[Genealib] Working with the local community & government to make sure things are not thrown away

[Trevia W Beverly]

Leslie,  I'm trying to tie down loose ends for the Angelina College
Genealogy Conference so my answer is going to really be  brief --- although
I'm on the Mayor's Task Force on Houston History.

You say you are not necessarily trying to build a collection - but wanting
to encourage others not the throw things away ... and it has been suggested
that you contact local photography studios and high schools for yearbooks.

First, you have to either develop a specific collection or find someone who
will.  No point in collecting if you do not have a specific place for what
comes in.  And there are probably a number of areas where historical items
could be placed - should be placed.  Not 'everything' should go just
anywhere.

I can only speak to the Harris County area.  But for example, we have three
specific areas of special collections under the Houston Public Library
system  http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/index.html  and you can access the
following from the main site or go direct  --- Clayton Library for
Genealogical Research -
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/clayton/  Texas & Local History at
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/research/txr.html and our HMRC - Houston
Metropolitan Research Center (archives)
http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/research/hmrc.html

While we do encourage companies, societies, individuals, etc. to not throw
their things away, each must fit into a category and be accepted by the
specific entity.  In addition we have museums and other entities that take
specific items of their interests.  This keeps like items together.
Probably you need first to find out what your library system's policy is and
what they will accept - then do a survey of what else you have in Denton in
the way of museums and other specialties ...
   Here in Houston we seem to sometimes have an over-abundance .. Greater
Houston Preservation Alliance, Harris County Heritage Society, Harris County
Historical Commission, the Buffalo Soldiers Museum, etc......
and of course, our universities are interested in certain materials
...women's studies or whatever.
   So again, a good survey of what is being saved already, the specific
entities and their specific requirements. Compile that and then go to your
city council.  Here, Mayor Bill White is very interested in Houston history
and has a Cultural Task Force and a Houston History Task Force.  We've
working on inventories of our assets right now with reports due shortly.  We
are also including statuary, and an inventory of conditions of our oldest ,
pre-perpetual-care cemeteries among other things.
  You mention photographic studios.  You can't save everything ... what you
probably need to look for is a studio that specializes in historic
photography.  We had the Bob Bailey Studios here in Houston ... he really
chronicled the history of the city.  His collection upon death left Houston
but stayed in Texas at UT Austin.
However, we have excellent photographic collections at the HMRC and also at
the University of Houston --  anyone with historical photographs would be
able to go to either place and inquire if their photographs were wanted.
   My suggestion is to get with the best historical society in town and work
out a partnership to survey the town with the idea of seeking out historical
photographs, documents, etc. and matching them up with an appropriate
repository.  Some guidelines will have to be put into place such as time
period to cover, size, condition of the material, etc. each repository would
have to determine those things.
   Not an easy or quick task - but one that would be so worthwhile.  Good
luck!

Trevia Wooster Beverly
Houston, Texas
Angelina College Genealogy Conference, Lufkin, Texas. July 20-22:
http://www.angelina.edu/genealogy.htm



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Leslie Couture" <Leslie.Couture at cityofdenton.com>
To: <genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 3:07 PM
Subject: [Genealib] Working with the local community & government to make
sure things are not thrown away


Has anyone worked with - had any experience in - communicating with the
public and local government to develop policies to preserve records for
historical purposes?

I am not necessarily trying to build a collection, but am wanting to
encourage other not to throw things away.

It has been suggested that we contact local photography studios and the high
schools (for yearbooks).

Does anyone else have other suggestions?  Or a way to go about this?

Leslie
Emily Fowler Public Library
Genealogy/Special Collections
Denton, TX

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