Ensuring Accessibility to Historical Collections

As part of the HBCU Radio Preservation Project, HBCU radio stations receive free audio collection assessments, reformatting, and long-term preservation planning through the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). This work is part of NEDCC’s broader mission to improve conservation and preservation efforts for libraries, archives, museums, historical organizations, and other repositories nationwide.

Book conservation is one of the services NEDCC provides.

Founded in 1973, NEDCC is a nonprofit organization that provides specialized services to institutions without in-house conservation facilities and those seeking additional expertise to care for cultural collections. Over the past 50 years, the Center has expanded its services to include the conservation of paper, books, and photographs, as well as digital imaging, audio reformatting, and preservation training.

In this capacity, preservation takes many forms. Conservators repair and stabilize paper-based materials affected by age, handling, or changes in environmental conditions. In the Imaging Services department, photographers create high-quality digital images of collection materials, improving access while minimizing handling of fragile originals. The Preservation Services staff conduct on-site assessments and workshops, as well as provide online training and educational resources to help organizations address their specific preservation needs.

NEDCC uses IRENE technology to preserve fragile audio recordings.

In the Audio Preservation department, field archivists and audio engineers address recordings on a variety of formats, from wax cylinders to CDs. These formats deteriorate over time, and as playback equipment becomes obsolete, recordings become increasingly difficult to access. Through this work, audio staff are continually expanding their technical toolkit to create high-quality digital preservation files while taking great care to protect the original formats.

Across all these areas of preservation, NEDCC’s staff collaborates directly with the people caring for collections, sharing specialized expertise and practical guidance to help them make informed decisions about the materials in their care. Through this work, NEDCC helps ensure that collections remain accessible to the communities they serve.