Starting in November, Cornell University Library will help libraries in China preserve valuable books and prevent damage from natural disasters.

Thanks to a $180,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, the library is beginning an internship program that will allow representatives from four libraries in China to come to Ithaca to study with experts in the library's Department of Preservation and Conservation.

Cornell's preservation experience, facilities and expertise will show eight interns how to mitigate the immediate physical risks that threaten some of China's most significant historical collections and greatly extend the life of their valuable books.

"Knowledge creation is global. With fewer barriers to cross-border research, the well-being of collections in other countries is directly linked to the research we do at Cornell and around the world, and it benefits from their accessibility," said Xin Li, associate university librarian for central library operations. "Helping Chinese librarians preserve these materials ensures they'll be around for the long run, which is part of the global mission of a land-grant university."

Four leading academic libraries in Beijing -- Renmin University Library, Peking University Library, Tsinghua University Library and the China Agricultural University Library -- will participate in the program. Its first session begins Nov. 1, with two interns coming to Cornell at a time. Over the course of two years, each of the interns will attend two six-week workshops.

Interns will learn conservation of Western bindings, non-damaging exhibition practices and care and handling of collections, as well as how to prevent mold and mitigate water damage.

"All of these Chinese institutions have been Cornell's partner schools, and they have held a significant number of Western bindings that they took over from their predecessors," Chen Jian, the Michael J. Zak Chair of History for U.S.-China Relations, wrote in a letter of support for the Luce Foundation grant. "Many of the bindings are endangered and thus are in need of special care. The proposed program is designed to ensure the longevity of these valuable materials."

By the end of the program, interns will be able to implement preservation and disaster plans at their libraries and also help train librarians, archivists and technicians at other institutions in China. An enhanced online preservation tutorial translated into Chinese will also allow Cornell library staff to continue mentoring and advising the interns even after the project is over.

"Our 'train-the-trainers' model, combined with our online tutorial, means we can reach far beyond the people we're training in person," said Barbara Berger Eden, director of preservation at Cornell Library. "This program requires a combination of specialized skills that our library can offer: singular expertise in traditional conservation skills and the innovative use of cutting-edge technology."

Gwen Glazer is the staff writer for Cornell University Library.