A library that offers Local History and Genealogy service addresses people's desire to know and better understand their personal or community heritage.
The library will provide a significant collection of materials and other resources that chronicle the history of the community or \region in which the library is located. Family histories and genealogical research tools are provided. The library will provide the equipment required to read, print, and copy all formats in which information is supplied. The library will be actively involved in borrowing and lending historical and genealogical resources witty other local regional and national libraries and historical societies. The library may maintain special collections of historical interest including photos and archival materials. The library may digitize these collections and provide computer access to them. Staff knowledgeable in genealogical and historical research methods and in archival and records management will be available to assist library users with their research. Electronic resources including Internet access may be provided.
The New Hanover County P8ublic Library is located in downtown Wilmington, NC and serves a population of nearly 150,000 through a Main Library, three branches, and a law library. A staff of 45 including 13 librarians serves the public. The library serves a diverse population including a high percentage of retirees attracted to the mild climate and cultural opportunities.
Because of the rich history of the Cape Fear area, an emphasis by the NHCPL on local history and genealogy was logical. Retirees from the area and those from other parts of the country are principle users of the local history room. However, significant use of the collection is made by all segments of the community.
To maintain an archival and historical record of New Hanover County and its people.
- Acquiring print materials related to the Cape Fear region
- Developing an image archive of the area
- Providing programs dealing with the history of Wilmington and the Cape Fear
- Publishing genealogical and historical material
- Developing an in-depth genealogical collection
- Maintaining the collection according to archival standards
- Providing Internet access to special collections
- Assisting patrons in the use of the collections
- Securing materials not available locally on interlibrary loan
- Conducting orientations to the collection for groups and members of the public
- Maintaining appropriate indices and clipping files for research
Currently two staff members (a librarian II and a library associate) are assigned to the room. In addition, professional staff helps on weekends and on evenings. The collection is housed in a 2,000 square foot room with seating for approximately 20. The collection consists of over 9,000 volumes. Complete runs of the local newspapers are available on microfilm. Librarian has an office and volunteers use a workroom. Programs are held in the library's large meeting room seating 100. Microfilm readers and reader/printers are located in the LHER. Likewise computers for CD ROM products and Internet access are available. A photocopier is provided for public use.
Because of the extensive use of these collections, it has been essential that the library develop significant working relationships with community organizations. Volunteers from the Friends of the Library and the Old New Hanover Genealogical Association is used on a daily basis to provide clerical support and to assist users of the collection. Strong links have been developed with other related cultural organizations such as the Cape Fear Museum and Wilmington Histo4rica Foundation in order to share information and resources. Such collaboration has resulted in some significant donations of material to the LHR.
The funding for LHRE comes from several sources - county, internally generated, gifts, and grants. County funding pays for the staffing and basic operation of the room. The other three sources are used to provide funds for unusual acquisitions for special projects. Gifts and revenue from publishing efforts generally provide as much support as the $5,000 appropriated locally. Grant funds have allowed for some special projects such as printing a local history book and digitizing a portion of the image collection.
Traditional methods of measuring service use apply to the LHR (e.g., reference transactions, interlibrary loan requests filled, program attendance, number of acquisitions and publications, user satisfaction studies, and door count).Recently, we have seen greater use by the African American community of the collection as they explore their family history and their community history. Other trends include an increased emphasis by the school system on state and local history resulting in greater use by that segment of the population. Some significant accomplishments this year were: the publication of a history on the African American community in Wilmington; the purchase of a civil war campaign map; the digitizing of the Fales slide collection; a series of programs on the cultural geography of the Cape Fear, and the compilations of a photograph album for the year 1997 in New Hanover County.