Heritage Health Information Survey, United States, 2014

The nation's libraries, museums, historical societies, archives, and scientific institutions hold in their collections 13 billion items, from furniture to photos and sheet music to soil samples. These make up the tangible objects of the United States' national heritage and are cataloged, shelved, stored, and protected. Digital collections are now reaching new audiences and challenging institutions large and small. In 2004, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) supported Heritage Preservation in conducting the Heritage Health Index Survey (HHIS). This survey assessed the preservation needs of America's cultural heritage institutions and provided a benchmarking tool for collections care practice. Ten years later, IMLS took a look at where collections care and management challenges and opportunities stood. The 2014 survey included many questions similar to those in 2004 and introduced new questions about preservation of digital collections. The data contains records for 1,714 collecting institutions. The sample was stratified by type of institution (archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, and scientific collections) and size (large/medium or small). These institutions represent a universe of 31,290 collecting institutions. For the purposes of HHIS, eligibility was based on whether institutions had accepted preservation responsibility for collections of nonliving tangible and digital collections but excluded collections meant to be used by visitors or patrons and disposed of or replaced if they are lost or damaged.