[Genealib] Deterioration of Vital Records--From Raliegh News andObserver

[Sellers, Charlotte]

Kevin and all,
 
Deteriorating and threatened local records seem to be a widespread
problem. I've approached county commissioners here several times about
starting an archive to protect the records as well as make them
available in an organized manner to those who use them. Finally this
fall they asked me to investigate possible funding for such a project.
Right! I'm sure they don't expect me to return but I'm sure gonna try!
 
The county attorney and a reporter at the meeting volunteered for the
committee along with representatives from the county genealogical and
historical societies and an individual who does a lot of local research
and is familiar with record locations. The schools declined
representation. We're just getting started but ... what to do? 
 
I've invited our local Leadership Jackson County organization to form a
team to measure the records literally and perhaps to inventory what
records are there. We need to have an idea of what's essential for
genealogical and historical purposes in addition to those mandated by
the state for preservation -- and an idea of those that are not
essential. We also must speed up talks among groups with interest in the
records to see what cooperation can be developed.
 
Some records have been rescued from a dumpster, some have been removed
by well-meaning individuals wanting to "protect" them from ... uh,
theft. Some of those turned up in a barn loft in the county. Those
asking to use the records are pretty much left to themselves and can
easily leave by a door in the courthouse basement. Even after courthouse
remodeling a couple of years ago, no real accommodation was made for the
records. Some have been stored in an unprotected house across the
street, scattered among voting machines. Some have been turned over to
the county historical society which stores them in an unheated building.
Slowly they are slipping away ...
 
Archives at the state level are in many cases not much better off, I'm
thinking.
 
Have any states or localities come up with reasonable solutions for
conserving the records while making them available? What good ideas have
you come across in places you have researched? I know Berks County,
Pennsylvania, makes copies of some of its county records available
online for a quite reasonable fee but I have no idea whether the program
pays for itself. Some places here in Indiana also have attempted record
preservation for either a single office or a single set of records but
I'd like to know more.... 
 
Charlotte Sellers
Jackson County Historian
 
Local History Specialist
Jackson  County Public Library
303 West 2nd Street
Seymour IN  47274
Voice 812.522.3412 ext 240
email csellers at myjclibrary.org
 

________________________________

From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Cherry,
Kevin
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 2:44 PM
To: Librarians Serving Genealogists; genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] Deterioration of Vital Records--From Raliegh News
andObserver


I thought that list members might find this article interesting.
 
 
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/durham/durham/story/811899.html
 
Kevin Cherry
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