Blog

 Each September, National Preparedness Month reminds us of the importance of being proactive about emergencies, not just in our homes, but also in our institutions. For libraries, archives, museums, and historical societies, preparation is more than fire drills or flood kits. It’s about preserving our collections, the very core of our missions, before a crisis occurs. 

This year, we invite you to turn that intention into action by enrolling in our upcoming online course, Planning for Preservation: Creating a Long-Range Preservation Plan…

Each year, DHPSNY Dialogues bring cultural heritage professionals together to engage in meaningful discussions about the challenges and opportunities shaping our field. In 2025, our series focuses on Collections for the Future of New York, asking: What can we, as practitioners—both paid and volunteer—do to build and steward collections for the communities of tomorrow? 

At our July 15 program, Climate Resilience & Sustainability: Collections Care for the Future…

In our most recent webinar, CCAHA Digital Archives Specialist Kaitlyn Pettingill walked participants through the key steps of planning a successful digitization project. Covering how to define a clear project scope and goals, set realistic priorities, and advocate for resources; this webinar provides the tools and best practices needed to ensure your digitization initiative is successful.

Click here to view the recording.
Click here to download…

Light is essential for access, research, and display, but also a leading agent of irreversible damage for cultural heritage materials. Cumulative exposure from visible light causes chemical deterioration, fading, and embrittlement, especially for organic and color‑sensitive materials. For these reasons, measuring and monitoring light precisely, using a light meter and UV meter, is central to preservation and preventive conservation planning.   

This blog post explores…

Whether you're writing a preservation plan, reviewing a conservation treatment proposal, or attending a training workshop, you’ve probably encountered unfamiliar or highly specialized terminology. That’s why we’re excited to share a new resource from the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA): a free, searchable Preservation Glossary featuring nearly 400 simplified, image-rich terms related to collections care, conservation, and preservation. 

Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the glossary was designed to…

Welcome to Behind the Lens, where we invite you to peer inside the inner workings of DHPSNY Planning & Assessment services to gain a deeper understanding of the assessment process and outcomes. You’ll also hear first-hand accounts from participating sites, offering their personal experiences and perspectives. Explore more of the series in our last post, which highlighted Foundational Planning Assistance, a great first step in setting a framework for successful collections care.

In this…

Applications for DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services are open, with the next submission deadline on Friday, July 11, 2025. Offered free of cost to collecting organizations in New York State, these services connect accepted sites with our specialists to evaluate preservation practices, provide customized recommendations, and develop actionable plans tailored to each organization’s specific needs. Final reports can be utilized to obtain funding, increase the accessibility and use of your collections, and more. 

We are accepting applications for…

DHPSNY Dialogue | Collections for the Future of New York
Getting Started with Participatory and Community Archiving (May 8) 

By co-facilitator Marie Lascu, Dialogue Community Archiving Workshop (CAW) Collective Member

The guiding question of the 2025 DHPSNY Dialogue series is “What can we as practitioners in the field - both paid and volunteer - do to build and steward collections for the communities of tomorrow?” In sharing an overview of our projects centered around participatory and community archiving -…

DHPSNY is pleased to announce that our independent field reviewers have selected 11 organizations to receive free Planning & Assessment Services. We commend the following organizations for their dedication to enhancing their preservation programs and practices and look forward to beginning site visits in the coming weeks. 

Read the full press release.

Archival Needs Assessments

Ballston Spa Public Library (…

Join archivists, local historians, records managers, and archives enthusiasts for the 2025 New York Archives Conference, taking place on Friday, June 13 — live online! This year’s program features a full day of sessions on timely topics, including “Integrating Audiovisual Collections into Digital Archives from the Ground Up” and “Participatory Archive Ethics Development.”

NYAC Watch Parties Are Back!

 Looking to connect with colleagues in person? This year, nine institutions across New York…