The following list of terms is adapted from the chapter "Definitions of Terms for Consulting Services and Treatment Services" in the Magnetic Media Preservation Sourcebook,  published by Media Alliance in 1998. Co-editors Mona Jimenez and Liss Platt defined common terms used for preservation/conservation to clarify how they had organized the entries. A description of the Sourcebook can be accessed on the web. To order a copy of the Sourcebook, contact Media Alliance.

Consulting Services
Appraisal - an evaluation of the value and/or use of a collection.

Cataloging - systems for arrangement and description of collections or tapes; or a means of logging visual/audio information contained on the media.

Collection assessment/surveys - assessments of the conditions and situations in which materials are stored and the physical characteristics of the objects themselves, with recommendations about preservation actions and priorities.

Collection management - consulting on how the collection is organized and cared for, may include systems for description, tracking, storage, handling, access and preservation.

Environmental surveys - assessments of the physical environment in which media are stored and handled, including such areas as temperature and humidity, air quality, environmental pollutants, and shelving.

Grant development/consultation - assistance in identifying funding sources for preservation, and in developing a fundable project, and/or developing or reviewing funding proposals.

Preservation project planning and development - assistance in developing an ongoing preservation program in the context of an organization's overall goals, activities and structures. May include such areas as budgets, work plans, procedures/manuals, and disaster planning and recovery.

Preservation project management - guiding, managing and/or carrying out a preservation project for an organization.

Preservation training - the design and/or delivery of training on preservation issues.

Storage facilities consultation - assistance with the design, construction and/or management of a storage facility.

Treatment services
Cleaning - treatment of the media to remove or reduce such things as dirt, dust, mold and other contaminants.

Inspection/evaluation - assessment and/or description of the physical characteristics of the media before or during the preservation process; may include assessment and the prioritization of strategies for a set of objects.

Re-mastering - reformatting a tape that exists in an obsolete or endangered format, recorded on obsolete/rare equipment, or is beyond its shelf life, to a contemporary format. Does not include standard duplication of contemporary formats, even when there is a format change.

Repair/restoration - treatment of the tape or housing, such as cracked or broken cases, problems with wind, treating crinkling, creases, or broken splices.