The ABC's of ISO

It is a part of IPI’s mission to disseminate the results of our research to the field of cultural heritage preservation. We do this through a variety of avenues including presentations at conferences and publications in journals. A third way we reach our audience is through participating in the development of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards. Many IPI researchers have participated on ISO committees related to the permanence of imaging materials. Currently, IPI veteran, Dr. Peter Adelstein chairs the ISO working group charged with creating all of the standards on the physical properties and permanence of imaging materials. He has been representing IPI in this position since IPI’s inception in 1985. Before coming to IPI, Dr. Adelstein represented the Eastman Kodak Company on the committee as far back as 1973. In the following interview, Dr. Adelstein explains the standards writing process, the history of permanence related standards, and the future of standards for digital print materials.

What is an international standard?

An international standard is a document prepared by ISO which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. They publish the most authoritative and widely recognized standards in the field of imaging. These documents are all designated first by the letters ISO. The first three numbers 189 indicate that the standard is in the area of physical and permanence properties. The last two numbers designate the topic. For example, the standard on storage conditions for refection prints is ISO 18920.

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Call for IS&T's HP Image Permanence Award Nominations

All members of the imaging science and cultural heritage communities are invited to nominate colleagues for the 2012 IS&T Image Permanence Award. Honoring colleagues for their achievements is one of the most important tasks of professional societies. Please take a moment to think of deserving colleagues and nominate them. Past recipients include: Martin Jürgens (2010), Steven Puglia (2009), Rita Hofmann-Sievert (2008), and James Reilly (2007).

Nominations are due October 15, 2011. Award descriptions and eligibility requirements are found at http://www.imaging.org/ist/Membership/honors.cfm. The nominations form is very simple and should take very little time to complete.

Please note that IS&T membership is not a requirement for the award, nor must one be a member to nominate a colleague.

Questions about the HP Image Permanence Award?

Contact Donna Smith at IS&T: dsmith@imaging.org or (703) 642-9090 or Daniel Burge at IPI: dmbpph@rit.edu or (585) 475-5931

Recommended Reading

The Office Copying Revolution: History, Identification, and Preservation by Ian Batterham (2008)

The Office Copying Revolution provides a history of office copying with all its invention and variation – from typewriters to laser printers – and is an invaluable reference manual. It is a comprehensive history of office technology throughout the twentieth century, with detailed descriptions of the copies produced, companies that made the equipment and copy products, as well as trade names, copying methods, papers, dyes, and stencils are all covered in this richly illustrated book with more than 400 images. The volume also includes an extensive print identification section.

Available for purchase online from the National Archives of Australia.