A program to copy unique and fragile materials onto microfilm is undertaken as a special budget item each year,as funds permit. Main entry cards for each item in the catalogue are copied onto microfilms which are then lodged in the Australian Archives. This program has continued for more than twenty years. These are stored as security copies, not to be touched unless absolutely necessary. Microfilm copies of all written documentation are kept in the National Library with the tapes.
All copies are flat copies, made with a minimum of noise reduction procedures.
All archive copies have a text tone encoded so that any deterioration may be monitored. Staff member Ms Carol Cooper attended sessions of the Conference of the Council of Australian Museum Association in November 1990 and was invited to a special meeting of curators working with prints, drawings and photographs held at the conference. Ms Cooper worked on cataloguing the Institute's Artefacts Collection and supervised an Australian National University prehistory graduate, who re-numbered items from the old Department of Aboriginal Affairs collection and prepared a computerised inventory. During the year two final-year students from the University of Canberra's Conservation Studies Program were employed to carry out conservation treatment on the lnstitute's Bark Paintings Collection.