Preservation Assessment and the Purchase of Monitoring Equipment to Preserve College Archives

FAIN: PG-51657-12

Austin College (Sherman, TX 75090-4440)
Justin Banks (Project Director: May 2011 to August 2013)

A preservation assessment and the purchase of environmental monitoring equipment and rehousing supplies for an archival collection of college records, manuscripts, photographs, audiovisual materials, and artifacts that document the history of northern Texas and southern Oklahoma. The papers of Stephen Samuel Perry (a nephew of Stephen F. Austin) have supported scholarly publications, and photographs from the collection have been used in documentaries.

Abell Library is the only repository for numerous records and documents which chronicle the history of several counties in North Texas and Oklahoma, including records of interest to Native American tribes. Without preservation and storage at the Abell Library, this history might otherwise vanish. Grant funding would support a much needed site survey that will lay the groundwork for improving immediate preservation efforts and strategic preservation planning for the future. Without grant funding, this assessment will not be possible. The library's budget has been cut in half since last fiscal year as part of College-wide efforts to achieve a balanced budget. This project could result in stabilization and preservation of irreplaceable archives and collections, assist library staff in making wise decisions within limited budget allocations, and provide a solid stepping stone toward publicizing of and creating greater accessibility to Abell Library’s Archival and Special Collections.