Nicholls awarded federal grant to help preserve archives

Nicholls was awarded a federal grant to help preserve some of the cornerstone special collections in the library archives.

The Ellender Memorial Library will receive $6,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities, an organization concerned with protecting the cultural heritage of our country. 

Helen Thomas, assistant archivist, was the primary writer for the grant. 

“We are very grateful to the National Endowment for the Humanities for their support,” Thomas said.  “It is a competitive grant and we are excited to have gotten it.”  

The money will mainly go to the preservation of the papers and film reels from Senator Allen J. Ellender who served from 1937 until 1972 when he died.
 
His family donated these documents to the Nicholls library after his death.

Thomas explained that Ellender was the chairman of the agriculture and appropriations committees.

At the time of his death, he was the longest serving senator of that time. 

Electronic data loggers will be purchased in order to help keep track of the storage conditions. 

Thomas explained how there is an ideal range of temperature and relative humidity where you can keep the materials from degrading or molding. 

The electronic data loggers will replace the analog measuring systems that are currently used. 

The grant will also be used for purchasing archival quality film cans. 

The archives contain footage from Ellender’s campaigns and different trips he took abroad. 

Thomas said ideally, in the future, they hope to digitize these film reels to allow for easier access for students.

As of now, there is no means for students to access the film.  However, the rest of the Ellender papers will be available to students for research.

Thomas said they are trying to preserve the film reels for as long as possible.   

An independent consultant will come in and do a preservation assessment on the space. 

The consultant will be able to determine the best way of preservation and help set up the new digital loggers. 

Thomas explained the importance of preserving the archives.

“Once it’s gone it’s gone,” Thomas said. “That is why we look for things of enduring value.  These are things that capture what it was like to live in our society at any given point in time.”

The preservations changes will be taking place throughout the course of the semester.  

NEH is providing $16.3 million in funding for 290 projects across 43 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.

Nicholls received the Preservation Assistance Grant for Smaller Institutions.

The Archives and Special Collections are located on the first floor of the Ellender library right at the entrance. 

The collections include diaries, correspondence, photographs, maps, drawings, ledgers, oral histories, scrapbooks, local newspapers, rare books and Ellender Library’s Louisiana Book Collection.