RALEIGH – Rare books, precious quilts, and historic documents are among the many materials in libraries, archives and museums that are too valuable to lose. Yet when disaster strikes, that sometimes happens. The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is holding a workshop on Friday, Jan. 15, at 10 a.m., at Joyner Library at East Carolina University in Greenville to help employees of cultural organizations prepare to meet disaster and discuss how best to care for their collections.
Cultural Resources received the Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grant from the national Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Greenville meeting is one of three regional planning meetings hosted by 12 heritage professionals with employees and volunteers from cultural agencies. The public forums will gather information on how to best help institutions plan for their collections’ long term care. A GIS map of heritage institutions and database of resources also will be created.
“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 at www.ncecho.org), is a project of the State Library of North Carolina, and has 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 was Dec. 7, at Pack Place in Asheville; the second Jan. 15, 2010, at East Carolina University in Greenville; the third will be on 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 the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums, has the mission to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. Information is available 24/7 at www.ncculture.com.