A Curation-Needs Assessment at Select Facilities for the U.S. Air National Guard

The U.S. Air National Guard (ANG) is responsible for the management of archaeological and historical resources recovered from lands that it currently manages and leases. As mandated by federal law, responsible agencies are required to ensure that all recovered archaeological materials and associated records are adequately curated. ANG worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections in the St. Louis District (SLD) to conduct a curation-needs assessment of collections from ANG facilities in 19 states. This study will assist ANG in determining the volume of its collections and the current needs of the collections and facilities. In addition, it will enable ANG to establish a program to address these needs nationwide.

In August 2008, ANG provided the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, with funds to determine the locations of all ANG collections generated from facilities in Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin and perform site file searches at State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO) and curation-needs assessments of archaeological collections to assist them in complying with the requirements outlined in 36 CFR Part 79. In addition, certain buildings holding ANG collections also were evaluated as to their ability to serve as adequate long-term curation facilities. The scope of work for Phase 2 outlined six tasks to be conducted by SLD.