The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded a $5,000 Preservation Assistance Grant to the N.H. State Library. The funds will be used to engage a consultant from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) to survey both the building and collection it houses, with a portion of the funding used to provide preservation training.

According to Michael York, State Librarian, "This grant represents an important first step in establishing a preservation plan to deal with items we have identified as historically and culturally significant. I appreciate the hard work of grant writers Janet Eklund and David Sturges, and preservation committee members Donna Gilbreth, John McCormick, Katie McDonough, Zelda Moore, Eleanor O'Donnell, Mary Russell, and Sarah Wiegard."

Approximately 14% of the library's paper-based holdings were printed before 1900. Older holdings include 7,800 titles printed before 1850, 48 published before 1700, and two pre-1500 books. The N.H. State Library is the oldest of its kind in the nation, with a construction date of 1895. The Conservation Center will assess the collection and offer information in terms of preservation prioritization and techniques.

Another facet of the grant is a provision to train staff in preservation assessment and techniques, thereby allowing for future self-reliance. In addition to onsite workshops for library staff, NEDCC will provide training for preservation committee members regarding preservation fundamentals and technology, collection maintenance, emergency preparedness, and program administration.

The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency created in 1965. The Endowment's mission is to enrich American cultural life by promoting knowledge of human history, thought and culture throughout the nation. The Endowment accomplishes that mission by providing grants for high-quality humanities projects in four funding area: preserving and providing access to cultural resources, education, research, and public programs.