Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York is a collaboration between two long-running New York programs dedicated to service and support for archival and library research collections throughout the State: the New York State Archives Documentary Heritage Program and the New York State Library Conservation/Preservation Program. DHPSNY is supported by the New York State Archives, New York State Library, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, and New York State Education Department.
New York State Archives (NYSA)
The New York State Archives (NYSA) leads efforts, on behalf of all New Yorkers, to manage, preserve, ensure open access to, and promote the wide use of records that support information needs and document the history, governments, events and peoples of New York State. NYSA strives for comprehensive, equitable, and accessible documentation of our present, past and future through innovative partnerships and state-of-the-art approaches. The Documentary Heritage Program (DHP) is a statewide program established by law to provide financial support and guidance to not-for-profit organizations that hold, collect and make available New York's historical records. DHP documentation grants support projects to identify and collect the records of traditionally under-represented topics and communities. DHP Arrangement & Description grants support the creation of tools to ensure access to historical records.
New York State Library (NYSL)
The New York State Library serves three major constituencies: The Research Library, which was established in 1818, collects, preserves and makes available materials that support State government work. The Library's collections, now numbering over 20 million items, may also be used by other researchers on-site, online and via interlibrary loan. The Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) lends braille and audio books and magazines, and special playback equipment to residents of the 55 upstate counties of New York State who are unable to read printed materials because of a visual or physical disability. The Division of Library Development works in partnership with 73 library systems to bring library services to the millions of people who use New York's academic, public, school and special libraries. Library Development also administers State and Federal grant programs that provide aid for library services. The New York State Library’s Conservation/Preservation Program provides state funding for libraries, archives, museums and other organizations engaged in efforts to preserve deteriorating library research materials. The program is designed to encourage the proper care and accessibility of research materials in the State, to promote the use and development of guidelines and standards for conservation/preservation work, and to support the growth of local and cooperative preservation programs. It provides modest financial support for projects that contribute to the preservation of significant research materials in libraries, archives, historical societies and other agencies within the State of New York, whether by conducting surveys, improving collection storage environments, reformatting or treating collections, or other preservation activities. The grants are for one year and the maximum award amount is $40,000.
Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA)
The Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) is a nonprofit conservation facility specializing in the treatment of works on paper, photographs, and books. Founded in 1977, CCAHA has grown to be one of the largest conservation centers in the country, serving nonprofit cultural institutions, private individuals, and collecting organizations. With conservators trained in paper, photograph, and book conservation, CCAHA treats every kind of paper object, including drawings, prints, maps, posters, historic wallpaper, photographs, rare books, scrapbooks, and manuscripts, as well as related materials like parchment and papyrus. CCAHA’s state-of-the-art digital imaging lab creates facsimiles and digital images that provide access to fragile objects. The housing and framing technicians at CCAHA create custom frames and storage housing, from museum-ready frames to archival folders and boxes. CCAHA’s Preservation Services Office has coordinated CCAHA's consulting and educational outreach for over 30 years. Preservation Services staff members help institutions assess and safeguard their collections through needs and risk assessments, collections surveys, and preservation and disaster planning. They also organize CCAHA’s educational program roster, presenting workshops and national conferences on topics relating to collections care and preservation planning. CCAHA has a long tradition of training the next generation of conservators through grant-funded postgraduate conservation fellowships. In 2016, CCAHA also began piloting a new model of fellowship in preventive conservation. CCAHA offers fundraising support and grant writing assistance to institutions looking to fund conservation treatment.
New York State Education Department (NYSED)
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is part of the University of the State of New York, one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States. Its mission is to raise the knowledge, skill, and opportunity of all the people in New York, and its vision is to provide leadership for a system that yields the best educated people in the world. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) also oversees the State’s cultural institutions such as museums and libraries. The Office of Cultural Education (OCE) is a branch of NYSED that operates three major cultural institutions with stewardship responsibilities for collections: the New York State Archives, the New York State Library, and the New York State Museum. All three collection-holding institutions, which are housed in the Cultural Education Center, ensure that valuable information, knowledge, and collections under their care are preserved and made available for current and future generations.