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Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services

www.dhpsny.org

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Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York

Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY) is a statewide program of the New York State Archives and New York State Library established to provide free planning and education services to support the vast network of collecting institutions such as archives, libraries, historical societies, museums, and other institutions that safeguard and ensure access to New York's historical records and unique library research materials.

Education/Training

DHPSNY offers a variety of educational programs and services to qualifying New York institutions. Presented free of charge throughout the state, DHPSNY’s programs address the needs of professionals and volunteers responsible for the stewardship of library and archival research collections. DHPSNY’s workshops and webinars discuss emerging issues and best practices related to collections care and archival management.

  • Workshops: DHPSNY’s workshops promote interactive learning, networking, and collaboration. Presented throughout the state, workshops emphasize hands-on learning exercises and provide supplemental resources.
  • Webinars: DHPSNY’s webinar series is a great alternative to face-to-face workshops. Webinar topics are more narrowly focused, with more opportunities for questions and responses. Webinars are recorded, archived, and made available for download from DHPSNY’s Resources page.
  • Technical assistance: DHPSNY provides free one-on-one technical and reference assistance to New York’s collecting institutions. Staff is available for questions regarding collections management, conservation treatment and rehousing, collection storage and handling, disaster preparedness and response, environmental management, digital imaging, and fundraising. call (215) 545-0613, or e-mail info@dhpsny.org
  • Mentorship Program: Designed to educate as well as build relationships among collecting institutions in the state, matching experienced professionals with those seeking guidance.

Planning & Assessment Services

DHPSNY currently offers Planning & Assessment Services in four major areas. These services are designed to support New York organizations in improving and advancing program efforts while forming strategies for future growth and development. Services are awarded via an application process.

  • Archival Needs Assessments: will thoroughly examine your archival program, identifying and addressing specific organizational needs. The assessment, conducted by an experienced archivist will pinpoint problems, recommend solutions, set priorities, and guide the development of your archival program.
  • Preservation Surveys: focus on preventive care and mitigating deterioration and damage by analyzing policies, practices, and conditions in an institution and their impact on collections. A Preservation Survey is a valuable tool in fundraising for collections care and often a prerequisite for grants and other funding opportunities.
  • Condition Surveys: a valuable tool for institutions that have previously undergone a Preservation Survey and are now interested in evaluating the conditions of collection materials on a more granular level. During the survey process, a conservator will gather data on-site on a collection the institution has identified for the survey. This includes the condition of materials, the suitability of current housing and storage, and the conservation treatment needs of the collection.
  • Strategic Planning Assistance: A curriculum assisting small and medium-sized institutions, developed with the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON). The product of strategic planning is a document that establishes a common vision, an outline of strategic goals and objectives, recommendations for the effective allocation of resources, and an organizational structure that will support the work of implementation.

More information on all of the programs above can be found on DHPSNY’s website.external link icon

Other features found on DHPSNY’s website:

  • Directory: a searchable database of nearly 4,500 libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other organizations located throughout New York State.
  • DHPSNY Blog
  • Online Resources

Fact sheet (with information on NYCRAFR and DHPSNY) [pdf icon .PDF only; 168k]

Webinars from Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY) external link opens in a new window

Last Updated: September 17, 2021 -- asm; for questions or comments contact Barbara Lilley