[Preservenw] Contest--Making the Case for Preservation Action to Save Collections

[Gary Menges]

Contest-Making the Case for Preservation Action to Save Collections

We all know how hard it is to lift the sense of urgency and priority
for preserving collections, especially in our economically tight and
digitally oriented times. The American Library Association?s
Association of Library Collections and Services (ALA-ALCTS) is
sponsoring a competition for the best ?2-minute speech? to convince
3 key audiences of the importance of action for preservation as a part
of the first national collection Preservation Week (May 9-15, 2010).
The target audiences are:

?	Decision makers-directors, board members, elected and appointed
officials, and other people who choose priorities for action and provide
the resources;
?	Friends, family, visitors and users, and others who work outside
collecting institutions, and the cultural heritage, conservation, and
preservation fields-public support is essential for preservation
action;
?	Library, archive, and museum staff outside the preservation or
conservation fields-shelvers, check-out and ILL staff, building
operations, and housekeeping personnel can have a significant impact on
collections preservation.

Here?s how the contest will work:
1.	Select one target audiences (i.e. decision makers; general
audience; and/or library/archive/museum staff) to persuade with a
2-minute speech to support preservation and take preservation action.
Selection multiple target audiences, one 2 minute speech per audience.

2.	Write a short, compelling, and easy-to-understand argument that
will persuade your target audience.  Send in one 2 minute speech per
target audience.

3.	Send your written submissions in one e-mail per target audience
to Yvonne Carignan, Library Director and Head of Collections, Historical
Society of Washington, DC, carignan at historydc.org.

4.	Yvonne will distribute all submissions to a review panel
representing preservation, conservation, and collecting institutions of
a variety of types and sizes.  The panel will select the top three
entries in each category.  The winning ?speeches? will be
highlighted on the Preservation Week Web site
(www.ala.org./preservationweek) and the winners will also receive a
surprise from ALCTS.

5.	The deadline for submission is March 8, 2010,  so don?t delay.



Here are some hints to help:
Send us the reasons for supporting preservation that have worked with
people you know.

Audience:  Key decision-maker  --

If you had only 2 minutes to convince your institution?s doubting
Board Chair, Director, Major Funder

that collections preservation should become a strong priority, budget
priority, high priority, core function  of your institution, what would
you say? what points would you make?

If you had only 2 minutes to convince your institution?s doubting
Director that collections preservation should become a core function of
your institution, what would you say?


Audience:  Friends, family, and neighbors outside the field


If you had only 2 minutes to convince your -- Great aunt, cable or
satellite installer, or neighbor

that preserving cultural heritage collections should become a
well-funded activity, budget priority, high priority in your community,
what would you say? what points would you make?

If you had only 2 minutes to convince your neighbor that preserving
cultural heritage collections should become a high priority in your
community, what points would you make?


Audience:  Line staff in your institution outside preservation and
conservation

If you had only 2 minutes to convince your institution?s youth
librarians, volunteers, shelving staff

that by making collections preservation a strong priority, high
priority, core function,

  they could make a real difference to your users, what would you say?
what points would you make?

If you had only 2 minutes to convince your institution?s volunteers
that by making pres
erving your collections a high priority, they could
make a real difference to your users, what points would you make?


We look forward to reading and sharing the winning submissions!

Jeanne Drewes, Karen Motylewski
Preservation Week 2010 Taskforce