The Environmental Monitoring Cycle

Not all environmental data are created equal—especially when time and resources are limited.

This free, practical guide walks you through the Environmental Monitoring Cycle, a simple framework for collecting and using environmental data more effectively. From setting clear goals to interpreting results, this brief shows how to make monitoring meaningful—without getting lost in spreadsheets.

Whether you’re caring for a museum, library, archive, or historic site, you’ll learn:

• How to set achievable goals that align monitoring with preservation priorities

• What to measure—and why temperature, humidity, and dew point matter most

• Tips for choosing and placing dataloggers to get useful, reliable results

• How to turn raw data into clear insights that inform real-world decisions

Includes a step-by-step example scenario, practical tips for saving time and money, and recommended tools to help you make confident, evidence-based improvements to your collection environments.