Agenda - 10-20-2009 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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10 Work Group members believe the establishment of a Heritage Center in Orange County is so important that it must be planned for and implemented with help from experts in the field of management of archives and preservation of records. Specifically, an individual with expertise in the development of archive and/or museum- type facilities is needed to a) survey and make a recommendation on available facilities; b) analyze and list needed equipment; c) analyze and list needed equipment; d) analyze organizational structure and staffing needs; ej develop a proposed budget; and f) identify potential funding sources. Work Group member and Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau (CHOCVB) Executive Director Laurie Paolicelli discussed the need for professional assistance, especially as it relates to bringing more visitors to the County, with the Board of Directors of the CHOCVB at its September 16 business meeting (Attachment C). She reports the board of directors of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau approved the expenditure of approximately $5,000 for funds to hire a consultant to conduct an independent assessment of creating a Hillsborough site for genealogical and archival materia-s. Conclusions • Orange County's historic legacy should be preserved for future generations. Irreplaceable historic resources currently housed at the various historical organizations in Hillsborough, at the Public Library, and elsewhere throughout the County are at risk of deterioration and are inaccessible to the public for research. The County needs an archival facility to properly store and provide public access to these collections. • Apublic-private venture, where the County partners with a 501(c)3 non-profit will likely offer the most funding options for such a facility. The Historical Foundation of Orange County and Hillsborough (under the umbrella of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough) may be able to serve as the non-profit partner. • The Work Group recommends contracting with a consultant to "flesh-out" its findings with the details needed to pursue grant funding and to provide the County with CIP and related budget information to bring this project into fruition. The Chapel Hill-0range County Visitor's Bureau has identified $5,000 which could be used for this purpose. • The County may have a suitable building in its existing surplus stock that could be retrofitted for an archival facility at a much lower cost than constructing a new facility. Recommendations The Heritage Center Work Group recommends a phased approach to determining feasibility and implementation of the establishment of a proposed Orange County Heritage Center and for the first phase recommends: 1. Extending the December 2009 "sunset" date of the Heritage Center Work Group until May 2010 and ask the group to work with the consultant, providing feedback, reviewing findings, and presenting recommendations, based on the consultant's work, to the BOCC. 2. Contracting with a consultant for professional services for a period of time not to exceed six months to a) survey and make a recommendation on available facilities; b) analyze collections in the County to determine what items would be appropriate for the Heritage Center collection; c) analyze and list needed equipment; d) analyze staffing needs; e) develop a proposed budget; and f) identify potential funding sources. Responsible Agency: Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and Orange County and 2009 Heritage Center Work Group. Funding: Orange County/Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau (funding already approved by the CHOCVB Board) 3. Assessing the interest, intentions, and requirements of the Board of Directors and administrative staff of the Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and Orange County about adding Heritage Center functions to its current offerings 4. Exploring grant funding and a partnership with the UNC School of Information and Library Science for internships to facilitate digital duplication, photographing, and cataloging of historic collections in the County. 7