Tomball archivist outlines progress: collections, mold response and digital catalog plans

Allison Larocca, Tomball’s newly hired historical archivist, told council on May 18 that the Tomball Archives & History Center has doubled its collections this quarter, upgraded storage, and launched a public web page that will link to a forthcoming catalog.

Larocca said the archive has six collections in custody, including a fully digitized collection of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church ledgers with material dating to 1902. She described recent physical upgrades — shelving repairs, a flat‑file cabinet for oversized plans and artwork, and custom enclosures for fragile ledgers — and said 467 newly created digital objects and about 64 new archival boxes were added to the inventory this quarter.

The archivist also described an emergency mold response: staff quarantined and removed contaminated pages from a scrapbook, used PPE and freezer treatment to deactivate spores, and ultimately decided a portion of the affected materials was too damaged to return to the collection. High‑quality archival photographs were taken of the disinfected objects and catalog records were updated so the community can still access those items online.

Larocca described partnerships to expand exhibitions and conservation work, including a proposal from a regional textile conservator to treat two deteriorating 1897 dresses at the Railroad Depot Museum, and plans for a rotating exhibit once the depot items are conserved. She asked for continued staff support and materials; the council thanked her for progress and noted the program’s potential as a community resource.

Larocca said the next priorities are implementing the digital hosting so items can be viewed online, building partnerships with local museums and schools, and marketing the archive to encourage donations and community involvement. A summer intern will support processing and cataloging work.