Happy New Year from DHPSNY!

Hello, 2018! It's chilly this week at DHPSNY HQ—not quite as bad as conditions in this photo, but close. Despite the low temperatures, our spirits couldn't be higher as we look ahead to all that we have in store. We ended 2017 having awarded free Planning & Assessment Services to nearly 50 collecting institutions in New York State and with more than 1,000 attendees of DHPSNY's free education programs. We look forward to connecting with even more of you in the coming year.

Just before the holidays last month, we announced our first Planning & Assessment Services round of 2018. Applications are available to download right now from each of our Planning & Assessment pages, where you will also find helpful information to guide you through the application process, including sample applications and answers to frequently asked questions. DHPSNY offers free services in four categories: archival needs assessments, preservation surveys, condition surveys, and strategic planning assistance. The deadline to apply for the spring 2018 round is Friday, March 16th. 

Once again, this year we'll have a full schedule of workshops on a handful of new topics. Exact dates and locations will be annouced soon, and the best way to stay updated is to join our email list. In the spring, we'll visit five new locations for Red Flag! Identifying Preservation Needs While Processing Collections. These seesions will focus on developing a system for identifying and prioritizing the collections care needs of items during the accessioning, processing, and cataloging phases. In early summer 2018, Barbara Lemmen, Senior Photograph Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, will visit five locations to present Identification and Preservation of Photographic Collections. This workshop will examine suitable housing supplies and explore proper storage, handling, and labeling techniques. We'll wrap-up in the fall with five presentations of Mold: Prevention, Detection, Recovery, where attendees will learn best practices for cleaning moldy books and papers, as well as identifying when it’s necessary to call a conservator or a professional mold remediation company.

There are currently four webinars scheduled for January and February, and more will be announced throughout the year. You can register now for our next webinar, Preservation in Exhibits, on Thursday, January 11th, at 10:00 AM. DHPSNY Archives Specialist Amelia Parks will discuss strategies for planning and installing exhibits of archival collections using preservation quality materials and following best practices for preservation strategies.

In February, the first cycle of our Mentorship Program will draw to a close, and a new application period will be announced in early 2018. Continue to watch our Mentorship page for updates. In the coming days, we also plan to unveil a helpful new tool on the DHPSNY website that we hope will aid communcation and collaboration among the employees and volunteers of the State's collecting institutions.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped make the past year-and-a-half such a success. We look forward to seeing more of you in the New Year!

Photo: N.Y. Catskill Mts. Kaaterskill Falls. Winter; New York State Archives