Preservation Factors in the Appraisal of Architectural Records

The assessment of physical formats, condition, and preservation needs is an essential part of the appraisal of architectural records. The first step in the preservation appraisal process is to identify the physical process represented in an item. It is then necessary to determine whether it has intrinsic or artifactual value, and its informational value. In addition, because diazo prints and Vandyke negative prints are the architectural equivalents of brittle paper, it is also important to survey the condition of the materials in a collection. Finally, the size of the materials, which tend to be large in architectural records, and which will determine the storage spaces and conservation treatment spaces necessary to properly handle them, needs to be assessed. The preservation of architectural records has been complicated by the development of computer-aided design and other digital processes. It remains to be seen, however, whether digitization of architectural processes provides more solutions or problems to preservation concerns.