MISSION AND PURPOSE

The History Center’s primary responsibility is to support the documentation of the local history of Port Washington and its surrounding geographic areas. Aligning itself with the mission of the Library, the History Center is dedicated to developing a collection of intrinsic and historical value, whose content spans the panorama of human thought and experience.

To date over 80 Special Collections have been donated, purchased or bequeathed to the Library. Materials arrive in a variety of formats: correspondence, administrative documents, accession books, ledgers, artifacts, postcards, photographs, manuscripts, audio and video tapes, maps, printed books, pamphlets, and scrapbooks.

Selection and funding criteria for each collection vary according to the unique nature and mission of each one. We build on existing strengths but also seek new initiatives and acquire new collections in response to changing academic needs and interests.

Materials are exhibited at the Port Washington Public Library and online and we are committed to digitizing selected materials for wider access. In addition, we provide service to scholars from other institutions as well as to the general public. Use of the History Center by visiting researchers serves to enhance the Library’s reputation on national and international levels.

Responsible collecting includes a commitment to providing optimal storage, processing, preservation, and access to special collection materials.