The British Library Board established the National Preservation Office (NPO)
in 1984 following the publication of the Ratcliffe Report. The principal
needs at that time were felt to be the raising of awareness of preservation
issues in libraries and the provision of a focal point for preservation
management. Since then the NPO had become established as a major
force in supporting the preservation of library and archive materials
in the UK and Ireland.
The National Preservation Office is guided by an independent management
committee, members of which are drawn from the funding institutions.
The British Library continues to support the work of the NPO. Financial
support is also provided by The National Archives, The National
Library of Scotland, Trinity College Library Dublin, Cambridge University
Library, The National Library of Wales, The National Archives of
Scotland, The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, The National
Archives of Ireland, The National Library of Ireland and Oxford
University Library Services.
In addition contributions to the work of the NPO for the period
2005-2008 are received from The Society of College, National and
University Libraries (SCONUL), The Consortium of National and University
Libraries (CONUL) and The Heritage Council of Ireland.
