Dartmouth College Library
Collection Management & Development Program
Collection Development Policy
ARCHIVES: LOCAL HISTORY
- COLLECTION AREA
- GENERAL PURPOSE
- HISTORY
- DARTMOUTH COLLEGE PROGRAM
- GENERAL SUBJECT BOUNDARIES
- LANGUAGES
- GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
- TYPES OF MATERIALS COLLECTED
- FORMAT OF MATERIALS COLLECTED
- SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS
- OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE
- DETAILED SUBJECT AREAS
- CROSS-REFERENCES TO COLLECTION POLICIES
- LEVEL OF COLLECTING INTENSITY
- CREATION DATE
- REVISION DATE
- BIBLIOGRAPHER
Archives: Local history
Local history records are collected to document Hanover and the immediate area. The archival records of the Town of Hanover are on long-term deposit with the College. Church, business, and agency records, as well as personal papers providing local history documentation are also collected as time and resources allow.
The Archives has served as the local history repository since its existence. Neither the Hanover Historical Society or the Howe Library (the public library) collects local history documentation. Papers and ephemera received by the Hanover Historical Society are placed in the Archives, on a deposit-status. In 1988, the Archives received municipal records; initially a temporary measure, the records are now a long-term deposit. In 1996 the town provided funds for an archivist to manage their deposited historical records on a part-time basis.
Papers of the local community are acquired as time and resources allow, particularly when the documentation supplements the history of Dartmouth College. The primary constituency to the local history records is the town: citizens and governance. The records are also used by family history researchers for genealogical purposes. The records are used by archaelogy, history, and other students as a research source for class projects.
Under the management of the town-supported archivist, the town's records are appraised, organized, and described. Dartmouth College provides climate-controlled, secure storage and reference service to the organized holdings.
A documentation strategy should be undertaken by representatives of the Archives, town, historical society, town library, and community at large in order to develop a focused collection strategy. Current holdings need reappraisal.
English
Town of Hanover and the immediate area.
Official records of the town having enduring value and open access are collected. By-and-large, the records are office files. Personal papers are also acquired when they provide documentation of the area.
The records may be in various media such as paper, digital storage, magnetic storage, or audio-visual recordings. The records form may be correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, data, newsletters, photographs, brochures, or another format.
Local history records and papers are part of Special Collections.
Related resources are also located at local town halls and historical societies, at the Vermont and New Hampshire Historical Societies, and at the Vermont and New Hampshire State Archives.
A documentation strategy should be undertaken by representatives of the Archives, town, historical society, town library, and community at large in order to develop a focused collection strategy.
See also: Archives: DC History; History; Genealogy
Existing strength of collection: 3
Actual current level of collection activity: 2
Desirable level of collecting to meet program needs: 4
Time and resource limitations have posed a challenge to meeting the community's perception of Dartmouth's role as the local history repository. The town's funding for a part-time archivist has made a tremendous difference in ensuring the appropriate municipal records are preserved. There is no similar program, as of yet, to systematically identify, gather, preserve, and offer access to other local history records.
March 1998, Anne Ostendarp
Anne Ostendarp
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Last updated January 28, 1999 by: CMDC@Dartmouth.Edu (jdh)