RALEIGH — Preserving the fabric of American history starts with protection of historic documents, especially those held by cultural institutions. The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (www.ncculture.com) today announced the creation of a “Traveling Archivist” pilot program to provide conservation training to organizations that have historic records and archival collections.
The Traveling Archivist will demonstrate hands-on preservation and collection techniques and practices to safeguard the rare and precious materials from damage or deterioration. It will be administered by the North Carolina Office of Archives & History (www.history.ncdcr.gov). The program is funded through a grant award of $33,223 from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) to the State Historical Resources Advisory Board (SHRAB).
“This grant represents an opportunity to share technical expertise and knowledge among our archives and libraries and to showcase North Carolina’s extraordinary documentary heritage,” commented Dr. Jeffrey J. Crow, deputy secretary for the Department of Cultural Resources and state coordinator for SHRAB.
The program is designed to identify collections at greatest risk from damage or neglect. Each site will receive oral instruction, training and an Archives Starter Kit containing the basic supplies to house, label and properly store archival materials. The Traveling Archivist Program will be coordinated by the SHRAB and the North Carolina State Archives.
The Traveling Archivist program is scheduled to begin in August.