Description: This book chapter discusses educating communities. and preserving tomorrow's treasures today. Librarians, curators, archivists, and volunteers work hard to conserve and preserve materials as they are added to their collections, insuring that the materials can be safely used. However, not all genealogical and historical information is held in cultural institutions; unknown numbers of valuable information sources reside with individuals and in residences. By educating the community today on how to protect the treasures in their care, we have the potential to minimize the repairs needed for these items in the future.

Description: This book chapter discusses collaborating with local public libraries. In 2006, the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries began a more conscious effort to collaborate with the local Denton Public Library. This effort developed into three distinct programs: a seamless service for delivery of government information, a cooperative one-book one-community program, and public library workshops led by UNT librarians. These efforts keep all of the libraries in town strong as we share resources and knowledge and present a unified front to our citizenry. This chapter focuses on the dynamics of these three distinct programs, and identifies the pros and cons of such a collaboration. It also includes the procedures and timeline for establishing this partnership and identifies some of the key decision-makers to include in the planning process.