Data-driven Environmental Monitoring and Digital Preservation Training

FAIN: PG-258471-18

Noah Webster House (West Hartford, CT 06107-3453)
Sheila Daley (Project Director: May 2017 to September 2019)

Purchase of environmental monitoring equipment and hiring of a consultant to offer training in digital preservation and use of environmental data for care of the collections at the historic house and birthplace of Noah Webster. Collections document 18^th- century New England life and culture through the collections associated with Webster and his family and social milieu. Highlights of the archival collections are original editions of books by Webster, including his dictionaries, history and geography textbooks, and other published writings, as well as correspondence, photographs, and early land records. Objects include Webster’s desk, furniture, and decorative art.  The training offered by the consultants at the Webster house would be open to staff at neighboring institutions.

The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is located in the birthplace and childhood home of Noah Webster, a nationally registered historic landmark. The museum offers award-winning programming to thousands of students and visitors each year, and holds manuscript and 3d object collections related to Noah Webster and to the local community spanning the 17th through the 21st century. We request funds for (1) purchase of 4 PEM2 dataloggers for environmental monitoring and staff training in their use, and (2) staff training in standards and best practices for digital preservation and safe handling of collections during digitization. Staff will receive training in environmental data interpretation, and a consultant will develop a three-part workshop covering safe handling and digital preservation topics for small institutions.