This announcement was submitted by the Southampton Town clerk's office.
On Thursday, Southampton Town Clerk Sundy A. Schermeyer and Town Historian Zachary Studenroth hosted a “Disaster Planning and Recovery” workshop for town/village clerks, curators, archivists, and other professionals responsible for the care and preservation of historical documents, books, photographs and other records. The program was funded by a grant awarded to the Town Clerk’s Historic Division from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The 4-hour workshop was led by Donia Conn of the Northeast Document Conservation Center and drew participants from the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Southold. The workshop informed participants of steps that can be taken to prevent the loss of archives and suggested the formation of an agency network to respond to individual disasters.
The grant also provided funding for the creation of a “Disaster Planning and Preparedness Manual” which will help guide the recovery of the town’s historic archives in the event of a hurricane or other calamity. The historic archives of the Town of Southampton are managed by the Office of the Town Clerk and include priceless documents dating from the town’s original settlement in 1640. While a majority of these records have been conserved and are now being digitized for better access, the original documents require special care to prevent loss or damage due to natural or man-made disasters. Given the extraordinary age and scope of the town’s historic archives, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the grant to help to ensure their future preservation. To find out more about the town’s Historic Division, please call Town Historian Zachary Studenroth at #631-702-2406.
