Palmetto Archives, Libraries, and Museums Council on Preservation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PALMCOP?

PALMCOP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of South Carolina's documentary heritage.  Its membership consists of individuals and institutions from across the state, representing archives, libraries, museums, historical societies, and anyone else who is dedicated to preserving information in all its formats.

 

What does PALMCOP do?

PALMCOP offers a variety of services, both to its member institutions and to organizations which have not yet joined:

1.  Workshops & training:  We provide training on a number of topics, such as disaster preparedness and recovery, storage and handling of various materials, book and paper conservation and repair, box making, microfilming techniques, etc.  Most of the workshops are taught by a group of preservation specialists within the state, keeping costs low.

2.  Information sharing: We distribute a newsletter with practical tips on preservation, summaries of the latest research in the field, notices of new publications, and of any workshops held in the area.

3.  Annual Meetings: Each year we present on major seminar on a specific preservation issue, often featuring a nationally recognized authority in the field: environmental controls, preservation binding options, disaster recovery.

 

Who is eligible to join PALMCOP?

Membership in PALMCOP is available to anyone who is interested in preserving information.  Most memberships are on an institutional basis, which means that once your institution joins, all its staff members are invited to attend workshops and meetings at a reduced rate.  Individual memberships are also available.

I have found mold in my collections.  Can PALMCOP help me?

Yes, PALMCOP can help you in you've had a mold outbreak in your collections.  We have a number of consultants who can offer their services to member institutions for minimal fees.  Some of these consultants have expertise in specific areas of preservation planning.  Also, we have an environmental monitoring packet, which is available to member institutions for a minimal fee.  This packet contains a variety of tools to help you monitor environmental conditions in your storage areas, so that you can decide if any changes need to be made to help protect your collections.

 

What are the optimal environmental conditions to preserve my institution's collections?

Control over temperature and relative humidity is critically important to the preservation of your collections.  Heat accelerates the breakdown of materials, and that in combination with high humidity can encourage mold outbreaks and insect activity.  Very low relative humidity, too, can cause collections to become very brittle.  The optimum range for your collections are the following: stable temperatures no higher than 70° (the lower, the better), and a stable relative humidity between 30% and 50%.  Stability of these conditions is also very important, since fluctuations can also be very damaging to your materials.

How can I join PALMCOP?

If you would like more information about PALMCOP memberships, please contact Nic Butler (843/805-6968).

       
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