Implementation of Preservation Assessment Recommendations

FAIN: PG-50641-09

Rocky Mountain College (Billings, MT 59102-1739)
William L. Kehler (Project Director: May 2008 to December 2009)

The hiring of a consultant to conduct a two-day workshop to train staff and the general public on the proper care and management of archival collections, as well as the purchase of preservation supplies to re-house manuscripts, photographs, and archives documenting the history of Rocky Mountain College and central and eastern Montana.

Since 2006, the Rocky Mountain College Paul M. Abrams Memorial Library staff and volunteers have been working to assess, protect, organize and catalogue the College's Archives, which are housed in the Library. A 2006 NEH grant-funded professional assessment of the Archives has led to the reorganization, enhanced protection and expanded accessibility of the Archives. However, two areas of great need remain: Library staff training, in organization and cataloguing of Archives and in photo preservation; and preservation and storage supplies for photo and newsprint archives. This $3977 grant request will fund these final steps in bringing the College's Archives to fully adequate storage, organization and accessibility.