Planning for an Improved and Sustainable Collections Environment at the Amistad Research Center

FAIN: PF-272010-20

Amistad Research Center (New Orleans, LA 70118-5665)
Kara Tucina Olidge (Project Director: January 2020 to May 2022)

A planning project to develop recommendations for improving the storage environment at the Amistad Research Center (ARC), an independent archives and manuscripts repository located at Tulane University with extensive holdings on the history of African Americans from the 1780s to the present.

The Amistad Research Center (ARC) seeks to develop a master preservation and conservation plan for infrastructure and systems associated with collection storage at its main facility of Tilton Memorial Hall on the campus of its partner organization, Tulane University. This project will entail collaboration between Center staff and board with conservation experts and Tulane University planning and facilities personnel to document and prioritize conservation and preservation needs to 1) create a strategic plan outlining next steps for a comprehensive implementation plan based on best practices, and 2) develop a projected budget and identify funding sources to address action steps within the strategic plan. The project is guided by ARC’s Collection Development and Management Policies which outline ARC’s primary responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for all collections and works in its custody.