Site Reviews Conducted Around The Area
More and more repositories have taken advantage of having a site review conducted as word
continues to spread about the Advisory and Technical Assistance program provided through the
Documentary Heritage Program. This service is provided at no cost to the repository.
A professional archival consultant came to the following repositories recently and offered
advice on how the repositories can better address some of their most important concerns.
A site visit was made to the Town of Massena Museum on January 11, 2000.
The consultant said a review of the self-study questions in The Guide should be conducted
by the staff and a member of the Museum Board.
The consultant further suggested that consideration be made to the implementation of an
expanded volunteer program under the direction of the Museum Board in consultation with the
Museum staff.
Comments were made in the Museum’s report about the significant hours of operation under
the guidance of part-time paid staff and volunteers. Recommendations were made as to how they
may be utilized, such as indexing scrapbooks, supervising the use of historical records, and
assisting repository staff during tours and class visits.
Other comments by the consultant included: reviewing and revising the Museum’s mission
statement; dating all policy documents to facilitate timely review and revision; seeking
grant funding for restoration and preservation activities; and investigating New York State
as a source of archival quality equipment.
A site visit was made to the Potsdam Public Museum on February 22, 2000.
During this visit, the consultant recommended the utilization of the manual Guidelines for
Arrangement and Description of Archives and Manuscripts as the standard for arrangement of
historical records collections.
It was suggested to convert the collection Index to a computer file for ease in updating.
The consultant also recommended including all historical records collections citations in the
Past Perfect data base.
Other recommendations by the consultant included: placing photographs in mylar sleeves for
additional protection; isolating acidic newspaper volumes and providing acid-free wraps for
them; and performing preservation photocopying as necessary.
Staff members were encourage to participate in a Regional Roundtable, Basic Archival
Management workshop, Archival Security workshop, and the Year 2000 Annual Archival Meeting.
A site visit was made to the Town of West Turin’s town barns and offices and the
Town of Highmarket’s storage building examine the records held in there. The visit
was made on October 20, 1999.
The consultant recommended the historical records from each location be brought together
in one location where they would be most accessible for administrative, as well as for public
use.
It was also suggested that a Town and Village Historian’s Mission Statement be created.
The brief statement should describe the collection’s purpose, scope and intended audience.
The consultant further recommended the establishment of a gift policy and form. This form
would establish clear title and ownership of materials that come into the office’s
possession.
The consultant suggested there were preservation needs to be met within the Town’s storage
areas. After historical materials are gathered in an accessible location, an evaluation
should be made of the immediate storage needs of the materials.
A site review was conducted at the Canton Free Library on October 29, 1999.
The consultant recommended the establishment of a collection development policy. This
document would outline the scope and extent of the collection, as well as the kinds of
materials the Library will house in the collection.
In regards to preservation, the consultant pointed to the Library’s scrapbooks. It was
noted that highly acidic papers coupled with unstable adhesives produce an object that defies
almost any attempt to save it. A modest proposal would be to photocopy the scrapbooks, put
the photocopies out for public use, and put the originals in acid-free boxes.
Other recommendations by the consultant included: reviewing or revising the library’s
mission statement; establishing a gift policy and form; consolidating special materials; and
keeping statistics of use.
In the report for each site visit, the consultant gave a detailed listing of what
materials would be needed to incorporate each recommendation.
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