MONTAGUE — As she sorted through the Carnegie Public Library’s archival documents, Library Director Linda Hickman flipped over brown-tinged backs of century-old paper that were all too often left blank.
“Over the years, many historical items have been donated to the libraries and the historical society, but many of them lack documentation,” she explained.
Countless artifacts such as yearbooks, maps, photos, archaeological discoveries and “an almost complete set of annual town records dating back to around 1890” are maintained by Montague. A large percentage, however, lack context such as dates and captions. In some cases, documentation is so sparse that materials likely fly under the radar entirely.
“When you function in this type of old community, it’s easy to forget what you have,” agreed Town Administrator Steve Ellis.
With help from an historic materials conservator, the town hopes to change that.
Samantha Couture, an experienced vendor with approval from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, has been tasked with performing condition assessments and giving advice to five facilities — Town Hall, the Montague Historical Society and the town’s three libraries — as to how to best maintain their archives. The Selectboard executed a $30,000 agreement with Couture to do this work during a meeting in July. By the end of September, she will have written a report on each facility detailing their preservation status.
Hickman said even the library staff members who work intimately with these collections don’t know everything that they hold.
“None of my staff has been here as long as I have and most of them don’t know what’s here,” Hickman said.
Couture’s presence means the collections will finally be thoroughly sifted through not simply to stay organized, but to identify specific needs for preserving each artifact.
“She’ll be doing a report of each of the five sites that will highlight environmental concerns, conditional concerns, items in particular need of digitization and a recommendation for proper storage of historical materials,” Hickman said.
Couture toured Carnegie Public Library, Montague Center Public Library, Millers Falls Library and the Montague Historical Society on Aug. 6 to get a sense of the facilities’ conditions. Even without Couture’s expertise, though, Hickman was well aware that the buildings need work.
“The building has an obvious mold issue,” Hickman said of the Historical Society, which is housed in the Montague Common Hall. “You can smell the mold as soon as you walk in the door.”
Hickman said the Montague Center Public Library and Town Hall’s basement also have mold problems. In addition, the Historical Society isn’t climate-controlled, and the Montague Center Public Library and Millers Falls Library each lack air conditioning. Even the Carnegie Public Library in Turners Falls — which is arguably the best-maintained library in Montague — has its issues, such as a flooding problem in the basement where historical materials are kept.
Hickman said the town’s partnership with Couture has been productive so far.
“We had a meeting and she gave us preservation tips,” Hickman said, motioning to generations-old photos and maps being moved out of mountings that had been harming them. “That’s why we’re taking those photographs out of the frames and removing the plywood backing.”
Hickman also hopes Couture’s all-encompassing assessments will serve as a unifier for the five facilities.
“Another important goal is to increase collaboration and cooperation between the libraries, the Historical Society and Town Hall,” she said.
The deadline for Couture’s final report is Sept. 30.
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.