RALEIGH – North Carolina’s documents and artifacts may be at risk. Hurricanes, floods, fire, insects, mold, and improper handling and storage all play a role in destroying historical treasures. The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources has received a planning grant to help protect collections at archives, museums, libraries, and historic sites and to help identify and assess the current level of collections preservation and disaster preparedness.
The Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grant awarded by the national Institute of Museum and Library Services will fund three regional planning meetings hosted by 12 heritage professionals with employees and volunteers from cultural agencies from across the state. The public forums will gather information on how to best help institutions plan for their collections’ long term care. The grant also will fund the creation of a GIS map of heritage institutions and database of resources for the heritage agencies.
“This project provides an excellent opportunity to focus attention on the constant challenges of preservation and care of collections and disaster preparedness for institutions,” observes Project Manager LeRae Umfleet.
N.C. ECHO (Exploring Cultural Heritage Online – www.ncecho.org), a project of the State Library of North Carolina, identified nearly 1,000 cultural institutions in the state. These agencies protect and preserve approximately 13.8 million objects and more than 200 million linear feet of archival materials.
The first meeting will be Dec. 7, at Pack Place in Asheville; the second Jan. 15, 2010, at East Carolina University in Greenville; the third Feb. 8, 2010, at the Greensboro Public Library. Required registration is $10; visit www.ncecho.org to register.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums with the mission to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Department of Cultural Resources is the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture with information at www.ncculture.com.