Historical Records Commission Minutes November 10, 2020

Members present:
Joyce Sayed (Chair)  
Steven Lovejoy (Vice-Chair)
John Murphey                                            
Eric Stanley

Members excused: 
None

Associate Members present:
Amanda King, Secretary

Guests present:
Sabrina Condon, Business Systems Analyst, Sonoma County Records Center
Deborah Lindley, Sonoma County Records Manager
Reece Foxen, Library Commissioner (LC) Liaison to HRC
Deva Marie Proto, County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters
Katherine Rinehart, Chair, Sonoma County Heritage Network
Ann Hammond, Sonoma County Library Director
Sarah Vantrease, Sonoma County Library Public Services Division Manager

1. Call to order 4:07 pm
2. October 13, 2020 Minutes approved
   1. Motion by Eric Stanley
   2. Second by John Murphey
   3. Approved
3. Budget Discussion
   1. $4,292.00 balance
   2. Secretary emailed HRC members information on applying for the "Local Events, Organizations, District Priorities Grant" offered through the Community Investment Program
4. Continuing Business 
   1. Archives Activity
      
      1. Update from Ann Hammond:
         1. Twice weekly updates for the Los Guilicos property
         2. No damage to the building
         3. Belfor will be cleaning all interiors
         4. Permission has been given to access the Archives facility
         5. In communication with Supervisor Gorin's office regarding past 2 years coming close to the Archives, would like a plan going forward for a more secure location for those materials
         6. Not planning to refill the History & Genealogy (H&G) Library Manager at this time:
            
            1. Interviewing for a Librarian III position for the Central Santa Rosa Library.  The librarian will provide onsite daily supervision of the H&G Library.  Katherine asked if a requirement for this position be that the candidate possess background in or knowledge of archival/special collection management.  Sarah responded by saying no.
            2. Steve mentions that usually the H&G Library Manager was an Archivist
            3. Katherine asked who is managing the archives now
            4. Sarah stated that the existing H&G Library staff is not managing the Archives but rather responding to requests for materials from county departments and other library patrons.
            5. Katherine asked who the point person is for questions concerning the Archives.  The answer was given by Sarah as Ann Hammond, Library Directory, Jaime Anderson, Collection Services Division Manager, and herself.
            6. Joyce mentions about open HRC position:
               1. Ann suggests filling the open HRC position as the Library will not be able to designate someone for it.
               2. Secretary emailed HRC members information on qualifications of being on the HRC for them to reach out to their networks for anyone interested in being recommended to the Board of Supervisors
               3. Secretary to put open HRC position on the agenda for December                      
      2. Discussion occurred on the "Deed of Gift" that is completed when materials are gifted to the Archives and to who they are actually granted to.  Katherine believed the documents were deeded to the Library.  Sarah stated that they were transferred to the Sonoma County Archives.  
      3. Updates from Reece Foxen:
         1. LC has put all finances on hold for the moment unless necessary until budget is figured out and what type of expenditures will be need to be addressed for the library to reopen.
         2. Branch Manager for History & Genealogy Library has been put on hold
      4. Disaster Recovery Plan
         1. Joyce emphasizes the need for a Disaster Recovery Plan
         2. Need someone to identify what are the most important items to preserve, which brings us back to the inventory and our budget does not allow us to move forward with that.
         3. Reece Foxen brought up PG&E lawsuit money 
         4. Deva Proto to check in with Michelle Arellano about PG&E money
         5. Katherine mentioned the Sonoma County Community Investment Fund Program.  Money from this program could pay for all or part of the Archives Inventory & Rehousing Project.  Deva pointed out that the Library would be the entity applying to this program, not the HRC.
         6. John asks questions:
            1. The downtown library was discussed as a location:
               1. Sarah Vantrease: Library had looked into this previously and the cost to move Archives to the downtown library would be approximately $200,000.  This estimate is for the move only and does not include the cost of creating a space at the library to maintain the materials.
            2. Can identifying important items happen without an inventory?
            3. Could we come to an agreement?
         7. Steve: When the library is figuring what to do, please keep in mind there is an army of knowledgeable volunteers that are familiar with the items in the archives and also how to move them.
         8. Steve and Ann had a discussion about Air Scrubbers and access to the Archives building.
   2. Library Commissioner Update
      1. Update combined with Archives Activity update
   3. Archives Task Force
      1. Update from Sarah Vantrease, working task force have not met since COVID pandemic.  Director Hammond will take the lead to convene a task force at a higher level than the current County/Library staff assigned.
      2. Deva provides overview of Library/County of Sonoma history as related to the Historical Records Commission         
   4. Strategic Planning
      1. John Murphey to send out updated Strategic Plan items 2-4
   5. Collections & Archives Recognition Awards
      1. No update
   6. Outreach
      1. No update
5. New Business
   1. Review scheduled HRC Meeting Day (currently 2nd Tuesday of the Month)
      1. Motion by Steven Lovejoy to move meetings to 2nd Thursday of the month beginning in January 2021.
      2. Second by Eric Stanley
      3. Approved
6. Public Comment
   1. Sonoma County Heritage Network Meeting, January 9, 2021, 10am to 12pm on ZOOM.  Looking for a host
      1. Steven Lovejoy offers the HRC as a host.
   2. 2020 Women's Suffrage Project Program and Events, www.socowomen2020.org
      1. Exhibit Openings:
         1. Now through January 2021, Museum of Sonoma County, From Suffrage to #MeToo.  Available online: https://museumsc.org/suffrage-metoo
   3. Day of the Dead, Museum of Sonoma County, opening October 22, 2020 to November 8, 2020 outside in the Garden space.
   4. The Heritage Network has formed a Friends of the Sonoma County Archives Committee
7. Meeting adjourned at 4:58 pm

 

Next meeting – December 8, 2020 - WebEx, 4:00pm