[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2011-08-05

[Heritage Info]

In this issue:
1. Commission to Form Collections Preservation Cabinet
2. Yaquina Bay Bridge Memories Sought
3. Storytellers Association Seeks Mentors


COMMISSION TO FORM COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION CABINET

The Oregon Heritage Commission has accepted a request from two dozen
statewide preservation leaders to form an advisory group to plan and
strategize on initiatives to better preserve heritage collections.

The request came through the Connecting to Collections Project, a
collaborative effort by archives, libraries and museum groups in Oregon
funded by a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library
Services. 

A survey of the archives, libraries and museums in Oregon has found
that many have inadequate staffing and funding for preserving historic
document and object collections. Most do not have a disaster
preparedness plan that is current and ready to be activated.

The survey by the Connecting to Collections Project has found that more
than half of the institutions have no paid staff for preservation, and
that 25 percent of heritage institutions have no funds whatsoever
allocated to preservation. In addition, 85 percent of the institutions
do not have a disaster preparedness plan that is current and ready to be
activated.

“Oregonians place great importance on their heritage,” said Jan
Mitchell, chair of the Oregon Heritage Commission. “This advisory
board will focus on ways that organizations can be better prepared to
preserve it even when disasters strike.”

The advisory group will be made up of representatives of professional
organizations such as the Oregon Museums Association, the Oregon Library
Association, and the Northwest Archivists Inc.; agencies such as the
Oregon State Archives, the Oregon State Library, the Oregon Historical
Society, and the State Historic Records Advisory Board; and the
state’s federally recognized tribes.

The collections preservation board’s initial agenda will include
developing a plan for implementing and funding the Connecting to
Collections Project’s strategic recommendations and conducting an
inventory of critical objects and collections in the state.

For more information, contact Kyle Jansson, coordinator of the Oregon
Heritage Commission, at kyle.jansson at state.or.us or 503-986-0673. The
project’s full report is available at
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/OHC/docs/c2c_final.pdf 


YAQUINA BAY BRIDGE MEMORIES SOUGHT

Were you in Lincoln County during the construction of the Yaquina Bay
Bridge? Do you have memories of that era? If so, the Lincoln County
Historical Society, in conjunction with the Committee to Celebrate the
75th Anniversary of Yaquina Bay Bridge, would like to talk to you at 11
a.m. Aug. 11 in the Carriage House next to the Burrows House Museum at
545 SW Ninth, Newport.  John Baker of Northwest Management will
facilitate and Dave Morgan of NewsLincolnCounty will tape the interviews
and edit them for presentation during the anniversary celebration at the
bridge on Oct. 2. The interviews also will become part of the collection
of the Lincoln County Historical Society. For more information, call
541-265-7509.


STORYTELLERS ASSOCIATION SEEKS MENTORS

The Northwest Indian Storytellers Association  is seeking master tribal
storytellers to mentor two emerging tribal storytellers during a
nine-month mentorship period from September 2011 though May 2012. Teams
will be awarded free transportation, lodging, and attendance at both an
October festival and the association's March retreat as well as an
honorarium. The application deadline is Sept. 15. To apply or for more
information about the mentorship opportunity, visit
www.wisdomoftheelders.org or contact Fox Blackhorn-Delph at (503)
775-4014 or by e-mail at fox at wisdomoftheelders.org .
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