LCL Selected for State Traveling Archivist Program

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LEE COUNTY, NC – March 7, 2024 – Lee County Libraries and Lee County Government are excited to announce that North Carolina’s State Historical Records Advisory Board has selected Lee County Libraries as a 2024 participant in the Traveling Archivist Program (TAP).

A team of archivists from the State Archives and partner institutions will serve six organizations this year with virtual and on-site consultations, on-site training, and supplies to improve preservation and access for document, photograph, and/or film collections. The TAP program is supported with federal funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Through this program, the Library will receive an in-depth consultation regarding the archival needs identified in their application, including an initial virtual needs assessment and a site visit, as well as supplies to improve preservation and access for the materials in their collections. As a TAP recipient, the Library will publicize their participation throughout the program, dedicate work time to implement recommendations made by the TAP archivists, and also evaluate the services received from the program.

In late 2023, the Library accepted a collection of photographic prints from longstanding local newspaper, the Sanford Herald. Spanning the 1930s to the 1990s, the bulk of the collection consists of thousands of black and white photographs taken by Sanford Herald photographers or submitted by readers.

“The collection is in the early stages of processing, but the goal is to make the collection accessible via digitization and hosting on DigitalNC.org, as well as in the Library’s local history room”, said Hunter Randolph, Library Assistant III at the Lee County Libraries.

The Sanford Herald began publishing under that name in 1930, and by 1940 had cornered the newspaper market in Sanford. For nearly a century, the Herald has been the primary paper covering Lee County, as well as much of Harnett, Moore, and Chatham Counties. This collection offers the most comprehensive photographic glimpse into agriculture, the growth of industry, politics, and the daily lives of Central North Carolinians.

“We are extremely pleased to be accepted in the program and look forward to a professional archivist providing valuable feedback”, said Beth List, Director of Library Services for Lee County Government. “The Library is dedicated to preserving the personal and government-related history of Lee County and the State of North Carolina, and we know this program will give us the guidance necessary for continued success.”

For additional information about the Lee County Libraries Local History collection, call (919) 718-4665 or email library@leecountync.gov; media questions may be directed to Hailey Hall with Lee County Government at (919) 718-4605 ext. 5521 or hhall@leecountync.gov.

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