Preliminary Results of Heritage Health Index Illustrate Survey’s Potential

Data collected in preliminary tests of the Heritage Health Index, a survey of the condition and preservation needs of our nation’s collections, already demonstrate the impact that the final survey results will have. Heritage Preservation is conducting the Heritage Health Index in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

In the fall of 2002, 105 archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, scientific research organizations, and archeological repositories participated in a test of the Heritage Health Index. Of the responding institutions:

• 81% include preservation in their mission;
• 80% are involved in preventive care of their collections.

However,

• only 35% of the institutions in the test groups have completed an assessment of the condition of all of their collections;
• only 13% say they have a current, written, long-range preservation plan for their collections;
• very few institutions report that all of their collections are stored in areas considered to be adequate, and this result is consistent with the fact that improper storage was the most cited cause for significant damage to collections;
• approximately 80% of institutions stated a need for additional or improved storage facilities.

While these statistics are based on a small number of responses and thus cannot accurately represent a national profile, they are indicators of the issues that the Heritage Health Index will address.

The Heritage Health Index will—for the first time—produce a comprehensive picture of the state of artistic, historic, and scientific collections held by the full range of institutions that care for them. Project funding comes from the Getty Grant Program, with additional support from The Bay Foundation and Peck Stacpoole Foundation. The Heritage Health Index has been developed with oversight from an Institutional Advisory Committee of 35 national associations and federal agencies whose constituents are collecting institutions.

The Heritage Health Index questionnaire was written in consultation with more than 60 leading conservation, preservation, and collections management professionals. It includes all major issues related to the care of collections, including environmental conditions, preservation activities, preservation staff, preservation budget, condition of collections, and estimates of the quantity of specific media and formats. Last fall, 30 designated institutions and 75 randomly selected institutions completed the self-administered questionnaire. The tests demonstrated that the survey instrument is thorough and relevant to various types and sizes of institutions, whether archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, scientific research organizations, or archeological repositories. “We were extremely pleased with the willingness of collecting institutions to complete the questionnaire during the test phase,” stated Heritage Preservation President Lawrence L. Reger. “It shows that they support the need for gathering nationwide statistics about the care of collections.”

The statistics gathered by the Heritage Health Index will be used to articulate to policy-makers, trustees, and funding sources a detailed analysis of the most pressing preservation problems threatening our nation’s heritage. Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director of IMLS, said, “The Heritage Health Index will provide IMLS and other agencies with important preservation data that will assist us in evaluating existing programs and developing future initiatives.” The survey results will facilitate long-range planning within the fields of preservation and conservation and will give institutions an opportunity to compare their preservation progress and challenges with those of their peers.

The Heritage Health Index, to be conducted in 2003, will encompass a wide variety of collecting institutions, from those with the largest holdings to those with small, yet significant, local collections, in all states and territories of the U.S. The release date of the survey will be widely publicized, and updates will be posted on Heritage Preservation’s Web site.

About Heritage Preservation – Heritage Preservation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our nation’s heritage. Its members include libraries, museums, archives, historic preservation organizations, historical societies, conservation organizations, and other professional groups concerned with saving the past for the future. For information on the Heritage Health Index, contact Kristen Overbeck Laise, Heritage Preservation, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005, 202-233-0800, klaise@heritagepreservation.org, or www.heritagepreservation.org.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services – IMLS is an independent Federal agency that fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation’s museums and libraries. Created by the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996, P.L. 104-208, IMLS administers the Library Services and Technology Act and the Museum Services Act. The Institute receives policy advice from two Presidentially appointed, Senate confirmed entities: the National Commission for Libraries and Information Science and the National Museum Services Board. For more information, including grant applications, contact IMLS at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506, 202-606-8536, or www.imls.gov.

About the Getty Grant Program – The Getty Grant Program is part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, an international cultural and philanthropic institution devoted to the visual arts located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The Grant Program provides critical support to institutions and individuals throughout the world in fields that are aligned most closely with the Trust’s strategic priorities. It therefore funds a diverse range of projects that promote learning and scholarship about the history of the visual arts and the conservation of cultural heritage, and it consistently searches for collaborative efforts that set high standards and make significant contributions. Since its inception in 1984, the Grant Program has supported over 2,500 projects in more than 150 countries. Further information is available from the Getty Grant Program, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90049, 310-440-7320, or www.getty.edu.

Updated February 2003