Preservation Week

President Obama once wrote, “Part of America's genius has always been its ability to absorb newcomers, to forge a national identity out of the disparate lot that arrived on our shores.“ The memories and treasures of individuals, families, and communities are essential to the record of this process—they contribute to our understanding of history and its participants just as collections in libraries, museums, and archives do.  

Memories and treasures should last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations. The first national collections Preservation Week, “Pass It On!”, will take place May 9-15, 2010. Sponsored by the ALA’s Association of Library Collections and Services and partner organizations, Preservation Week will inspire actions to preserve personal, family and community collections of all kinds, as well as library, museum and archive collections. It will raise awareness of the role libraries and other cultural institutions can play in providing ongoing preservation information. Local libraries, museums, and archives are asked to do one thing in their communities to celebrate Preservation Week, even if the action or activity is small. For more information, visit http://www.ala.org/preservationweek.

Book Includes Murray's Mill

Last weekend, a visitor to the Mill brought with her a great book entitled "Our Vanishing Americana," by Mike Lassiter. She brought it because her goal is to visit all the different places featured in the publication and have an employee or interpreter at each location sign her book. Kind of like a North Carolina-themed "bucket list."

The book was beautiful and I was surprised by the pages dedicated to Murray's Mill, right here in Catawba County. Check out the website for the book, learn more about the author's project, keep updated on news and events, and enjoy some photographs.

Lassiter, a Statesville native and UNC Chapel Hill grad, teamed up with PBS to create a production based on his book in 2009. Enjoy the site...and turn your volume up! The website has nice music.

The Mill always has great guests with wonderful stories to share. Thank you!

Earth Day

 

For Earth Day, we wanted to remind readers that Murray's Mill is collecting aluminum cans to raise money for two projects: painting the waterwheel and getting a glass case made for Lloyd Murray's CLOSED sign. Collecting aluminum cans for these projects uses items that are already available at the mill and is environmentally friendly. It helps contain waste that could end up around our site, on the road, and in the creek. It also shows that lots of 'little bits' together can make something big and a big difference. Thanks for your support!

Preservation workshop coming soon...

After the success of last year, we have decided to hold the Preservation Workshops again. The first workshop will be held on February 27 and will focus on photography. The workshop will explore the history and dating of photographs and how to identify the type of photographic process; methods on how to scan and digitally repair or enhance photographic images, and safe ways to store and display your photographic images.

Workshop participants are invited to bring one personal collection item related to the workshop topic for review by the instructor and will receive handouts and a list of preservation resources.

Pre-registration is required, and the workshops are $15.00 per person, $12.00 for members, and includes a boxed lunch. Please call 828-324-7294 for reservations. Reservation deadline is February 25th.