Preserving and Enhancing Access for the Historic Documents of New Paltz, New York
FAIN: PW-259115-18
Huguenot Historical Society of New Paltz New York Inc. (New Paltz, NY 12561-1415)
Josephine Bloodgood (Project Director: July 2017 to March 2021)
A collaborative planning and pilot project to
assess and selectively digitize archival records held at four cultural heritage
institutions in New Paltz, New York, pertaining to the history and culture of
the Mid-Hudson Valley region during the 17th-19th
centuries, including the experiences of Native American, African American, and
Dutch Reformed communities.
Historic Huguenot Street seeks planning support for the preservation and digitization of selections from its own archival collections, as well as portions from the Town of New Paltz, the Dutch Reformed Church of New Paltz, and the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at the Elting Memorial Library. The proposed planning phase consists of three main steps: 1) review by scholars to evaluate and prioritize collections for digitization based on humanities value and relative uniqueness of the materials; 2) a condition survey of archives by professional conservators; and 3) development of a digitization plan and written procedures to ensure safe handling of documents during the process. The ultimate goal of the project is to provide essential documents to inform and guide a multi-year implementation project to extend the life of these nationally-significant collections, while making their intellectual content more accessible through digitization.