Why should you attend the SHRAB workshop on Apr. 29th?

IMNSHO, you should sign up for the SHRAB “Disaster Recovery” workshop because:

• You’ll learn new skills
• It’ll make you a better steward of your cultural heritage collection
• If we get hit by a hurricane, each of our constituent organizations is likely going to be so busy taking care of our own damage that we won’t be able to help each other
• It’s ever so cheap ($10 — and that includes lunch!)
• It’s being held nearby (at Bluffton Branch Library)
• It’s required — if you want to win a SC SHRAB grant

Beaufort County Library has won two SHRAB grants: an $800 grant in 2004 to process and arrange the Ciehanski Papers, a modern political collection,  and the Byrne Miller Papers, a dance related collection as well as a $9800 award (2007) to begin preparing the contents of the Lucille Hasell Culp Collection for use by the public.  Total thus far: $10,600 that I did not have to beg Beaufort County government to provide to my part of the Library.  $10,600 doesn’t seem like a whole lot to some of you but to an operation like I run, it has made a tremendous difference.  –grace

ACTION ALERT: Partnership for the American Historical Record (PAHR)

South Carolina US House of Representatives Co-Sponsors Needed by March 20, 2009.   – State Archivist, Roy Tryon

The effort continues to secure ongoing federal funding for historical records projects and activities through a formula-based program for the states. For South Carolina, this would mean up to nearly $700,000 per year. 2009 may be the year that PAHR passes. A great deal of background information on PAHR, including a copy of the bill, is available at: http://www.archivists.org/pahr/.  

What Can You Do? Contact your US House Representative by March 20 and urge him to join as co-sponsor for a bill that would provide regular funding for South Carolina projects to preserve and make accessible historical records. In contacting members of the South Carolina delegation, please be sure to point out that regular funding is needed to ensure a future for South Carolina’s documentary heritage. Securing numerous co-sponsors is critical to passage of PAHR.

Here is a link to contact information for Joe Wilson who represents Beaufort County as part of the  SC 2nd Congressional District.  –gmc

South Carolina  Background: Federal funding for historical records projects has been made available to South Carolina periodically over more than twenty years, and has assisted many useful projects. Most has come from the funding arm of the National Archives, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and has been distributed on a competitive basis through the SC State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Here are links to some important information that you might find useful:  Beaufort County Library has won 2 SC SHRAB grants, including Phase I of the Lucille Hasell Culp Collection, a mid-20th century photographic negative collection.   You can read about some other projects around our state at NHPRC/SC SHRAB Grants, arranged by county http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/grants/Map-CountyLinks.htm

NHPRC/SC SHRAB Grants, arranged by congressional district http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/grants/Districts-Map.htm

The Potential Impact of PAHR on South Carolina http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/pahr.htm

For further information, contact: Roy H. Tryon, Chairman SC State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Word is Getting Out. Sign up for 4/29th “Disaster Workshop.”

PALMCOP tells it membership about the upcoming “Disaster Recovery” workshops:  one of which the Beaufort County Library is hosting at our Bluffton Branch Library on April 29th.  You may recall that you were the first to know — on 1/27th — via this blog.  

All details and registration information can be found at the SC SHRAB website:

http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/shrab/2009regrant/2009regrantWorkshops.htm

I encourage all to send a representative from their organization to participate.