Re: Question for Town & City Historical Societies

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Chris & Patti Marsicano (marsicano@charter.net)
Mon, 4 Aug 2008 15:16:01 -0500



Message-ID: <003701c8f677$11614e70$a6defea9@CHRISLAPTOP>
From: "Chris & Patti Marsicano" <marsicano@charter.net>
Subject: Re: Question for Town & City Historical Societies
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 15:16:01 -0500

Sara,

We are looking for an annual dollar amount to be designed to us to use as needed. We are in the process of crunching numbers to see how much we will need and to prioritize these items.

Our library is extremely overcrowded, and in dire need of more space. Our governmental office has no extra space and right now very old records are being stored in a basement - we have already taken several of the most imortatn boxes and put them in safety deposit boxes at the local bank.

Thank you for your input! All suggestions are alway appreciated!

Patti
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Sara Steele
  To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
  Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 9:32 AM
  Subject: Re: Question for Town & City Historical Societies

  Hi Patti

  I assume you have done your homework and know the extent to which each of the individuals on the town and village boards are interested in Delavan's history, and which ones will best understand your request and be your best supporters in each governmental body when it comes to a vote on your request. A request for money often doesn't suceed, especially in economic down turns, unless one has done a lot of ground laying and building of interest.

  It may not be a question of how much you should ask for, but how well you have costed out your dream and thus are able to justify the amount you ask for (microfilms, computer, scanner, binders, etc.) That is, if you are primarily interesting in support of a research collection..

  There is a difference among 1) becoming an arm and subunit of a local government and functioning with an annual budget like any other village or town serice dept; 2) asking for a certain amount to be donated annually as general support for the society--blank check to be used for whatever the society needs. The local government unit publically showing that the governmental agency wants the work of the HS to continue, or 3) occasionally asking for funding for a specific project such as your research library.
    
  You specifically mentioned a research library so the kind of building you put it in becomes important--good humidity, etc. A research library is quite different in the kind of space needed than is a museum or a meeting/officer area. You may want to take a very good look at the present village and town offices and the library to see if there is space in any of them that could be secured rather than taking on the costs of a separate location. We are fortunate in that our Town Board lets us us a room in the basement of our former town hall for a $ a year. However, that small room combines about ten different functions and has a humidity problem.

  I hope you are currently working with your library staff and have gotten them keenly interested. I also have a hunch that your library is also over crowded--or did I see that they have just built a new addition. We are hoping to have our "archives/research library" included in our sometime-in-the-future first library--if we ever get one. There are both pros and cons of placing a HS collection in a library building or in the library itself as opposed to setting it up at a separate location. Often a location in the library makes the collection more available to the public with less work for the HS, especially to those from away who sometimes are the most likely to use such a collection. Even if only part of your collection (obituaries and death lsit) is in the library it is important that you maintain a good working relationshipe with the library staff.
  .
  Sara STeele
  Text Archivist Cottage Grove Area Historical Society
  smsteele@wisc.edu

  ----- Original Message -----
    From: Chris & Patti Marsicano
    To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
    Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2008 12:45 PM
    Subject: Question for Town & City Historical Societies

    Have any of you asked your local municipalities to have money put in the budget for your historical society?
    What steps did you take to do this?
    How much did you ask for and how much do you receive?

    We are planning on asking our Town and City governments for some money and are wondering the best steps to take. Since we have no building or location at this time, we are hoping to get the cash needed to offset some costs of renting (or have donated) space to begin a research library.

    Thanks!

    Patti Marsicano
    President, Delavan Historical Society



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