A West Virginia University Libraries employee has answered the call to help the state preserve its heritage for future generations.

Gov. Joe Manchin appointed Harold M. Forbes, a Morgantown native and associate curator of the WVU LibrariesWest Virginia and Regional History Collection, to the West Virginia Archives and History Commission.

The commission is a citizen advisory board to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Among other activities, it provides guidance to state officials for three sections within the division: archives and history, historic preservation and museums.

The commission also approves nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

It is really quite an honor,Forbes said.I can see, having met the other people on the commission, that the members are carefully selected.

The historic preservation office is responsible for identifying, recognizing, preserving and protecting West Virginias historic structures, objects and sites.

The archives and history section collects and preserves the states historic publications and records, while the museums display historic pieces and other state treasures.

One focus of the commission that particularly interests Forbes is the consideration of nominees for national historic places. Its a new arena for the WVU Libraries employee, who has spent the past three decades concentrating on the documentary aspect of history.

Nominations have to go through a lot of hurdles,Forbes said.If it reaches the national register, thats a pretty good indication that its worthy.

Forbes joined the WVU Libraries in 1973 as assistant curator for the West Virginia and Regional History Collection, which is housed in the Wise Library on the Downtown Campus, and was named associate curator in 1981. In 1994, he added the title of curator of rare books.

Forbes earned both his bachelors and masters degrees in history from WVU and his masters in library science from the University of Pittsburgh.

He credits his longevity at WVU to his sense of purpose and belief that hes found his calling in life.

My interest in history and its preservation just occurs naturally to me,Forbes said.All my family has lived inand loved living inWest Virginia for many generations, and working with West Virginia history seemed a natural path for my career.