Records Management and Preservation Board
announces grant recipients
May 19, 2010
The Records Management and Preservation Board (RMPB) has awarded $252,779 in grant funds to 28 West Virginia county commissions for county records management and preservation projects through its County Records Management and Preservation Grants program. The board reviewed submissions and made its recommendations in January for projects to improve management, storage conditions, access, and preservation of public records held in several county offices. Following official letters announcing the successful grants, RMPB staff will provide technical assistance in setting up the grant projects, which officially begin with the new fiscal year July 1. A complete list of recipients is attached.
The RMPB, with its continuing interest in addressing records storage and management issues in the courthouses, announced the grant criteria in its invitation to applicants last September. The criteria were: conduct a total records inventory and condition assessment, and develop a master records management plan for county records; remove non-records and accumulations of records having reached or exceeded required retention periods; and provide proper and improved storage of and access to permanent records or records with required retention periods in excess of 25 years. The latter will include physical storage to provide proper shelving and/or archival records boxes (10"x12"x15"), and security/preservation microfilm, with a digital imaging combination for enhanced access. A copy of the microfilm will be stored at the State Archives. In this round of grants the RMPB also considered grant applications for computers to be used by the public to access county government records.
Funding for the County Records Management and Preservation Program is provided from the filing fees collected by county clerks and deposited in the special Public Records and Preservation Account. The funds serve as an incentive to county officials to improve the management of their public records and conditions for their preservation. The RMPB was created by the West Virginia Legislature in 2000 to develop uniform county records management programs. Its primary focus is to establish guidelines and provide technical assistance to address the needs of the records of county governments through a uniform records management system, and to further encourage adoption of these goals through the county records grant program. In pursuit of these goals, the RMPB has authorized a statewide survey and report on the current state of county records, developed rules and a County Records Management Manual for county offices, and sponsored records management workshops for county officials and staffs. The next grant cycle and priorities will be announced September 1, for the fiscal year 2011-2012.
For more information about the Records Management and Preservation Board’s annual grant program or the work of the RMPB, contact Joseph N. Geiger Jr., director of archives and history for the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, by phone at (304) 558-0230, ext. 165, by e-mail at [email protected], or by mail at Records Management and Preservation Board, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, The Culture Center, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Information can be accessed electronically at www.wvculture.org/history/rmpb/rmbp.html.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Culture Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
RMPB Grant Recipients for Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011
Barbour County Commission, $6,500 to create preservation microfilm from existing digital images of the County Clerk’s Deed Books.
Boone County Commission, $9,352 to provide for the purchase of manually operated moveable track shelving for the County Clerk’s permanent record books.
Brooke County Commission, $3,210 to provide for conservation/restoration and rebinding of the County Clerk’s earliest Birth, Death and Marriage Books.
Cabell County Commission, $13,000 to provide improved storage and shelving for the loose leaf Birth, Death and Marriage records in the County Clerk’s office.
Clay County Commission, $1,863 to provide for the purchase of preservation map sleeves in the Assessor’s office.
Fayette County Commission, $6,500 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the Circuit Clerk’s Criminal Order Books.
Gilmer County Commission, $14,157 to provide for the purchase of manually operated moveable track shelving for the preservation and access of the Circuit Clerk’s case files.
Hampshire County Commission, $10,832 to provide for the purchase of manually operated moveable track shelving for the preservation and access of the Circuit Clerk’s case files.
Hardy County Commission, $17,216 to provide for the purchase of roller shelving for the County Clerk’s Trust Deed, Will, Appraisement and Fiduciary Books.
Harrison County Commission, $4,583 to provide for the purchase of public computers that will access the County Clerk’s records.
Lewis County Commission, $5,146 to provide for the purchase of manually operated moveable track shelving for the preservation and access of the Circuit Clerk’s case files.
Lincoln County Commission, $13,807 to provide for the purchase of roller shelving for the County Clerk’s Land Books.
Marion County Commission, $5,292 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the Assessor’s Land Books in the County Clerk’s office.
McDowell County Commission, $8,500 to provide for the preservation microfilming and digital conversion of Will and Deed Books, and to purchase public access computers for the County Clerk’s records room.
Mercer County Commission, $6,500 to provide for the purchase of preservation microfilm of the Circuit Clerk’s Civil, Criminal and Domestic Order Books.
Mineral County Commission, $8,300 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk Trust Deed and Will Books, and to purchase public access computers for the records room.
Mingo County Commission, $5,407 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk’s Birth, Death, Marriage and Deed Books, and to purchase public access computers for the records room.
Monongalia County Commission, $6,500 to provide for the duplication costs of converting existing microfilm to preservation quality film.
Morgan County Commission, $30,000 for improved records storage and shelving for the County Clerk’s and Circuit Clerk’s offices.
Pendleton County Commission, $11,320 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk’s Deed Books, and to purchase roller shelving for the Trust Deed Books.
Putnam County Commission, $7,381 to provide for the purchase of manually operated moveable track shelving for the preservation and access of the Circuit Clerk’s case files, and to purchase public access computers for the County Clerk’s and Circuit Clerk’s records rooms.
Randolph County Commission, $6,500 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk’s Deed Books.
Ritchie County Commission, $6,500 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk’s Lease Books.
Roane County Commission, $18,206 to provide for the purchase of manually operated moveable track shelving for the preservation and access of the Circuit Clerk’s case files.
Summers County Commission, $6,500 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk’s Deed Books.
Tucker County Commission, $7,500 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of the County Clerk’s Oil and Gas, Right of Way and Will Books, and to purchase a public access computer for the records room.
Tyler County Commission, $5,707 to provide for the purchase of file folders, file labels and open shelving for the preservation and access of the Prosecuting Attorney’s records.
Wetzel County Commission, $6,500 to provide funding for conservation/restoration and preservation microfilming of the Assessor’s Land Books in the County Clerk’s office.
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