Chester County Archives Environmental Monitoring and Preservation of Oversized Records

FAIN: PG-233551-16

County of Chester, Chester County Archives (West Chester, PA 19382-4958)
Laurie A. Rofini (Project Director: May 2015 to September 2017)

The purchase of preservation supplies and storage furniture to rehouse part of a large local history collection dating from the late 17th century to the present and serving scholarly researchers, genealogists, and members of the public. The archives maintains 2,940 volumes on the history of this Pennsylvania county and its environs, along with 1,823 cubic feet of county government records.  The latter includes vital statistics, naturalization, criminal and civil court, land, probate, and tax records.  The proposed project focuses on rehousing an estimated 700 oversized drafts and surveys.  Among them are drafts and surveys of early roads, election districts, municipal boundaries, the settlement of estates, and surveys and subdivision plans associated with recorded deeds. Finally, the applicant would purchase equipment to monitor environmental conditions in the storage areas.

Chester County Archives and Records Services (West Chester, PA) is requesting a Preservation Assistance Grant of $5,142. The grant will fund the purchase of storage furniture, equipment, and supplies that were recommended in the recent preservation needs assessment report done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts. This project will address two areas of concern identified in the report: the storage of oversized materials, and the monitoring of environmental conditions. The Archives collection, which dates from 1681 to 2006, documents over 325 years of county government operations and services and is widely used by the general public, students, and historians.