The Society applied for and was thrilled to receive a 2014 Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) grant. This is Part I of a series of posts regarding the CAP assessment.
The Society is one of three D.C.-based institutions to receive a 2014 Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) grant. (The Heurich House Museum and the National Museum for Women in the Arts round out Washington’s trio).
The CAP is an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)-funded program administered by Heritage Preservation. As noted by Heritage Preservation, CAP provides a general conservation assessment of the repository’s collection, environmental conditions, and site. Conservation priorities are identified by professionals who spend several days on-site prior to writing a report, which can help develop strategies for improved collections care and provide a tool for long-range planning and fundraising.
The $7,020 grant received by the Society provides a base for the critical services of two experts (Michael Henry and Wendy Jessup) to assess the state of environmental conditions and collections care at the Carnegie Library building. The Society contributed the balance of the funds necessary for successful completion of the grant.
There will be a series of posts regarding the CAP assessment, and we’ll update as recommendations are made and followed through on.
Next: A look at how the site visit works. See Part II.