Assessing 18th- and 19th-Century New Hampshire Maps and Atlases

FAIN: PA-51545-06

New Hampshire State Library (Concord, NH 03301)
Janet R. Eklund (Project Director: May 2005 to October 2008)

A conservation assessment of the state library's New Hampshire and New England map and atlas collection from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the purchase of storage furniture and preservation supplies.

The New Hampshire State Library seeks $5,000 to support a collection level conservation assessment of its New Hampshire and New England maps and atlases collections. The activities entail hiring a maps preservation consultant to assess conservation needs and purchasing archival quality housing supplies to protect 150 maps and 50 atlases from the 18th and 19th centuries. The project is a continuation of a general collection conservation assessment conducted in 2002 which identified the state library's collections of early printed and manuscript maps as a preservation priority.

Associated Products

Historic Maps & Atlases Collection Assessment report (Report)
Title: Historic Maps & Atlases Collection Assessment report
Title: Collection Survey
Author: Walter Newman
Abstract: On October 25 - 26, 2006, Walter Newman, Director of Paper Conservation at the Northeast Document Conservation Center and the author of this report, visited the New Hampshire State Library to examine the collection of maps and atlases. Janet Eklund, Administrator of Library Operations, guided the visit. The maps and atlases were identified as a priority during the preservation survey performed by Millie O’Connell in 2002–3. The purpose of the present survey was two-fold: 1) to examine all the maps and atlases and incorporate their condition into the database, assigning them a priority for conservation treatment, and 2) to make recommendations for measures that can be taken in-house to improve the preservation of the map and atlas collection as a whole. The data pertaining to the first goal were turned in at the conclusion of the visit. The latter goal depends heavily on improving storage conditions for these materials.
Date: 10/25/2006
Date: 11/30/2008

---