Site Visit Interview Questions

Background information:

a. Interviewer:

b. Date:

c. Institutional name:

d. Person interviewed in this session:

e. Job title:

Questions directed to the interviewee(s):

1. What is your role in preservation here?

2. Preservation priorities:

a. What are the current priorities, in terms of collections and user groups, for preservation resources?

b. Do you foresee the emphasis shifting over the next five years? In what directions?

3. Contemplating changes in resources:

a. If resources currently directed toward preservation were to increase by 30% tomorrow, where would you put the additional resources? Why?

b. If resources now used for preservation were to decrease by 30% tomorrow, where would you apply the cuts? Why?

4. Training of staff:

a. If staff throughout the library receive preservation training, how is that done? Who are trained?

b. If not, what kinds of staff training would be most beneficial?

c. What aspects of your own training have proved particularly valuable on the job from a preservation perspective? What skills would you like to acquire?

d. Do you see a role for regional or national organizations in assisting with your training activities or that of other staff in your library?

5. User education:

a. Does your library conduct user education in the care and handling of materials?

b. If so, what is the focus of this training?

c. Has this training helped?

d. How might national or regional organizations assist you with user training?

6. Information sources about preservation:

a. Do you think there is a need for additional information about preservation beyond what is currently available?

b. In what forms should it be delivered?

7. Cooperative ventures in preservation:

a. Is your library engaged in any cooperative activities that have had an effect on preservation?

b. Which cooperative ventures have had the largest effect on your preservation work here?

c. What kinds of cooperative projects or organizations should exist to help you with preservation work here?

8. Best practices and standards:

a. Have you identified best practices or standards proved helpful to you in preservation activities here?

b. Have any generally recognized best practices or standards been adopted in policy statements here?

9. Collection preservation issues:

a. If you have conducted any preservation surveys of your collections, please describe them.

b. What are the most serious challenges or concerns for you now in terms of preservation collections?

10. Suppliers of materials and services:

a. If you purchase preservation supplies or services, are you satisfied with the suppliers that now exist?

b. What materials, supplies and services would you like to see developed or improved?

11. Policies:

a. In what areas have you developed policies that affect preservation?

b. Can you describe your experience in implementing these policies?

c. How might outside organizations assist you in improving the implementation of locally defined policies?

12. The common needs of special collections, archives and manuscript collections:

a. What are the preservation needs in this library for special collections (broadly defined)?

b. Do you foresee a shift in the preservation needs of such collections over the next five years? (In what directions?)

13. Digital technology:

a. Do you consider the preservation of digital information to be a significant concern at your institution?

b. How does the existence of digital technology affect your preservation activity?

c. For unique, local information, how are you approaching preservation? Frustrations? Ideas?

d. What kind of external help would you find helpful?

14. Space:

a. Is shortage of space a current preservation concern to you? Is it a concern to any other segments of the staff?

b. Will space be a problem, in terms of preservation, within five years?

c. If so, how is your library planning to address these concerns?

d. Is there a role for regional or national organizations in assisting you with this problem?

15. How do you think preservation is regarded in your library?

a. Has this exercise engendered significant discussion or action thus far?

16. Unique circumstances

17. Interviewer’s observations: