Welcome to the Preservation Library - a repository of historic preservation, building restoration articles that provide expert guidance for the rehabilitation and preservation of historic structures, as well as links to essential policy and legal documents that pertain to historic preservation and cultural resource management.

Below you will find:

• Preservation Laws, Executive Orders & Regulations
  
• The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Properties
  
• Preservation Briefs (National Park Service)
• Preservation Tech Notes: Case Studies in Historic Preservation (National Park Service)
• Miscellaneous Historic Preservation & Building Restoration Documents
  
• The Preservation Resource Guide: Preservation Resources on the Web (prepared by PreservationDirectory.com)

Your feedback is greatly encouraged - if there are documents/articles you would like see here, please contact us.  Check back often, as new content will be added regularly.  If you would like to be updated when new articles are added, please click here to sign up for our "General Email Newsletter".

HISTORIC & CULTURAL RESOURCE PRESERVATION LAWS, EXECUTIVE ORDERS & REGULATIONS:

Below is an overview of select laws, executive orders and regulations for historic preservation and cultural resource management.  For the complete list (which includes laws/orders/regulations for the National Park Service, maritime preservation, Native Americans & NAGPRA, tax incentives for historic preservation, and transportation), please visit www.nps.gov/history/laws.htm.

Please note, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open some documents, which you can download for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader.

THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR'S STANDARDS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES:
(Technical Preservation Services (TPS), Heritage Preservation Services Division of the National Park Service)

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties are common sense principles in non-technical language. They were developed to help protect our nation's irreplaceable cultural resources by promoting consistent preservation practices. The Standards may be applied to all properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places: buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts.

• Secretary of the Interior's Standards' Homepage: www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm

• The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
  
  
• The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring and Reconstructing Historic Buildings

PRESERVATION BRIEFS: (Technical Preservation Services (TPS), Heritage Preservation Services Division of the National Park Service)

Preservation Briefs provide guidance on preserving, rehabilitating and restoring historic buildings. Please note that the web versions of the Preservation Briefs differ somewhat from the printed versions.  Hard copies of the Briefs may be purchased from the Government Printing Office at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Preservation Briefs Homepage: www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs.htm

Complete List of Technical Preservation Services' Publications and Online Materials: www.nps.gov/tps/education/free-pubs.htm

PRESERVATION TECH NOTES: CASE STUDIES IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION: (Technical Preservation Services (TPS), Heritage Preservation Services Division of the National Park Service)

The Preservation Tech Notes provide practical information on traditional practices and innovative techniques for successfully maintaining and preserving cultural resources. Please note that the web versions of the Preservation Tech Notes differ somewhat from the printed versions.

1. Historic Garage and Carriage Doors: Rehabilitation Solutions. Bonnie Halda, AIA. 1989.

1. Proper Painting and Surface Preparation. Sharon Park, AIA. 1986.
2. Paint Removal from Wood Siding. Alan O'Bright. 1986.
3. Log Crown Repair and Selective Replacement Using Epoxy and Fiberglass Reinforcing Bars. Harrison Goodall. 1989.
4. Protecting Woodwork Against Decay Using Borate Preservatives. Ron Sheetz and Charles Fisher. 1993.

1. Process-Painting Decals as a Substitute for Hand-Stencilled Ceiling Medallions. Sharon Park, FAIA. 1990.

1. Repair and Reproduction of Prismatic Glass Transoms. Chad Randl. 2002.
2. Repair and Rehabilitation of Historic Sidewalk Vault Lights. Cas Stachelberg and Chad Randl. 2003.

1. Preserving Historic Corridors in Open Office Plans. Christina Henry. 1985.
2. Preserving Historic Office Building Corridors. Thomas Keohan. 1989.
3. Preserving Historic Corridor Doors and Glazing in High-Rise Buildings. Chad Randl. 2001.

1. Substitute Materials: Replacing Deteriorated Serpentine Stone with Pre-Cast Concrete. Robert M. Powers. 1988.
2. Stabilization and Repair of a Historic Terra Cotta Cornice. Jeffrey Levine and Donna Harris. 1991.
3. Water Soak Cleaning of Limestone. Robert M. Powers. 1992.
4. Non-destructive Evaluation Techniques for Masonry Construction. Marilyn E. Kaplan, Marie Ennis and Edmund P. Meade. 1997.

1. Replicating Historic Elevator Enclosures. Marilyn Kaplan, AIA. 1989.

1. Conserving Outdoor Bronze Sculpture. Dennis Montagna. 1989.
2. Restoring Metal Roof Cornices. Richard Pieper. 1990.
3. In-kind Replacement of Historic Stamped-Metal Exterior Siding. Rebecca A. Shiffer. 1991.
4. Rehabilitating a Historic Iron Bridge. Joseph P. Saldibar, III. 1997.
5. Rehabilitating a Historic Truss Bridge Using a Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Deck. Chad Randl. 2003.
6. Repair and Reproduction of Metal Canopies and Marquees with Glass Pendants. Lauren Van Damme and Charles E. Fisher. 2006.

1. Museum Collection Storage in a Historic Building Using a Prefabricated Structure. Don Cumberland, Jr. 1985.
2. Reducing Visible and Ultraviolet Light Damage to Interior Wood Finishes. Ron Sheetz and Charles Fisher. 1990.

1. Restoring Vine Coverage to Historic Buildings. Karen Day. 1991.

1. Temporary Protection of Historic Stairways. Charles Fisher. 1985.
2. Specifying Temporary Protection of Historic Interiors During Construction and Repair. Dale H. Frens. 1993.
3. Protecting A Historic Structure during Adjacent Construction. Chad Randl. 2001.

1. Planning Approaches to Window Preservation. Charles Fisher. 1984.
2. Installing Insulating Glass in Existing Steel Windows. Charles Fisher. 1984.
3. Exterior Storm Windows: Casement Design Wooden Storm Sash. Wayne Trissler and Charles Fisher. 1984.
4. Replacement Wooden Frames and Sash. William Feist. 1984.
5. Interior Metal Storm Windows. Laura Muckenfuss and Charles Fisher. 1984.
6. Replacement Wooden Sash and Frames With Insulating Glass and Integral Muntins. Charles Parrott. 1984.
7. Window Awnings. Laura Muckenfuss and Charles Fisher. 1984.
8. Thermal Retrofit of Historic Wooden Sash Using Interior Piggyback Storm Panels. Sharon Park, AIA. 1984.
9. Interior Storm Windows: Magnetic Seal. Charles Fisher. 1984.
10. Temporary Window Vents in Unoccupied Historic Buildings. Charles Fisher and Thomas Vitanza. 1985.
11. Installing Insulating Glass in Existing Wooden Sash Incorporating the Historic Glass. Charles Fisher. 1985.
12. Aluminum Replacements for Steel Industrial Sash. Charles E. Fisher. 1986.
13. Aluminum Replacement Windows with Sealed Insulating Glass and Trapezoidal Muntin Grids. Charles Parrott. 1985.
14. Reinforcing Deteriorated Wooden Windows. Paul Stumes, P.Eng 1986.
15. Interior Storms for Steel Casement Windows. Charles E. Fisher and Christina Henry. 1986.
16. Repairing and Upgrading Multi-Light Wooden Mill Windows. Christopher W. Closs. 1986.
17. Repair and Retrofitting Industrial Steel Windows. Robert M. Powers. 1989.
18. Aluminum Replacement Windows With True Divided Lights, Interior Piggyback Storm Panels, and Exposed Historic Wooden Frames. Charles Parrott. 1991
19. Repairing Steel Casement Windows. Chad Randl. 2002.
20. Aluminum Replacement Windows for Steel Projecting Units with True Divided Lights and Matching Profiles. Chad Randl. 2003.
21. Replacement Wood Sash Utilizing True Divided Lights and an Interior Piggyback Energy Panel. Charles E. Fisher. 2008.
22. Maintenance and Repair of Historic Aluminum Windows. Kaaren R. Staveteig. 2008.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORIC PRESERVATION & BUILDING RESTORATION DOCUMENTS:

Below you will find links to articles and policy reports of particular importance to the historic preservation and cultural resource management community.  Additional articles and policy reports will be added over time, so please check back often.  If you have suggestions for content you would like added, please click here to contact us. 

PRESERVATION RESOURCE GUIDE:

We are pleased to offer our free comprehensive resource guide for historic and cultural resource preservation.  Developed for a lecture at the Portland, Oregon based Architectural Heritage Center by the staff of PreservationDirectory.com, the resource guide presents primary online resources in the field of historic and cultural resource preservation.  Topics include researching your historic home; funding sources and tax credit programs available; utilizing your State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); finding an undergrad/graduate program in historic preservation; historic real estate resources online; preservation event/conference directories; and much more.

The current resource guide, while highlighting specific Portland/Oregon resources, is National in scope and will be applicable to anyone seeking resources in the United States.  Please note, it is our intent to eventually offer a separate resource guide for each state.