Environmental Monitoring Equipment and Supplies for Brookside Museum

FAIN: PG-50979-10

Saratoga County Historical Society (Ballston Spa, NY 12020)
Kathleen Coleman (Project Director: May 2009 to October 2011)

Funding will support the purchase of a vacuum cleaner and environmental monitoring equipment (dataloggers and thermohygrometers) to gauge the humidity in a historic building housing books, photographs, textiles, and other objects related to the history of Saratoga County.

The Saratoga County Historical Society collects material and information that contributes to the understanding of Saratoga County history. The collection is an important and valuable resource for education of the public about history and material culture and contains 1,804 books, 5,622 archival documents, 10,195 photographs and 4,350 historic artifacts. According to a recent consultant, immediate dangers to the preservation of collections are moisture, light and pollutants. A recent CAP consultant suggested that SCHS address the environmental dangers by purchasing equipment to monitor humidity in collection and exhibit areas. The consultant also suggested the purchase of a museum quality vacuum to remove pollutants from collection pieces. Data collected from the environmental monitoring equipment will be used to detect problems with a newly installed HVAC system.