The Records Management and Preservation Board (RMPB) has awarded $422,497 in grant funds to thirty-five West Virginia county commissions for records management and preservation projects. The board reviewed submissions and made its recommendations in January for projects to improve management, storage conditions, access, and preservation of public records held in county offices. Following official letters announcing the successful grants, RMPB staff will provide technical assistance in setting up the grant projects, which officially begin with the new fiscal year (July 1, 2015). A complete list of recipients is attached.
The RMPB was created by the West Virginia Legislature in 2000 to develop a system of records management and preservation for county governments. Funding for the grants program comes from filing fees collected by county clerks and deposited in the special Public Records and Preservation Account. Applications for the next grant cycle will be available September 1, 2015.
For more information about the Records Management and Preservation Board's annual grant program or the work of the RMPB, contact Denise Ferguson, county records archivist, West Virginia Archives and History, by phone at (304) 558-0230, ext. 150, by e-mail at denise.l.ferguson@wv.gov, or by mail at Records Management and Preservation Board, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Building 9, Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Information can be accessed electronically at www.wvculture.org/history/rmpb/rmpb.html.
Barbour County Commission, $13,549 to digitize pre-1985 assessor's copies of the land books, and purchase a color scanner for the county clerk's office.
Berkeley County Council, $19,492 to index digital images of case files in the circuit clerk's office; and to digitize and rebind the original grantor/grantee index books, and recover will, plat, and deed index books in the county clerk's office.
Boone County Commission, $10,000 to index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk's office.
Braxton County Commission, $8,103 to purchase open steel shelving and archival cubic foot records storage boxes for the sheriff's and circuit clerk's offices; and to repair and encapsulate the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office.
Calhoun County Commission, $12,429 to index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project and to rebind and encapsulate birth, death, and deed books in the county clerk's office.
Fayette County Commission, $22,243 to purchase open steel shelving for all county government long-term records located in the county commission's records storage facility; and to purchase moveable track shelving for improved case file management in the prosecuting attorney's office.
Grant County Commission, $8,628 to scan and index case files, and to purchase a color scanner and a high-volume, cross-cut shredder for the prosecuting attorney's office.
Greenbrier County Commission, $14,409 to scan deed index books, and to restore and encapsulate the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office; and to digitize tax parcel map cards in the assessor's office.
Hampshire County Commission, $4,455 to restore and digitize the earliest will books in the county clerk's office.
Hardy County Commission, $12,046 to restore and encapsulate 1791-1799 county court records in the county clerk's office; and to scan and index chancery case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Harrison County Commission, $10,000 to digitize the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office.
Jackson County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Kanawha County Commission, $32,814 to purchase a color scanner and to scan and index pre-1999 records in the county clerk's office; and to scan and index order books and purchase roller shelving for improved storage of these records in the circuit clerk's office.
Lewis County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Lincoln County Commission, $14,227 to index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project, and to restore and encapsulate land books in the county clerk's office.
Marion County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index the earliest handwritten birth, death, and marriage records in the county clerk's office.
Mason County Commission, $14,611 to digitize the assessor's copies of land books and maps, and to purchase a color scanner in the county clerk's office.
McDowell County Commission, $10,000 to purchase Mylar sleeves and map cabinets for improved storage of the county clerk's survey maps.
Mercer County Commission, $18,023 to digitize military discharge records and purchase public access computers in the county clerk's office; and to purchase moveable track shelving for long-term inactive case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Mingo County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index order books in the circuit clerk's office.
Monongalia County Commission, $18,431 to purchase color scanners in the county clerk's and prosecuting attorney's offices, and a high-volume, cross-cut shredder for the sheriff's office.
Monroe County Commission, $20,000 to index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk's office; and to scan and index case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Morgan County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index case files in the prosecuting attorney's office; and to scan and index map cards in the assessor's office.
Nicholas County Commission, $16,126 to restore and encapsulate the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office; and to purchase moveable track shelving for long term case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Pendleton County Commission, $4,955 to digitize deed, release, and trust deed books, and to restore, rebind, and encapsulate 1788-1850 location and will books in the county clerk's office.
Putnam County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index deed books in the county clerk's office; and to scan and index map and homestead cards in the assessor's office.
Raleigh County Commission, $5,124 to purchase shelving for improved storage of homestead cards, a public access computer for the records room, and Mylar sleeves to encapsulate the county's maps in the assessor's office.
Ritchie County Commission, $5,864 to purchase roller shelving for deed, lease, and will index books in the county clerk's office.
Roane County Commission, $5,559 to purchase shelving for improved storage of land and financial records in the sheriff's office.
Summers County Commission, $10,000 to digitize handwritten deed index and map books, and to restore, rebind, and encapsulate deed books in the county clerk's office.
Tucker County Commission, $9,409 to digitize plat books, and to restore, rebind, and encapsulate the assessor's copies of land books in the county clerk's office.
Upshur County Commission, $10,000 to scan and index chancery and law case files in the circuit clerk's office.
Wayne County Commission, $12,000 to index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project, to encapsulate the assessor's copies of land books, and to purchase public access computers in the county clerk's office.
Wood County Commission, $10,000 to index deed books digitized by the RMPB Statewide Preservation Project in the county clerk's office.
Wyoming County Commission, $10,000 to digitize the earliest will, judgment, and appraisal books in the county clerk's office.
Records Management and Preservation Board
West Virginia Archives and History