RHSP Appalachia

Thanks to funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), we are able to offer a limited number of free Preservation Needs Assessments in Appalachia.

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RHSP Appalachia serves collecting institutions in the Appalachia regions of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Since 2017, CCAHA has conducted in-person workshops, webinars, and preservation needs assessments at institutions across the region. Looking ahead, CCAHA will offer training opportunities, a mentorship program, and a limited number of Peer Preservation Needs Assessments.

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Questions? Contact Dyani Feige, Director of Preservation Services, at dfeige@ccaha.org.   

Training Opportunities 

CCAHA continues to offer training opportunities in the region, including presentations at upcoming conferences.  

  • West Virginia Library Association 

  • Society of Ohio Archivists 

  • Southeastern Museums Conference 

Recordings of previous webinars offered through RHSP Appalachia can be accessed here.  

Mentorship Program

In support of establishing a community of collaborators in the Appalachia region, CCAHA will launch a mentorship program geared towards supporting emerging and mid-level professionals. Instead of a traditional one-on-one mentorship program, the program will establish mentorship circles of four to six individuals at varying points in their career. 

Peer Preservation Needs Assessments 

Through funding from the NEH, CCAHA is able to offer a limited number of Preservation Needs Assessments in the Appalachia region free of charge. Institutions selected to participate will receive a preservation needs assessment conducted by a CCAHA specialist using a peer-to-peer format.  Institutions are paired with a peer institution in the region with whom they complete the assessment process in tandem.   

The Preservation Needs Assessment encompasses a general evaluation of an institution's preservation needs for their collections and includes environment (temperature, relative humidity, pollution, and light), housekeeping, pest control, fire protection, security, and disaster preparedness; collection storage, handling, exhibition, and treatment; and preservation planning. The written report provides observations, recommendations, and resources to serve as a guide in the development of a comprehensive preservation plan for the collections.