Collections Care Guidance and Support

FAIN: PG-280636-21

Huna Heritage Foundation (Juneau, AK 99801-9380)
Amelia Wilson (Project Director: January 2021 to September 2023)

A preservation needs assessment and community training workshop focusing on a collection of 250 books, 200 documents, 2,500 audiovisual assets, and more than 800 photographs documenting Tlingit culture, history, and language. Examples of the collection include recordings of ku.eex, a Tlingit potlatch and traditional ceremony that serves as a memorial for clan members; Tlingit language and song; veterans’ histories; cultural protocols and ways of knowing; and guidance on traditional hunting and gathering. The Huna Heritage Foundation uses its archival collection to partner with local, regional, and state organizations, produce short films, and conduct educational programming for students, conferences, Hoonah community members, and the public.

The “Collections Care Guidance and Support” project will result in a preservation needs assessment for the Huna Heritage Foundation (HHF) collections. The assessment will include documenting the physical state of the entire collection (AV, digital, print, objects, etc.) and provide recommendations for its care. A report documenting the current state of the collections, site visit findings, and making recommendations for improved preservation practices for the collections will be provided after the visit. In addition to the on-site assessment, grant funds will support a half-day community workshop, entitled “Introduction to Audiovisual Preservation” at the Alaska State Library Archives and Museums. This workshop will be free and open to their staff as well as staff at local collecting institutions such as the Juneau City Museum and Sealaska Heritage Institute. This will ensure the learning opportunity has a wider reach than our small team. Funds will also provide for archival boxes.

Associated Products

Preservation Assessment Report: Huna Heritage Foundation (Report)
Title: Preservation Assessment Report: Huna Heritage Foundation
Author: Annie Peterson
Abstract: Executive Summary The Huna Heritage Foundation (HHF) Library and Archives participated in a virtual preservation assessment in November 30 – December 1, 2021. Consultant Annie Peterson of LYRASIS led the assessment, which included a video tour of the archives storage space, discussions about staffing, planning, storage, and other facets of preservation and access to HHF’s archival collections. The goals of the preservation assessment were: • Discuss and document HHF’s existing strengths, what staff are already doing well, and areas for potential improvement related to collections care and access • Gather information to create this report documenting the current state of collections, site visit findings, and recommendations for improved preservation practices • Use this report to advocate for resources (externally and/or internally) to move forward with providing access and use of the archival materials The assessment focused on preservation of physical collections. A digital collection assessment was conducted in 2018. Preservation entails providing sustained, long-term access to collections. Near-term access to collections was also discussed, as preservation and access are closely intertwined. HHF staff have made excellent progress on describing and arranging their archival collections and are well-prepared to take next steps to make collections accessible and preserve them for access in the future. The digital projects that HHF has already worked on, the relationships that HHF staff have built, and the commitment to HHF’s shared vision is a remarkable foundation that HHF will build on to maintain enduring access to its collections. The recommendations in this report are intended to guide HHF’s next steps. Summarized recommendations, from the perspective of the consultant, are listed below, with more detailed recommendations in the body of the report. HHF staff will add their expertise and deeper understanding of organization to turn these recommendations
Date: 1/10/2022
Access Model: Internal Use

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