Ian Fairclough, Cataloging and Metadata Services Librarian, was recently elected to serve as a Global Council Member Delegate for the OCLC Americas Regional Council (ARC).  He takes office on July 1st 2011 through June 2014.

University Libraries is celebrating Preservation Awareness Week by hosting a workshop on How to Preserve Fragile Books, Family Papers and Photographs. The workshop will be conducted Thursday, April 28 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm in 228 Johnson Center.

Collections Conservator Bryan Draper, with many years experience at the Etherington Conservation Center of North Carolina and currently at University of Maryland, will discuss techniques and materials used in proper storage and conservation of books, documents and photographs.  The presentation will include examples of materials, storage enclosures and slides of conservation projects followed by the opportunity to have your personal items evaluated. While you may bring in fragile books, family papers, scrapbooks and photographs for treatment evaluation and storage recommendations, no work can be done on your items during this session. Limit two items per person.

Registration required, as space is limited to 60. For more information or to RSVP, contact Deb Hogan, dhogan1@gmu.edu, 3-2491 or Lene Palmer, lenep@gmu.edu, 3-2667.

In observance of  the Library of Congress/American Library Association sponsored Preservation Awareness Week, an exhibit, SNAPS & SCRAPS – Preserving Special Times for all Time is on display Monday, April 25 though June on both levels of  Wing A, Fenwick Library. A brief opening ceremony is set for Monday, April 25 at 2:00 pm, on Floor 2, Wing A, Fenwick Library.

By demonstrating basic information on how to preserve both old and new photographs and albums, University Libraries hopes to encourage individuals to take care of their own family pictures and preserve them for future generations. The exhibit features facsimile samples from Special Collections photos, such as daguerreotypes, tintypes, digital photos as well as scrapbooks.  The exhibit highlights information on the best procedures for maintaining and preserving a photo and scrapbook collection, and mounting a digital preservation project.

From April 4 through April 18, 2011, the Washington Research Libraries Consortium (WRLC) is conducting a brief survey to see if current WRLC borrowing policies are meeting your research needs. Mason faculty and students are encouraged complete a voluntary, anonymous online user survey. Your feedback will help WRLC determine if adjustments should be made to current WRLC borrowing policies. Tell us what you think!