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When it was established at the end of the 19th century, the Oneida County History Center (OCHC) in Utica served, in part, to bring the outside world to Oneida County residents. Today, it is the residents who are sharing their stories with OCHC to ensure the community’s story can be told to the world and future generations. This work is a part of the History Center’s project Quarantined in the Time of Corona: Oneida County Experiences during COVID-19.

“History,” according to Rebecca McLain, Director of Education & Outreach…

We're excited to announce a new webinar in our Common Collection Conditions series! Join us on Monday, June 22 at 1:00 PM for Assessing the Condition of Your Collection's Housing, presented by Benjamin Iluzada, Housing Technician at CCAHA.

Common Collection Conditions: Assessing the Condition of Your Collection's Housing
Presenter: Benjamin Iluzada, Housing Technician, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts
Date…

Next week, DHPSNY will be conducting three more regional Conversations on Local History live online! Join us on Monday, June 8 at 1:00 PM for our Long Island Conversation or on Tuesday, June 9 for one of our two NYC sessions (see below for details).

Each online meeting will be approximately 90 minutes and will explore the meanings of “local history,” who is included in or missing from that history, and what resources are…

In light of recent events, DHPSNY will host our remaining Conservations on Local History live online! So far, we have held three virtual conversations that have provided us with valuable insight from individuals across the State. We look forward to continuing these discussions live online next month, starting with the Southern Tier on Monday, June 1.

We are also excited to announce that our Hudson Valley session will take place on Wednesday, June 17 from 2:00 - 3:30 PM! See…

We're excited to announce the new class of Planning & Assessment Services sites from our latest application round! From a competitive pool of applicants, our advisory committee and field reviewers selected 18 organizations to receive free Archival Needs Assessments, Preservation Surveys, and Strategic Planning assistance.

With many organizations closed to the public at this time, the DHPSNY team has been developing alternative ways to provide our services, including virtual site visits. We look forward to start working with our incoming class in coming…

When the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic became apparent this past March, the Farmingdale Public Library in Nassau County rapidly adjusted its programs, services, and initiatives to the changing needs of its community. Recognizing the historical significance of the moment, the Library’s Local History Department responded by involving the community in several projects to ensure the COVID-19 experience of 2020 is not one that is forgotten by future generations. 

For the latest chat in our ongoing Q&A series, we talked with …

In DHPSNY’s most recent live webinar presentation, Heather Hendry, CCAHA Senior Paper Conservator, discussed one of the most inescapable agents of deterioration—light—and how institutions can manage light exposure in their collections to prevent cumulative, irreversible damage.

Her in-depth presentation covered how to identify light sources commonly found in collections, how to measure and understand light values, current standards for light exposure, and preventive measures to avoid unnecessary…

In the most important stage of the Statewide Documentation Planning project, we’ve invited the historical records community to engage with us in conversations on local history in order to identify under-documented topics and peoples in New York State history. So far, we’ve held three virtual conversations that have provided us with invaluable insight from individuals in the Capital District, Western NY, and Northern NY. Before we pick back up with live sessions in early June, we’re moving the conversation online to the DHPSNY Community Facebook group!

Starting this Monday,…

The DHPSNY Mentorship Program establishes mentorship circles to serve individuals currently caring for historical records and unique library research collections or pursing an MLIS degree in the state of New York. In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, DHPSNY is working to create a space for individuals to meet virtually in small groups based on current needs and interests. 

These cohorts are open to individuals at all points in their career, including students, new and emerging professionals, established practitioners,…

In the second presentation of our “Common Collection Conditions” series, Assessing the Condition of Your Book Collections, presenter Amber Hares, Book Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, discussed how to identify common condition problems found in book collections and how to prioritize collection items based on the urgency of conservation needs. To aid participants' understanding of the factors that affect the long-term preservation, her presentation included overviews of book anatomy, materials, and book-making processes…