Program

Preservation and Access: Preservation Assistance Grants

Period of Performance

1/1/2011 - 6/30/2012

Funding Totals

$6,000.00 (approved)
$6,000.00 (awarded)


Preservation Assessment of Historic Saranac Lake Collections

FAIN: PG-51459-11

Historic Saranac Lake (Saranac Lake, NY 12983-1833)
Amy Bachman Catania (Project Director: May 2010 to August 2012)

The hiring of a consultant to conduct a general preservation assessment and the purchase of preservation supplies to house the museum's collection of letters, manuscripts, photographs, and artifacts documenting early scientific research on tuberculosis. Among the collection's holdings are nurses' uniforms, correspondence, oral histories, and microscopes and other medical equipment dating from the late 19th and early 20th century.

Historic Saranac Lake houses a collection of letters and manuscripts, photographs and objects pertaining to the early scientific research of tuberculosis and care of TB patients in Saranac Lake and the history and architecture of our village. Historic Saranac Lake seeks a professional consultant's services for a general preservation assessment and to help draft a long-range plan for the care of our collection. We also seek support for needed preservation supplies, as recommended by the consultant. The consultant will assess policies, practices, and conditions affecting the care and preservation of the collection and prepare a report that summarizes the findings and contains prioritized recommendations for future preservation action. The consultant will also provide on site training to staff in methods and materials for the storage of collections, best practices for cataloging collections, and proper methods for the arrangement and description of archival collections.