Treasured objects and artifacts held by the Manassas Museum will be preserved for future generations with a donation of a core set of conservation books and online resources.
The books, “IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, were given to the museum by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
“With over 5,000 artifacts and 30,000 photographs, negatives, archival materials, and rare books the Manassas Museum preserves Manassas area history for residents and visitors,” Curator Roxana Adams said. “These books on caring for collections will broaden the staff’s expertise on museum conservation, particularly on the Civil War-era textiles and prints we hold.”
She added: “The books will also enable us to respond in depth to the many inquires we receive from the public. Citizens contact us asking how to preserve family heirlooms on a regular basis. While I do one or two public workshops a year on the subject (the next one is in August at the Bull Run Regional Library), having books to display at the workshop will add a nice dimension to teaching.”
The Institute has now awarded almost 3,000 free sets of the books, in cooperation with the American Association for State and Local History.
“When IMLS launched this initiative to improve the dire state of our nation’s collections, we understood that the materials gathered for the Bookshelf would serve as important tools for museums, libraries and archives nationwide,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, director.
“We were both pleased and encouraged by the overwhelming interest of institutions prepared to answer the call to action, and we know that with their dedication, artifacts from our shared history will be preserved for future generations.”
The Manassas Museum will receive this set of resources based on an application describing the needs and plans for the care of its collections.
Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.
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