Newspaper Article 2012 – Donation speeds up conversion

Donation speeds up conversion

A $50,000 donation from the Eastern and Central Community Trust will speed up the conversion of the historic Stoneycroft homestead into a digital knowledge bank.

The money is being used to restore the interior of the Omahu Rd building, built in 1875. It is expected to open later this year as a digital archive where historic data, photo-graphs and old film can be preserved and stored using modern technology. It will also be available to members of the public wanting to convert historic information into new technology formats for future reference.

Chairperson of the Hawke’s Bay Digital Archives Trust, Dr David Barry, says teams of volunteers and qualified trades staff are on the job refurbishing the interior, stripping wallpaper from the scrim underneath and searching for wallpaper to match the era of the house. Rewiring and fibre optic cabling for computers, printers and other equipment is also being installed.

The management of stored material will also be an important role of the archive to ensure long-term preservation of all materials held digitally.

A sound proof room is being built where interviews can be carried out with elderly people or others who have historic knowledge or tales to record.

Dr Barry believes the new Hawke’s Bay facility will be one of the first of its type, with only the National Library providing a more extensive collection of this type of material.

Stoneycroft is a registered historic building owned by the Hastings District Council. The building has already been reroofed, and a fire sprinkler system, alarming and earthquake strengthening has been carried out.

The interior refurbishment being funded by the Eastern and Central Community Trust could cost a total of $75,000 with the bulk of the work starting by the end of this month.

Photo caption – ROLE CHANGE: Stately Stoneycroft homestead’s conversion into a digital knowledge bank will be sped up by $50,000 donation from the Eastern and Central Community Trust.