Preservation Committee Meeting: August 26, 2025

Conference Call / Zoom

Members attending: 

• Liz Bloodworth, Illinois Wesleyan University
• Patti Gibbons, University of Chicago, co-chair
• Stephanie Gowler, Northwestern University
• Bonnie Parr, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
• Sata Prescott, Northern Illinois University
• Amy Sherwood, University of Illinois Chicago
• Jason Smith, Lewis University
• Bradley Wiles, Northern Illinois University, co-chair

Members absent: 

• Alex Altan, Prairie State College

CARLI Staff attending: 

• Elizabeth Clarage
• Nicole Swanson

Tasks Assigned

• Minutes taken by Liz Bloodworth.
• Review the draft of the 2025 Preservation Survey Report for the next meeting and be prepared with any suggested edits.
• Members will check links for specific sections of the Preservation Resources Webliography as recorded in the Committee’s Box note.
• CARLI staff will confirm with those not able to attend today’s meeting the committee’s standing meeting time.

Decisions

• The June 2025 minutes were approved.
• The committee decided to hold meetings in Zoom.
• Minute takers will be determined alphabetically by last name continuing after today’s minutes taker.
• Meetings will generally be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on the second Friday of the month. 
• Patti Gibbons and Bradley Wiles will serve as co-chairs of the committee.
• The 2025 Preservation Survey Report will include the survey instrument as an attachment.
• The committee put a hold on November 12 at 1 p.m. for an Ask A Preservation Expert virtual event.
• The committee will submit a table topic on AI policies related to preservation for the CARLI Annual Meeting.

Announcements

• Member Announcements:
  • Sata Prescott (Northern Illinois University): NIU has recently migrated to Islandora and is open to sharing their experiences.
  • Bonnie Parr (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum): The ALPLM has posted a job opening for library director. 
• CARLI Announcements:
• CARLI Annual Meeting will take place on October 21, 2025. The meeting will also serve as a celebration of the consortium’s 20th anniversary. You can register on the CARLI calendar.

Discussion

• The committee reviewed its charge and the CARLI Committee Guidelines.
• The committee discussed the Summer Digitization Series. Nicole Swanson reported that 221 library workers registered for the program. 
• The committee has been working on organizing a webinar featuring Will Schlaack (UIUC) on the Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection. 
• The committee discussed the Preservation Survey Report. New members suggested a need for background regarding the survey in the report. Bradley Wiles shared his blog post that provides more context. Members will review the draft report and come to the next meeting prepared to discuss.
• The committee discussed possible programming or Preservation Tips for the year. Ideas included: 
  • Polygon disaster preparedness assessment program 
  • Advice for seeking institutional support for and communicating the value of disaster preparation services, training, and activities 
  • Hands-on collection care and/or preservation skills workshop 
  • Tours of preservation and conservation facilities
  • Advocating for environmental monitoring and control
  • Communication and relationship building with facilities staff
  • Small, practical, and manageable steps for all institutions and particularly for those with limited resources
  • Audio-visual preservation needs, particularly as topics for the blog series
  • Preservation tasks on a shoestring budget (such as, NEDCC program on digital preservation with small tools)
• The committee discussed preparing a messaging document to send to all members regularly or to specific members in the event of severe weather in the area.
• The committee discussed the Ask A Preservation Expert virtual events from last year.  
• The committee discussed a table talk project focused on AI policies and projects specific to preservation at the CARLI Annual Meeting. Bradley, Nicole, and Jason volunteered to help with the table.

Next Meeting Dates and Deadlines

The next Preservation Committee meeting will be September 12, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.

Future Committee Meeting Dates:
September 12, 2025, minutes taker: Patti Gibbons
October 10, 2025, minutes taker: Stephanie Gowler
November 14, 2025, minutes taker: Bonnie Parr
December 12, 2025, minutes taker: Sata Prescott
January 9, 2026, minutes taker: Amy Sherwood
February 13, 2026, minutes taker: Jason Smith
March 13, 2026, minutes taker: Bradley Wiles
April 10, 2026, minutes taker: Alex Altan
May 8, 2026, minutes taker: TBD
June XX, 2026, minutes taker: TBD

Deadlines: Review the 2025 Preservation Survey before the next meeting.