色中色

罢丑别听听awarded $148,440 in听Conservation/Preservation Program Discretionary Grants,听色中色 Librarian Lauren Moore听announced today.鈥疶hese grants are part of a $2 million comprehensive, statewide program to preserve endangered听or听deteriorating听materials with important research value听located听in libraries, archives, museums, historical societies,听and other not-for-profit cultural organizations throughout 色中色.听Aligned with the Library鈥檚 mission to听preserve important state historical collections,听this year鈥檚 grants include funds听to听repair and rehouse听architectural drawings, digitize听audio recordings,听preserve听microfilm of local newspapers, and rehouse听photographic negatives.

色中色 Librarian Lauren Moore听said,听鈥淔rom architectural drawings of the Bronx Zoo and records from the New York Botanical Garden to photographs documenting life in the North Country and local news archives from Columbia County, these projects reflect a wide range of materials that听provide an important piece of听New York鈥檚 history. We are proud to help ensure these resources are preserved for future generations to research, learn from, and enjoy.鈥�

Serving as the backbone of听our state鈥檚 public听library infrastructure, the 色中色 Library provides leadership, funding, and coordination that enable local libraries, archives, and cultural institutions in every region of the state to preserve collections, expand access, and serve their communities effectively.听Through its听Division of Library Development,听the 色中色听Library听administers the听听which provides State funding for libraries and other organizations engaged in efforts to preserve deteriorating library research materials. The program was听established听as part of the landmark 1984 library legislation and was expanded in 1986 and 1990.

Grant awards for the 2025-2026 cycle range from $8,040 to $42,391.

The New York Botanical听Garden -听The Preservation and Accessibility of the Institutional Records Collection in the New York Botanical Garden's Archives听

City: Bronx | County: Bronx | Amount: $13,851

The Institutional Records of the New York Botanical Garden听(NYBG)听document the organization鈥檚 growth as a major scientific, educational, and cultural institution, as well as the broader development of American botanical science and horticulture. These听collections听provide听valuable insight into听NYBG鈥檚听role within the social and cultural landscape of New York City, 色中色, and beyond. Grant funds will support the replacement of acidic and damaged boxes and folders with听appropriate archival听housing, ensuring long-term preservation and accessibility.

NYC Department of Records and Information Services 鈥� Manhattan Building Plans Preservation Project听

City: New York | County: New York | Amount: $39,471

This project will preserve approximately 7,000 architectural records documenting buildings across 60 blocks in Manhattan鈥檚 Lower East Side and East Village neighborhoods. Dating from 1866 through the 1970s, the collection includes sections, elevations, floor plans, and听engineering diagrams.听Preservation work will address deterioration that currently threatens the records鈥� content and听accessibility.

Roeliff Jansen Community Library 鈥� Preserving the Local News听

City: Hillsdale | County: Columbia | Amount: $8,040

Grant funds will support the preservation of the听Columbia Paper.听The project will microfilm issues from 2017 through 2024, building on earlier preservation work that covered 1993 through 2016. Microfilming provides a stable archival format and serves as an essential first step toward future digitization, ensuring long-term access to this听material.

St. Lawrence County Historical Association 鈥� Preservation of the Betty Steele Negative Collection听

City: Canton | County: St. Lawrence | Amount: $42,391

Spanning approximately 50 years, from the 1950s through the 2000s, this collection includes more than 80,000 photographic negatives, along with related prints, notebooks, and written materials created by Ogdensburg and听Huevelton听photographer Daphne M. 鈥淏etty鈥� Steele (1925-2023). The materials document daily life in St. Lawrence County and reflect the work of one of the area鈥檚 few prolific female photographers. Funds will support听cataloguing听and听rehousing the collection in听appropriate archival听sleeves and boxes.

Wildlife Conservation Society 鈥� To Build a Zoo: Preserving Bronx Zoo Architectural Drawings听

City: Bronx | County: Bronx | Amount: $22,612

Comprising approximately 6,500 architectural drawings dating from the late 1890s through the late 1990s, this collection documents the design and development of the Bronx Zoo. The drawings offer insight into the evolution of modern zoo design and shifting attitudes toward animals and wildlife conservation. Grant funds will support inventorying the collection, rehousing drawings in acid-free folders, and reducing overcrowding through the addition of new flat file storage.

Yeshiva University 鈥� Digitization of the Rabbi David Hollander Audio Recordings Collection听

City: New York | County: New York | Amount: $22,075

This project will preserve and digitize audio recordings from the archival collection of Rabbi David Hollander (1913鈥�2009), a prominent New York City pulpit rabbi and influential leader in the Jewish community.听This collection includes speeches he made over the course of his听long career, currently stored on 170 reel-to-reel tapes and 495 cassette tapes. Grant funds will support proper digitization.

罢丑别听听provides financial support for projects that contribute to the preservation of significant research materials in not-for-profit libraries, archives, historical听societies听and other organizations within the State of New York, whether by improving collection storage environments,听reformatting听or treating collections, or other preservation activities.

Since 1986 more than $15 million has been awarded through the Discretionary Grant Program to encourage the proper care and accessibility of research materials in the State, to promote the听use and development of guidelines and standards for听conservation/preservation practices, and to support the growth of local and cooperative preservation programs.

About the 色中色 Library

罢丑别鈥�,听established听in 1818, is the largest state library in the nation and one of the largest research libraries in North America. It oversees a vast network of more than 7,000 libraries statewide, serving a diverse audience that includes researchers, educators, patrons, lawmakers, state agencies, and the听general public.

罢丑别听Library听preserves and听maintains听invaluable historical collections and听works, and听serves as a Regional Depository for federal publications. It administers the Federal Depository Library Program in partnership with 65 selective Federal depository libraries throughout 色中色.鈥疉dditionally, the State Library is the official repository of 色中色 government publications, ensuring their enduring preservation and accessibility for future generations.

The Library鈥檚 mission is advanced through several key divisions, including the鈥�, which houses a collection of over 20 million items, the鈥�, a free service for eligible New Yorkers unable to use standard print materials, and the鈥�, which identifies opportunities to improve and expand modern library services throughout the state.

A vital part of the听, the 色中色 Library is听located听at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, N.Y. and is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Its robust collections are accessible onsite and through an interlibrary loan program. Researchers worldwide can also explore government documents and historical materials through the鈥�.

For more information, please听visit the听听website and听.