Best "Worst Archives"

It's no secret that the state of many small-town and county archives (and even many small colleges) is dire. The Society of American Archivists made lemonade of out lemons when it announced on Wednesday the winner of its "Worst Archives" contest: The Houston County Archives in Tennessee. According to an email sent out by the SAA, "The entries were judged on current storage conditions, funding needs and the urgent action required to preserve the collection." The winner received a $250 gift certificate from Gaylord, an archival supply company, to make-over its archives.

Runners-up included the Gooding County Historical Society and the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum.