Projects for Image Preservation and Sharing
> Projects for Community Historical
Societies
Historical Society Collection Planning
For a community historical society to make a maximum impact with limited volunteer and funding resources, it is often useful to clearly identify collection goals and objectives. With a relatively clear consensus about what images are most important to the society's mission, it becomes easier to prioritize and plan preservation and sharing projects.
Historical societies are often founded around a particular family image and artifact collection or a historical building. As a society grows, more objects are donated or acquired.
Within each overall collection, there are likely a number of subjects and themes that will evolve. Perhaps the themes will include photos and records related to a prominent family, documents surrounding an industry that once thrived in the area, or records concerning the past of a local historical building.
At some point, the society can, and perhaps should, begin to focus their activities around the collection they possess and the collection they would like to build. Some societies have a formal written "Collection(s) Plan", while others operate with an relatively informal understanding of what is important to their purpose. Following are some suggestions about what should be considered in developing a collections plan.
► Is there a particular subject or theme present or desired in the collection(s)?
Is the collection focused around certain people or families, a particular industry, a certain building or section of the community? Identifying these themes and subjects can help guide priorities in organizing, preserving, and sharing the collection. The themes can also guide future acquisition goals, and perhaps help in determining whether a potential donation fits within the overall collection plan.
► What is the overall purpose of the
collection?
Is the collection to preserve knowledge of a particular era in the
community's history? Is it primarily for genealogy research
purposes? Again, answers here can guide future collection and
organizing efforts and priorities.
► Who will be using the information and for
what purpose?
Is the collection predominately for research or public
viewing?
► What activities are currently being
emphasized?
Is the society balanced in its collecting, preserving, and
sharing activities or is it perhaps too heavily oriented toward
particular activities?
► A good collections plan will also include:
□ Member consensus about how answers to the above questions are developed.
□ A clear view of what a collection represents in
themes.
□ A definition of where and how the society wants to grow the collection.
Thoughtful answers to all of the above questions will lead to better decisions about developing image preservation and sharing projects, and help to best allocate scarce volunteer and funding resources.
