Holly Croft, associate director of Georgia College & State University’s Special Collections, was recently appointed to a three-year term on the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council by Gov. Brian Kemp.
In an executive order, Kemp selected Croft to serve as one of the council’s 12 members through June 2027. The group meets once a year but works online to review applications for funding, choose worthy preservationists for annual awards and tends to other historical state issues.
“When asked if I'd be interested, I was surprised,” Croft said. “Getting sworn in and being able to serve the public in this capacity is a privilege. It’s rewarding to help people see the incredible history we have in the state of Georgia. By understanding the past, we can move more confidently to the future.”
The council, formerly known as the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board, was created in 1993 for the preservation of historical records throughout the state and to ensure citizens know how to access this information. To do this, members work closely with educators, local governments, historical repositories and professional organizations.
The council also offers $2,000 to $5,000 grants for implementing projects that identify, preserve and provide access to historical records within the state. Its yearly award program recognizes exceptional efforts by historical archivists and organizations in Georgia.
Croft earned a degree in English from the University of Georgia and a master’s in library and information science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She’s a past president of the Society of Georgia Archivists and also serves as a Georgia Heritage Responder, assisting cultural heritage sites in the state during disasters.
At Georgia College, since 2016, Croft first worked as the university’s digital archivist in Ina Dillard Russell Library then as interim associate director for Special Collections. She officially took on that role in May and also teaches courses for the information studies minor.
In Special Collections, Croft’s in charge of safeguarding the archival repository and materials required for recordkeeping and documenting Middle Georgia’s history.
“We collect a variety of things in order to tell a story about this area as complete as we can,” Croft said. “To do that, we take in official university records but also community collections. These include varied materials from professors and civic clubs to everyday folks, who tell us their stories through oral histories.
“To do this work,” she said, “we create relationships in the community, so people have the opportunity to document their unique experiences.”
- Contributed