Sam Houston Center Receives Federal Preservation Grant

Wednesday, July 31, 2013 • Austin, TX • News Release

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) is pleased to announce the award of a National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Preservation Assistance Grant to the agency’s Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty, TX. The grant, which requires no matching local or state funds, will enable an expert consultant to perform the Center’s first general preservation assessment of its archival and artifact collections.

During an on-site visit, the consultant will assess the current condition of the Center’s holdings, including their storage and display, and analyze the policies and procedures used to accept new items, prepare them for public use and preserve them over time. Based on these observations, the consultant will recommend ways in which items can be better protected and made available, in addition to proposing long-term strategies and goals to improve collections management and development.

“The guidance of a professional consultant will help us to develop a long-range preservation plan for the Sam Houston Center and obtain additional grant funding for projects identified as being of potential benefit to the Center’s users,” explained State Archivist Jelain Chubb.

Of 315 applicants nationwide, the Center was one of 71 selected to receive funding. Evaluators found the Center to be an excellent candidate due to the strength and scope of its collections. Located in Liberty, east of Houston, the Center is home to over 12,000 cubic feet of materials documenting Southeast Texas’ past and its contribution to state and national history.

“The Sam Houston Center has been undergoing a period of self-assessment and transition in order to ensure we are doing all that we can to serve the people of Southeast Texas,” said Manager Alana Inman. “This assessment of our preservation and access practices is another essential element in an ongoing effort to develop a superior regional historical repository for our area.”

The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center is a branch of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. It serves as the official regional historical resource depository for the ten counties of Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto and Tyler. In addition to serving as an archives and museum, the Center encompasses five historic buildings and the Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives. For more information on the Center, please call (936) 336-8821 or visit www.tsl.texas.gov/shc/index.html.

About the National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities supports research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities by funding top-rated competitive, peer-reviewed proposals examined by panels of independent, external reviewers. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this release do not necessarily represent those of the NEH.