SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. (WBNG) — On Sept. 2, the New York State Archives announced it has awarded $4.1 million to dozens of organizations to improve the preservation and management of public records.
These competitive grants are designed to help municipalities, school districts and educational institutions across the state manage their records more effectively.
Distributed through the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF), this year’s individual awards range from roughly $6,500 to more than $163,000.
The Johnson City Central School District secured $75,000 for document conversion and public access projects.
“I’m pleased that Johnson City was able to secure funding for a second year in a row to preserve important student records and make them more accessible,” said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo. “Digitizing these documents will free up valuable space, save staff time and make easier to access records when needed.”
Additionally, the Town of Nichols received $10,560, and the Village of Freeville in Tompkins County was awarded $7,969 to manage their inactive records.
Since the program’s inception in 1988, LGRMIF has provided over $255 million to support public archives and local governments.
The allocated funding will support various local initiatives, including:
Disaster managementInactive and historical recordsFiles managementDocument conversion and access
“This funding means that students and parents will have easier access to their records, streamlining the information process and strengthening collaboration between the school district and those it serves. I am happy that our parents and students will have easier access to the information they need and deserve,” said Senator Lea Webb.
By modernizing these systems, state officials hope to ensure that vital historical and active documents remain secure and accessible to the public.
Community members interested in the specific distributions can view the complete list of award recipients by county on the New York State Archives website.
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