The local library has staff interested in historical preservation, the facilities to preserve such materials, and can always find the space to house such treasures. We do lack some in expertise, and certainly in the time to process such materials, but we remain the best existing organization to foster preservation. Too often we think too little of our own importance, and ignore the possible value of our own personal collections to the larger community. My own former library, the St. Paul Public Library, has had a 'St. Paul Collection' of local historical materials for at least sixty years. And its sister library, the Minneapolis Public Library, has had a Minneapolis History Collection, staffed and open to the public for several decades.
Some small communities are lucky to have had the foresight to establish local historical societies.
A nearby example of this is the Healdsburg Carnegie Library Building which was turned into an historical society and museum during the U.S. Bicentennial Celebration in 1976. It provides the foundation for local history in that it contains microfilms of the local newspapers, books by local authors, pamphlets, maps, city directories, and other materials of value to the future local historian. Well, I for one don t think so. The DAR was founded in 1890 to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence. I m simply pointing out that history is not solely national and that local communities need to enable organizations to collect, preserve, and display local and regional history.