General Preservation Assessment

FAIN: PG-50975-10

Amherst College (Amherst, MA 01002-2372)
Thomas Michael Kelly (Project Director: May 2009 to December 2011)

A general preservation assessment of the Archives and Special Collections (ASC) unit that will identify short, medium, and long-term preservation priorities. ASC holds rare books, literary manuscripts, documents, and artifacts that relate to Amherst College and its history.

Archives & Special Collections (ASC) of the Frost Library of Amherst College seeks a $5,275 Preservation Assistance Grant from the NEH. Funding will be used to undertake a general preservation assessment of the collections by a consultant from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). As a small facility without any professional conservators on staff, the Frost Library of Amherst College requires the experience and expertise of outside professionals to ensure the longevity of the materials in our care. Intellectual control and access to materials in ASC is very good. As our staff continues to improve access for scholars, students, and the public, the resulting increase in use makes the physical care and preservation of these materials an urgent priority. A conservation expert from NEDCC will be brought to the Amherst College campus in western Massachusetts to evaluate the state of the collections. She will produce a report that will serve as the basis for planning future pres