Purchase Monitoring Equipment for Storage and Work Area for Rural Life Museum Collections

FAIN: PA-51682-06

Mars Hill College (Mars Hill, NC 28754-9134)
Cassie Robinson (Project Director: May 2005 to March 2009)

The purchase of environmental monitoring and cleaning equipment, preservation supplies and materials, and training of staff in collections care procedures for the Southern Appalachian collection of documents, photographs, oral history audiotapes, music recordings, and other materials held by the Ramsey Center for Regional Studies of Mars Hill College.

In 2002 Mars Hill College hired Etherington Conservation Center to evaluate current status of Ramsey Center holdings, and prioritize steps for their long-term management. With current request, Mars Hill addresses most urgent recommendations: make improvements in existing 1370 sq. ft. storage space--3rd level of the old library stacks--to provide secure, climate-controlled storage and work area for assessing physical condition of museum objects and appraising relevance to Ramsey Center mission. Budget includes onsite consultant to oversee process and train staff and purchase of shelving and essential environmental monitoring and cleaning equipment.