State & Local Records News

Vol. 5, No. 4 Published by the ADAH Government Records Division February 2001

A t their meetings on January 25, 2001, members of the State and Local Government Records Commissions approved the following records disposition authorities (RDAs): State Records Commission Board of Cosmetology - revised Board of Pardons and Paroles - revised Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board - revised Securities Commission - revised Department of Senior Services - new State Employees’ Insurance Board - new Local Government Records Commission County Probate Offices - revised Local Boards of Education - revised Local Law Enforcement Agencies - revised The commissions will next meet on Thursday, April 26, 2001, in the League of Municipalities building across from ADAH. Meeting times will be 10:00 a.m. (state) and 1:30 p.m. (local). Commission Presents Awards for Local Records Preservation     A t its meeting on January 25, the Local Government Records Commission recognized officials from		two Alabama counties for accomplishments in local records preservation. Dr. Ed Bridges, ADAH director and the commission’s chairman, presented the first certificate of appreciation to former Barbour County Probate Judge Anne Adams. During her tenure, Judge Adams was responsible for reorganizing and consolidating county records at the Eufaula courthouse and for renovating an “archives room” in which to store them. She also actively supported Barbour County’s loose records microfilming project and served on a planning committee for reviving the local government grant program. Recently, Judge Adams received a certificate of recognition from Governor Siegelman for her efforts to preserve Barbour County’s records. Dr. Bridges presents former Barbour County Probate Judge Anne Adams with her award for records preservation

Dr. Bridges presented the Tallapoosa County Commission with a certificate of merit, which was accepted by Judge Gloria Sinclair and Melanie Tapley of the probate office. Tallapoosa County recently finished a complete renovation of its courthouse’s third floor (formerly the county jail) into an outstanding records storage area. The work required removing the cells and hundreds of old records volumes piled in the cells, repainting the room, and installing proper lighting and shelving. It was completed (with the assistance of probate staff and loose records project volunteers) at a cost of about $20,000. Tallapoosa County was one of the first participants in the ADAH/GSU loose records microfilming program. Filming of its loose records is now under way. Tallapoosa County records in storage on the renovated third floor of the Dadeville courthouse ADAH to Mark 100th Birthday with Centennial Celebration     O n March 2, 2001, the Alabama Department of Archives and History completes its first century of		service. Founded in 1901, ADAH is the oldest state-funded archival agency in the nation. (The National Archives dates only from 1934.) To mark the occasion, a centennial celebration, open to legislators, state and local government officials, and members of the public, will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2001 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the State Archives Building, 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery.     The celebration will offer mini-programs on everything from researching Afro-American history to appreciating early American quilts. Displays will feature seldom-shown artifacts from the ADAH collection, such as Alabama’s 1901 Constitution; “tattered banners” from the Civil War; a transcript of the Montgomery Bus Boycott trial, and rare maps, books, and photographs. Those interested in more up-to-date research tools can see demonstrations of the ADAH web site and digital scanning technology. For younger visitors, there will be storytellers and a poster contest in the children’s “Hands-On Gallery.”     As the state agency charged with preserving the records and artifacts of Alabama’s past, the Department of Archives and History has a proud heritage. We hope that all Alabamians will want to come and help us celebrate our 100th birthday. For more information on the ADAH Centennial, call Leona Stemple at (334)242-4363, ext. 272. Local Archives Roundtable to Meet in Montgomery     For the convenience of those attending the ADAH Centennial, members of the Local Government Archives Roundtable will hold their next meeting on Friday, March 2, 2001 , at the Alabama League of Municipalities Building (across from ADAH on Bainbridge Avenue). This will be an afternoon meeting, starting at 1:30 p.m. Topics for discussion include two new leaflets on digital technology (which the roundtable is asked to review) and updates on the local

records grant initiative and the loose records microfilming program. Members are invited to suggest other topics. For more information, call Lyn Frazer at (334)242-4452, ext. 236.     ADAH Acquires Plans of Historical State Buildings     The Alabama Building Commission recently transferred to ADAH plans and drawings from several historical state buildings, such as the state capitol, other structures in the capitol complex, state university and correctional buildings, and Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery. Of special interest are detailed plans of the Governor’s Mansion and artist’s renderings of the capitol complex park, which was never fully realized.     State records archivists recently processed old county poll lists created by the Secretary of State’s office (1896-1918) and records created by the Department of Agriculture and Industries dating back to 1883. Researchers may consult the ADAH reference room (334-242-4435) regarding how soon these records will be available for use. Ask the Archivist     Question: How should I store maps and other oversized materials to ensure their preservation?     The following measures will assist records custodians in preserving large items such as maps, blueprints, architectural drawings, posters, broadsides, and prints: Inventorying Oversized Items. First, inventory oversized materials to determine their physical condition and any need for repair, replacement, or duplication. List each item by type (map, blueprint, etc.) then by title, date, and location. List condition as “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory,” depending on how well the item can hold up to continued use. If the condition is unsatisfactory, indicate both the type of damage (mold, water stains, tears, etc.) and its extent. Set priorities for		rebinding or repairing items, replacing them if copies are available, or selecting them for reformatting (photocopying, microfilming or scanning).     Choosing Storage Units and Containers. In general, oversized materials should be placed in heavyweight folders (.020 inch thick) and stored flat on horizontal shelves or in map cabinets. All folders should be cut to the same size to keep items from moving about inside and prevent containers from being damaged or misplaced. Neutral pH or acid-free containers require less frequent replacement and provide stable, long-term protection for materials. Because oversized materials are heavy, awkward, and easily damaged, the number of items per folder should be limited to ten or less. If using oversized boxes instead of map cabinets, limit the number of folders to keep boxes from becoming difficult to transport due to excess weight. Flat items in good condition can be rolled around the outside of buffered storage tubes or commercial cardboard tubes covered with polyester to prevent the cardboard’s acidity from migrating to the item.     Shelving or Map Cabinets. Because they are inert, odorless, and have no unstable compounds, metal shelving with baked enamel or powder coated finishes are preferable for storing permanent materials. If existing metal shelving must be used, cover each shelf with a sheet of Mylar (inert polyester) to prevent chemically unstable finishes from migrating into the material. Wooden shelves, which are highly acidic, should be sealed with two to three coats of polyurethane and aired throughly so that the paint odor will dissipate before use.     Preservation Repair. Repair options for oversized materials may include humidifying and flattening documents that have been rolled or folded for long periods of time; mending tears with archival tape; encapsulating fragile items in Mylar; repairing bindings on bound volumes, and wrapping volumes in acid-free paper.     For help with this or other records conservation issues, contact Linda Overman at (334) 242-4452, ext. 229 or at loverman@archives.state.al.us