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A subject heading is a word or group of words used to describe a topic or concept. Since 1898, the Library of Congress has maintained the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), a thesaurus for use in bibliographic records, to catalog materials in its holdings. The LCSH is used by most libraries and archives throughout the United States. Each institution uses the same subject headings so individuals looking through various online catalogs do not have to search multiple name variations of the same subject to find resources…

In DHPSNY’s most recent live webinar presentation, Lauren Lyons, Chartering Coordinator, New York State Museum, discussed the differences between consolidating and merging a museum charter in New York State, what these application processes look like, and what the best options are for different circumstances. In order to combine resources or services, museums or historical societies might decide to merge or consolidate their charters. Or, due to various causes, an institution may decide to dissolve their charter altogether. Merging, consolidating, and dissolving…

We're excited to announce a new Planning & Assessment Services class from our first application round of 2021! We look forward to beginning virtual site visits for the following institutions in the coming weeks.

Click here to read the full press release.

Archival Needs Assessments 
Desmond-Fish Public Library –…

As we head into our Summer 2021 Planning and Assessment Services Application Round and prepare for a new class of awardees, we decided to step back and reach out to some of our 2020 sites to learn more about their virtual assessment experience and its impact on their institutions.

In response, Christine Gibbons, Board member and the Communications Chair of the Orchard Park Historical Society, a 2020 DHPSNY virtual Archival Needs Assessment…

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month we are pleased to feature projects that focus on recording the history of Asian Americans in New York State and Nationwide. This week, we offer our first guest posting from Amita Manghnani and Laura Chen-Schultz of the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University. 

Established in 2008, the Asian/Pacific/American Archives Survey Project was the first systematic attempt to map…

Applications are open for DHPSNY's free Planning & Assessment Services, and the next submission deadline is Friday, July 16, 2021. If you have been thinking about applying, now is a great time to start! We are currently accepting applications for all four of our services:

• Archival Needs Assessments: an excellent way to examine your archival program holistically through an external lens.
• Preservation Surveys: a general evaluation of your institution's preservation needs, pinpointing areas…

The winter months are officially behind us, and SPRING has sprung. In order to make sure you have access to valuable information, helpful resources, and opportunities to develop and grow, DHPSNY is excited to provide new Online Courses—free of cost to NY institutions. A great alternative to DHPSNY’s face-to-face workshops, our hope is that you find these courses a convenient and engaging way to learn and expand your knowledge as we transition to the post-COVID-19 era. 

Our first online course, Archives 101, is a 4…

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month we are pleased to feature projects that focus on recording the history of Asian Americans in New York State and Nationwide.

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) was founded in 1980 to celebrate the 200-year history of American communities of Chinese descent by telling complex and often untold stories about that history, addressing the current social and political experiences of those communities, and providing visitors with a more nuanced…

The DHPSNY team is continually evaluating our services to ensure we are meeting the needs of collecting institutions across New York State. We have developed this short survey for you to share your thoughts, concerns, and emerging needs with us directly. Your responses will help inform the delivery and development of our programs and services moving forward! These responses will help inform the delivery and development of our programs and services moving forward! The survey should take about five minutes to complete. Please direct any questions about this survey to …

In celebration of Preservation Week, we caught up with Alison Haas, director of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum in Lake Placid, NY.  Lake Placid is one of only three communities in the world to have hosted a Winter Olympics twice, and the Museum is one of the only Olympic museums in the United States. In 2017, the Museum was awarded a DHPSNY Preservation Survey. 

Now, with a revitalization of the Museum in effect this spring, we chatted with Alison about the impact of DHPSNY’s survey…