heather is currently working on a number of research projects to identify and preserve threatened and endangered collections. Why bother?

In recent decades, the world has seen an increase in the number of collections that are under threat or considered to be orphaned. This includes archives, libraries, museums, archives of digital materials, natural history collections, and other types of collections. Without proper care and preservation, these collections can be lost forever.

It is essential that governments, organizations, educational institutions, and individuals take action to ensure these collections are protected. This can take the form of increased funding, improved policies and guidelines, and direct action to preserve endangered collections.

Furthermore, organizations should develop policies and guidelines that outline how collections should be preserved and protected. This includes the use of best practices for digitization, the application of proven preservation techniques, and the development of policies for long-term storage.

Individuals can take action to preserve endangered collections. For example, they can volunteer time to provide assistance in the preservation process, or donate money or materials to help preserve collections. Additionally, people can raise awareness about the importance of preservation, lobby for increased funding and resources, and spread the word about preserving collections.

Preservation efforts must be ongoing and comprehensive in order to ensure that threatened collections are protected and accessible for future generations. My passion is to ensure that the world’s cultural heritage is preserved.