For a small museum or historical cultural site, a good place for you to start is the AvSAP online resource developed at the University of Illinois (with partners). The AvSAP (Audiovisual Self-Assessment Program) will guide you through a series of assessment tools (downloadable to use with your collections input) to better inform yourself about the breadth, values and condition of your collection and lead you through decision making processes and best practices for your collection.   It is really meant to be as a tool but also a hub resource for other programs, so do take a look at the information under Resources and the Forum feature.

Other resources for smaller collections, such as individual private collections include:

• National Film Preservation Foundation http://www.filmpreservation.org/index.html  In their Film Preservation Guide (which is available for free online in chapter form), you will find basic and preservation technician level guidelines for handling, viewing and preparing for reformatting.
•  http://www.homemovieday.com/index.html This is also a very helpful site and org – their guidelines are more toward small-batch, do it yourself, but with a preservation mindset. Note the Film Preservation links.  They also have a directory of labs, but no warranty is expressed or implied. 

See also our blog post on Digital Video Preservation.