New York State Historical Records Survey Institution Forms

Original arrangement by region of state has been disturbed over time.

Following the entrance of the United States into World War II, the federal government took steps to safeguard the nation's cultural resources against potential destruction. The Committee on Conservation of Cultural Resources was established in 1941 under the direction of the National Resources Planning Board. The committee's responsibilities included both protecting the cultural holdings of the federal government and advising public and private institutions that served as custodians of cultural resources at the state and local level. The committee urged each state to a establish a committee of interested persons to devise plans for the protection of cultural resources within its boundaries.

The federal Works Progress Administration immediately allocated staff of the Historical Records Survey Projects throughout the nation to survey government agencies, cultural institutions, and private companies with the goal of enhancing the security of cultural resources during a time of war. The project sought to illuminate not just the existing location and relative security of cultural resources, but also to determine the location and availability of safe storage spaces. The survey project encompassed government agencies at all levels, historic sites, public libraries, museums, churches, school districts, social welfare institutions, and private businesses.

This series consists of Historical Records Survey forms used to record storage information of institutions in New York State that were custodians of public records, art objects, museum artifacts, books, manuscripts, or other library materials. Separate institution forms were used to record information pertaining to institutions willing to accept deposits of additional materials (27HR) and those desiring to have materials removed to other locations (30HR).

Building forms (28HR) were used to record information regarding available space for deposit of cultural materials; type of area in which building was located (residential, commercial, or industrial); materials of which building was constructed; presence of fire suppression system; existence of security precautions; percentage of space above versus below ground; and existence of environmental factors such as tendency of area to flood.

In buildings where dedicated storage spaces were present, "room or vault" forms (29HR) were used to record location within building; dimensions; means of access; presence of utility piping; presence of electric lighting; and presence of fire suppression system.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.