Spring 2002

Spring Roundtables Are Scheduled As the trees prepare to bud and grass turns from brown to green, it’s time to mark your calendar for the Northern New York Library Network’s spring 2002 Documentary Heritage Program Roundtables. The roundtables provide the perfect opportunity to get together with people from your area to discuss issues of concern and interest regarding your repository or archives. You are also reminded that if you live in one roundtable region but are interested in the topic in another region, you are welcome to attend that roundtable as well. There are no limits as to which roundtables you may attend. The Jefferson-Lewis-Oswego Roundtable will be held on April 27 at the South Jefferson Historical Society, 9 East Church St., Adams. The topic of discussion will be "Care and Handling of Paper Materials" with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m. The speaker will be Librarian and Curator of Prints Lee Kemp of the Rochester Museum and Science Center. If you have any questions, please contact Jefferson County Historian Fred Rollins at (315) 782-3491. The Clinton-Essex Roundtable will be held on May 4 at the Clinton County Historical Association, 48 Court St., Plattsburgh. The topic of discussion will be "Gifts: Assets or Liabilities?" and will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with lunch being served on-site. Director/Curator John Tomkins of the Clinton County Historical Association will be the speaker. There will be an opportunity to tour the museum. Participants are encouraged to bring their real or fictional problems encountered for group discussion and resolution. There will also be a number of brief Advisory Service Reports (Miner Institute, Penfield Homestead, Jay Town Historian, and Lake Placid/North Elba Historical Society). For more information, contact CCHA Director John Tomkins at 518-561-0340. The St. Lawrence-Franklin Roundtable will be held on May 11 at the Potsdam Public Museum. The topic of discussion will be "Care and Handling of Archival Collections" and will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Refreshments will be provided during the roundtable, and lunch on your own will follow. The speaker will be Joe Swinyer, a 31-year veteran of Plattsburgh State University. He will lead a lively discussion on how to care for and handle archival collections. He will focus on what is appropriate to be worked on in-house versus what should be sent out for professional restoration. Mr. Swinyer will also discuss how to finance restoration. Examples of historical records that have received in-house cleaning, repair, and encapsulation will be shown. There will also be handouts concerning the care and handling of archival pieces. Come prepared with questions and to share your experiences of caring for collections. For more information, contact St. Lawrence County Historical Association Director Trent Trulock at 315-386-8133. There is no fee to attend any of the roundtables, but registration is requested. To sign up, please call the NNY Library Network at 315-265-1119, or toll-free at 877-833-1674.