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Heritage Health Index Selected Data

Archives

Heritage Preservation has prepared selected Heritage Health Index data graphs on archives for DC 2006, the first-ever joint meeting of the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators, Council of State Archivists, and Society for American Archivists. Archives are often found within other institutions, so survey participants were instructed to complete the survey for all of their collections, including those in any subsidiary archives. The questionnaire asked institutions to identify their primary function or service and to select as many additional functions or services as applicable. Based on these responses, Heritage Preservation estimates that there are 1,033 institutions that have a primary function as an archives and that 13,407 U.S. institutions have archives as an additional function. For a full explanation of how archives were included in the survey, refer to Chapter 1, Heritage Health Index Development (pp. 8-9) and Chapter 2, Heritage Health Index Methodology (pp. 16-19).

To download the detailed handout prepared for DC 2006, click here.

In the graphs below, "archives" refers to institutions that selected it as their primary function.

Archives Care for 24% of the Nation’s 44 Million Linear Feet of Unbound Sheets

Archives Care for 41% of the Nation’s 727 Million Photographic Items

Institutions That Include Responsibility to Preserve Digital Collections in Conservation/Preservation Mission or Programs

Archives with Conservation/Preservation Needs*

Condition surveys/assessments 78%
Staff training 77%
Finding aids/cataloging collections 75%
Conservation treatment 73%
Preservation of digital collections 68%
Environmental controls 65%
Reduce exposure to light 53%
Security 48%
Integrated pest management 38%

*combines need and urgent need

Institutions with Archives as an Additional Function or Service