Renewed Efforts to Preserve Mendocino County’s History The prime purpose of digital preservation is to preserve documents of enduring historical value and make them available to present and future generations. Many libraries and historical societies are implementing projects to convert their records into electronic format. However, the costs of such projects can be very high as it would be necessary to hire staff with expertise in preservation process and knowledge in the use of the advanced preservation methods and technologies which is necessary to ensure the accessibility and usability of digital information.
The Mendocino County Historical Society is a vast repository of the Mendocino County, California. According to a recent report, the Society is now seeking to expand storage space for its precious historical documents and artifacts. It is seeking funds to construct a new 3,500-square-foot archival and research library building. The estimated cost of the new building is $500,000 to $600,000 and the society has already spent about $75,000 on plans and permits.
Expanding Collection Drives Need for Better Preservation The Held-Poage Memorial Home and Research Library, maintained by Mendocino County Historical Society contains a comprehensive collection of historical and genealogical materials relating to the county. Presently, the collections are stored in a gracious 108-year-old mansion that once belonged to Judge Held who once served as mayor of Ukiah. The building was donated to the Historical Society in 1969 and now houses valuable and fascinating historical documents and artifacts, which include complete sets of most of the county's newspapers, Pomo Indian baskets, original maps, real estate deeds and blueprints, high school yearbooks, and jail and
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census records dating back to 1873. It also has 13,500 historical photographic negatives, microfilms, documents, maps scrapbooks, great registers, genealogies, poetry collections, and 4,500 books on local, state, and national history.
Old paper documents have become fragile, with pages that are cracking and worn out bindings. History is being made every day and shortage of storage space is the main reason why the Society is looking to construct a new building to archive and preserve its expanding document collection. Plans include
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Making the new building fire-safe and temperature-controlled
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Training volunteers in handling the archival work
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Arrangements for document scanning, indexing, and storage with additional back up copies
According to the news report, the Society has digitally scanned about 38,000 photos, and is in the process of cataloguing around 50,000 more. The society is now looking to raise more funds in addition to the donations of money received from the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and from the Community Foundation. Those who donate an amount of $275 are given one square foot of the new archival building for the Held-Poage Home and Library. A donation of $2,450 would cover a full square yard of the room of their choice. In short, a gift can take the form of a purchase of a square foot, a square yard, an entire room, a memorial donation, and so on. Moreover, anyone who joins the Historical Society for $20 a year will be provided with a subscription to the Mendocino Historical Journal. The journal is will provide a peek into one or more aspects of the county's fascinating history and ongoing issues.
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