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The Preservation Publication Award recognizes the author(s) or editor(s) of an outstanding published work related to archives preservation and, through this acknowledgment, encourages outstanding achievement by others. Submissions may address topics related to digital preservation as well as analog preservation. The work can be an article, report, chapter, or monograph in an audiovisual, digital, or print format.
The work must contribute to the advancement of the theory and practice of preservation in archives institutions by introducing new preservation theories, methods, or techniques; by codifying principles and practices of archives preservation; by presenting the results of innovative research on matters related to archives preservation; by investigating preservation issues of current interest and importance to the archives community; or by studying aspects of the history of the archives profession. Submissions may address topics related to digital preservation as well as analog preservation
The award was established in 1993 by SAA's Preservation Section.
Awarded to the author(s) or editor(s) of an outstanding preservation-related work that is of relevance to the North American archives community and published during the preceding calendar year.
A completed nomination form and the required number of copies of the work.
The Society of American Archivists.
A certificate and a cash prize of $750.
1994
The Preservation Publication Award Subcommittee of the SAA Awards Committee consists of four members of the Society of American Archivists (one of whom shall be the current chair of the Preservation Section, who shall serve a term concurrent with his or her office) and one of the co-chairs of the Awards Committee (ex officio). One of the remaining members shall be appointed each year by the SAA President-elect to serve a three-year term. The senior member of the subcommittee in years of service shall serve as chair.
Click here to preview the nomination form and/or to start a nomination. All nominations must be submitted by February 28 of each year.
Council Approved Updates: August 2024
2024: Not awarded
2023: Not awarded
2022: "Balancing Care and Authenticity in Digital Collections: A Radical Empathy Approach To Working With Disk Images" by Monique Lassere and Jess Whyte in Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies vol. 3 (2021)
Special Commendation: “The Impact of Climate Change on Canadian Archives” by Amanda Oliver in Records Management Journal vol. 31
2021: OSSArcFlow Guide to Documenting Born-Digital Archival Workflows by Alexandra Chassanoff and Colin Post(Educopia Institute, 2020)
Special Commendation: “What's Wrong with Digital Stewardship: Evaluating the Organization of Digital Preservation Programs from Practitioners' Perspectives” by Karl-Rainer Blumenthal, Peggy Griesinger, Julia Kim, Shira Peltzman, and Vicky Steeves in Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies vol. 7
2020: Preventive Conservation: Collection Storage by Lisa Elkin and Christopher A. Norris (the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, The American Institute for Conservation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the George Washington University Museum Studies Program, 2019)
2019: The No-Nonsense Guide to Born-Digital Content by Heather Bowden and Walker Sampson (Facet, 2018)
2018: "The Whole Story: News Agency Photographs in Newspaper Photo Morgue Collections" by Laura McCann, American Archivist 80.1 (Spring/Summer 2017)
2017: Waters Rising: Letters from Florence by Sheila Waters (The Legacy Press, 2016)
2016: Preserving Our Heritage: Perspectives from Antiquity to the Digital Age by Michele V. Cloonan
2015: From Theory to Action: “Good Enough” Digital Preservation Solutions for Under-Resourced Cultural Heritage Institutions by the Digital POWRR Team
Special Commendation: 2015 National Agenda for Digital Stewardship by the National Digital Stewardship Alliance
2014: Archivists' Guide to Archiving Video, published by WITNESS
2013: Aligning National Approaches to Digital Preservation, edited by Nancy Y. McGovern (volume editor) and Katherine Skinner (series editor)
2012: Geospatial Multistate Archive and Preservation Partnership (GeoMAPP) Best Practices for Archival Processing for Geospatial Datasets
2011: Digital Curation: A How-To-Do-It Manual by Ross Harvey
2010: Archival and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers, edited by Michele F. Pacifico and Thomas P. Wilsted
2009: The AIC Guide to Digital Photography and Conservation Documentation
2008: Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Digital Dilemma
2007: Heritage Preservation, Field Guide to Emergency Response
2006: Data Dictionary for Preservation Metadata: Final Report of the PREMIS Working Group
2005: National Film Preservation Foundation, The Film Preservation Guide: The Basics for Archives, Libraries, and Museums
2004: Anne R. Kenney, Nancy Y. McGovern, Digital Preservation Management: Implementing Short-term Strategies for Long-term Problems (Web-based tutorial)
2003: Not awarded
2002: Robert E. Schnare, Jr., Bibliography of Preservation Literature, 1983-1996
2001: Gregory S. Hunter, Preserving Digital Information: A How-To-Do-It Manual
2000: Eléonore Kissel and Erin Vigneau, Architectural Photoreproductions: A Manual for Identification and Care
1999: James M. Reilly, The Storage Guide for Color Photographic Materials
1998: Not awarded
1997: Preserving Digital Information: Report on the Task Force on Archiving of Digital Information
1996: Anne R. Kenney, Stephen Chapman, Tutorial - Digital Resolution Requirements for Replacing Text Based Material: Methods for Benchmarking Image Quality
1995: Nancy E. Elkington, RLG Archives and Microfilming Manual
1994: Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler, Preserving Archives and Manuscripts