Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 18, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~ ° q <br />SUBJECT: Heritage Center Work Group Report <br />DEPARTMENTS: Library Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1) Heritage Center Consultant's Proposal Barbara Baker, Heritage Center Work Group <br />2) Heritage Center Consultant's Report Facilitator, 919 622-3321 <br />3) Letter from NC Digital Heritage Center <br />PURPOSE: To receive the final report from the 2009 Heritage Center Work Group. <br />BACKGROUND: On October 20, 2009 the Heritage Center Work Group (HCWG) made an <br />interim report to the BOCC. At that time the BOCC authorized the Work Group to <br />1. Hire a consultant from funds provided by the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau <br />to prepare a more detailed plan and for research including: <br />a) surveying and making a recommendation on available facilities; <br />b) analyzing collections in the County to determine what items would be appropriate <br />to be housed in the Heritage Center collection; <br />c) analyzing and listing needed equipment; <br />d) analyzing staffing needs; <br />e) developing a proposed budget; and <br />f) identifying potential private and public funding sources. <br />2. Assess the interest, intentions, and requirements of the Board of Directors and <br />administrative staff of the Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and Orange County (the <br />Foundation) about adding Heritage Center functions to its current offerings; and <br />3. Charge the 2009 Heritage Center Work Group to report on the findings of the consultant <br />and make further recommendations before May 2010. <br />The HCWG hired Barbara Taylor, a museum professional with experience at the Museum of the <br />Albemarle, the High Point Museum, and other out-of-state facilities (proposal and resume <br />included as Attachment #1), t o serve as the consultant. Ms. Taylor's report with several <br />attachments is included as Attachment #2. Ms. Taylor's recommendations are as follows: <br />Begin with digitization as a form of preserving the very important history of Orange <br />County. The Orange County Library is willing to provide staff support and space for <br />research, and with the digitized documents, the many resources of the county will be <br />under one roof. Through such a process, researchers from around the world can <br />learn about this local history, and may indeed come to visit and see the original <br />documents. <br />