I.  OBJECTIVES

To collect and preserve materials covering the land, people, places, history, and culture of Chatham County, its communities, and the surrounding region.

To maintain a non-circulating reference collection of genealogy and local history materials at a centralized location for research.

II.  COLLECTION SCOPE

The main focus of the Local History & Genealogy collection is Chatham County and its parent county, Orange (prior to the formation of Chatham in 1771). Other geographical areas may be included if they are relevant to Chatham County research. The collection includes materials that record the history, development, and current state of affairs of Chatham County and its communities; document the history and ancestry of Chatham County families; and contribute to a better understanding of the area geography, demographics, agriculture, industry, transportation, and architecture.

Items in this collection of both print and non-print materials may include, but are not limited to: newspapers; clippings; maps; manuscripts; census materials; land records; wills and estate records; marriage, birth and death records; family histories/genealogies; county and town histories; oral histories; business documents; organization and club papers; school yearbooks; church records; and government documents. Formats may include books, pamphlets, periodicals, manuscripts, loose pages, CDs, DVDs, audio recordings, microforms, and web-based items.

Due to space and archival limitations, many original historical materials such as photographs and negatives, collectibles, personal papers, scrapbooks, postcards, films, prints, drawings, and three-dimensional artifacts are generally not included in the library collection. Such items may be more appropriate for other local organizations such as the Chatham County Historical Association.

Unlike the general reference collection, the Local History & Genealogy collection may contain ephemeral and/or outdated materials of historical interest.

The collection is not intended to duplicate other specialized North Carolina research collections in the area. Patrons will be referred to the appropriate special collection when necessary.

Materials that provide instruction relating to genealogy, local history, preservation, oral history, and similar topics may be included in the circulating collection.

Although the library collects materials by Chatham County authors, fiction materials are not part of the Local History & Genealogy collection.

III.  SELECTION CRITERIA AND RESPONSIBILITY

Decisions on the acquisition of materials are based on relevance, quality, cost, availability, space, ability to appropriately care for and use the items, and user demand.

The Reference Librarian is responsible for the assessment, selection, and weeding of materials. Library staff and patrons may recommend materials; however, to ensure uniform scope of the collection, the final decision regarding additions will rest with the Reference Librarian.

IV.  DONATED MATERIALS

Donations are an important source for materials of local importance, and the library encourages donations of appropriate items. Donations are evaluated with the same considerations as purchased materials. In addition, donations are evaluated for physical condition. The library will not accept material that shows damage from mold, mildew, liquid, insects, smoke, or dirt.

If the condition of desirable materials prohibits their addition to the collection (e.g., mold or fragility), donors may be asked to allow the material to be copied and the copy added to the collection, in accordance with copyright law.

Donors may be asked to sign a donor agreement form giving permanent ownership of donated items to the library. The library reserves the right to decide how donated material will be displayed or stored, how the material may be used by the public, and how long the material will be retained.

In general, the library does not accept materials on loan. However, short-term loans of materials may be accepted in order to make copies for the collection.

Library staff cannot provide monetary appraisals of donated material for tax purposes.

The library reserves the right to refuse any offered donation.

V.  PRESERVATION AND SECURITY

As older technologies are phased out, or as materials deteriorate with time and use, the library may transfer these materials to newer media formats to preserve them and maintain their accessibility to the public, in accordance with copyright law.

Rare or irreplaceable materials may be copied in print or digital form and the copy made available to patrons in order to preserve the original item, in accordance with copyright law.

Additional security measures may be provided for materials that would be difficult to replace, or which may be likely targets for theft. Such items may be stored in locked cabinets and checked out to patrons for in-library use.

VI.  WEEDING

Weeding of the collection does not follow the same guidelines as those set out for the circulating and general reference collections. The Local History & Genealogy collection is part of the heritage of Chatham County and, as such, has permanent historic and cultural value. However, the collection is evaluated periodically in consideration of physical space limitations and the need to add new materials to the collection. In addition, changing technologies, advances in archival preservation practices, and availability of previously scarce materials in new formats will change the range of options available to the collection.

Items in the collection may only be weeded by the Reference Librarian. Weeded materials may be offered to other organizations if this disposition is not prohibited by the donor agreement.

Revised 11-2023