Oaklands and Sam Davis to receive help caring for historic collections
August 6, 2008, MURFREESBORO – Oaklands Historic House Museum and the Sam Davis Association will receive the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, which includes resources to help them care for their collections, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced.
The IMLS and American Association of State and Local History find the best information on collection care and provide it to organizations like the Oaklands Historic House Museum and Sam Davis Association at no cost.
“We are in danger of losing our American heritage,” Gordon said. “Many small and midsized organizations do not have the resources to hire expert staff or provide the training needed to care for their historical artifacts, works of art, books, photography and other collections.”
Highlights of the Oaklands Historic House Museum collection include about one-third of the Maneys’ original furniture, Maney’s daughter-in-law Adaline’s original music book, Adaline’s father and 10 th Tennessee Governor Newton Cannon’s wardrobe, one of two Maney bookcases, four mid-1800s samplers and an original desk of Adaline’s on loan, according to Curator Nancy Gober.
“We are thrilled to pieces. It’s something we really need,” Director Nancy Puetz said. “We will be able to create a real reference library that will lead us to do better collecting. We will celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the Oaklands Association next year, and the best way to honor that is to set up this collection appropriately.”
Highlights of the Sam Davis Association include the historical house and a museum that houses an extensive civil war collection, Thomas Benton Smith’s saber, an enlisted man’s uniform, Davis family pieces and a large model of what the home and original 830 acres looked like in the 1860s.
“The Connecting to Collections Bookshelf helps us little guys take care of our big stuff,” Director Anita Teague said.
The Connecting to Collections Bookshelf receives support from the Getty Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and comes with a user’s guide and an online resources guide to help organizations maximize the usefulness of the materials.
