Smithsonian Libraries Hosts Preservation Matters!
The Smithsonian Libraries will host an afternoon program titled
Preservation Matters! on April 24 in the S. Dillon Ripley Center
beginning at Noon. This event is in conjunction with the American
Library Association’s Preservation Week (April 21-27).
From superstorms to
blizzards to tornados to wildfires, America has frequently shuddered
under the onslaught of natural disasters. “Why Preserving History
Matters” will be the focus of the keynote
lecture by New York Times and internationally bestselling author
Steve Berry, who serves as national spokesperson for National
Preservation Week. A devoted student of history and member of the
Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board, Berry and his wife,
Elizabeth, founded History Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated
to aiding the preservation of the fragile reminders of our past.
“History is more than
what's in museums. It's what's lying on the side table in your den, or
in a box in your attic --- displayed in a frame on your nightstand, or
stored in the basement. We
are all custodians of history, and preserving these personal treasures,
protecting them against loss and destruction is vitally important," said
Berry.
Free and open to the public,
Preservation Matters! will feature presentations and discussions
on disaster response, pest management, and archives preservation by
librarians, conservators and preservation specialists from federal and
local organizations. Participating organizations
include the Smithsonian Libraries, Library of Congress, Folger
Shakespeare Library, Defense Acquisitions University, National Archives
and Records Administration, Smithsonian Institution Archives, National
Portrait Gallery and the American Institute for Conservation.
You'll learn how best to safeguard your family's history so that it can
be passed on to the next generation.
