The Archival Spirit Society of American Archivists December , 2016
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Archivists of Religious Collections Section, of the The Archival Spirit Society of American Archivists December , 2016 From the Chair Hello everyone, Contents ARCS held an extremely successful session program, described her work coordina- From the Chair 1 at SAA 2016 in August. The overarching ting a qualitative study of religious topic was drawn from Terry Cook’s 2012 Announcements 2 studies scholars. description of a paradigm shift in which the Sr. M. Claude Lane, archival raison d’être shifts from the Because many archivists who were O.P., Award preservation of evidence to the definition unable to attend the meeting in Atlanta NEHA Call for Papers expressed interest in the subject and of community. ARCS presented a panel of community and religious archivists who the presenters, ARCS Secretary Russell From the Members ably considered the possible intersections Gasero volunteered to video the presen- 3 Reformed Church Missionary of this topic and drew some impressive tations. These videos are currently Introduces Japan to the available on Vimeo at: audience discussion. Modern World Terry Baxter: 4 https://vimeo.com/179240918 Outreach at the United Danielle Cooper: Methodist Archives and https://vimeo.com/179211238 History Center Rebecca Hankins: 5 The Story of an Archival Colleen McFarland Rademaker moderated https://vimeo.com/178673854 Record a panel or four diverse specialists. Starting Malachy McCarthy: 6 off was Malachy McCarthy (pictured at top- https://vimeo.com/179371377 left) who discussed aspects of archiving a Alexian Brothers Provincial Archives Receives Early religious congregation’s records. Following ARCS plans to continue to develop and Documents of the offer sessions that engage the general were Terry Baxter (pictured at top-right) Congregation with insights on community archives and SAA community as well as current 7 Rebecca Hankins (pictured at bottom-left), section members. We are most grateful Not a Separation between who offered perspectives on the various to this year’s presenters and to all who Church and State Kind of attended. cultural issues that face Muslim archivists. Collection: Newly acquired works from the Christian Best wishes, Identity movement Denise Gallo, Section Chair From the Steering Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives Committee 8 Emmitsburg, MD Finally, Danielle Cooper (pictured at bottom-right), an analyst at Ithaka S+R in the Libraries and Scholarly Communication 2 Nominations Open for Sister M. CALL FOR PAPERS NominationsClaude Lane, OpenO.P. Memorial for Award NEHA Annual Conference Sister M. Claude Lane, June 20 – 23, 2017 New York City TheO.P. Society Memorial of American Award Archivists’ Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award. The 2017 NEHA Annual Conference will be held June 20th through June 23rd, This award recognizes individuals who have primarily on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. made a significant contribution to the field of Registration materials for the conference will be available by February. religious archives. It is named in honor of Sister M. Claude Lane, the first professionally Complex issues related to immigration have shaped American spiritual identity from trained archivist at the Catholic Archives of the pre-colonial era to the present day: voluntary and forced migrations, demographic Texas in Austin, who served there from 1960 shifts and pressures, temporary and permanent ethnic group relocations and until her death in 1974. The award is removals have all informed the Episcopal Church’s constantly evolving mission, sponsored by the Society of Southwest purpose and identity. Archivists, in conjunction with Society of American Archivists. We are seeking paper and presentation proposals related to the conference theme “Immigration, Going Out and Coming In: Ministries, Transitions and Change in Criteria for nomination include: the Episcopal Church.” A sample of topics might be, but are not limited to: Involvement and work in the immigration patterns in the Episcopal Church across eras (17th-20th Archivists of Religious Collections centuries) and geographies: colonial; national; Westward expansion and Section (ARCS) of the Society of American Archivists. territories effects of demographic shifts in dioceses, parishes, neighborhoods; in Contributions to archival literature that relates to religious archives. churches, chapels and missions; in Episcopal schools, seminaries and service organizations Participation and leadership in religious archives organizations. global connections, such as the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion or missionary societies Evidence of leadership in specific religious archives. contributions to the Episcopal Church of immigrants, migrants and migrant workers, refugees, mariners, military Only individual archivists are eligible for influence of immigration and demographic shifts on Episcopal identity: nomination. The award finalist is recognized language, liturgy, ideas, customs, artifacts with a certificate from SAA and a $300 cash prize provided by the Society of Southwest Paper and presentation proposals related to archives and archival management are Archivists at the annual Society of American encouraged but are not limited to: Archivists meeting. basic preservation problems and protocols, from colonial manuscripts to contemporary digital media Nomination forms and guidelines are organization, cataloging and finding aids available online, and can be submitted via use of digitization in the archival process email. To download the nomination form, using archives to tell stories, write histories, develop congregational identity please visit this web address. This page also ethical issues: confidentiality, records retention policies, access, publication includes more information on the award and list of past winners. Presenters are allocated 20 minutes with an expectation of 15 minutes of The deadline for submitting nominations is presentation with 5 minutes for questions. Presentations may be requested for February 28, 2017. publication. Proposals must include the following: paper or presentation title and a 150-200 word abstract If you have any questions about the award or an explanation of the need for additional time and total time needed if you the nomination process, please contact: anticipate the paper or presentation may need longer more than the 20 minutes allotted Jillian Ewalt brief resume of the speaker that may also be used for promotion of the Metadata Archivist conference Japanese American Digitization Project any expected media/audio-visual requirements Special Collections and Archives California State University, Sacramento Proposals must be received at [email protected] no later than February 1, 2017 for [email protected] consideration. Address questions and submit proposals to [email protected]. 3 From the Members Reformed Church Missionary Introduces Japan to the Modern World Many years ago, the Archivists of Religious Institutions had a meeting in which everyone was invited to bring something from their collection and share a story about it. It was one of the most enjoyable meetings that we had had. In that spirit, here is a document and the story behind it from the Archives of the Reformed Church in America. Within three days of the opening of the Port of Yokohama to the western nations in 1859, the RCA had missionaries on the ground. Guido Verbeck, S.R. Brown, and Duane B. Simmons arrived ready to begin mission work in a country in which becoming a Christian was punishable by death. What these missionaries and their successors accomplished is one of the most outstanding stories of transformation we have. Verbeck conducted the first Protestant baptism in modern Japan when he baptized a samurai warrior behind closed doors and shuttered windows. The death penalty was in force. The samurai had found a New Testament floating in the bay and he recovered and read it. He went to Verbeck for explanations and in the course of some time, accepted Christ and was baptized by Verbeck. This was Russell L. Gasero, Archivist the first of many and the establishment of the modern Protestant church. Reformed Church in America Verbeck became a close confidant and advisor to the Japanese government as it New Brunswick, NJ opened itself to the western nations. His character and his witness made him a trusted advisor to the highest levels of leadership. They began to understand and respect the faith of Verbeck. He was so trusted that he wrote “A Brief Sketch” which was the plan for the Iwakura Embassy. This group, sent by the emperor, introduced Japan to the western world through a trip to Europe and the United States. Their entry to the modern global political arena was a result of Verbeck’s plan and efforts (in a similar manner, the development of modern education in Japan has its roots with Verbeck but that is another story). Guido Verbeck’s plan for the Iwakura Embassy, 1871 [Image courtesy of the Archives of the Reformed Church in America] 2 4 From the Members Outreach at the United Methodist Archives and History Center The United Methodist Archives and History Center is a collaboration between two institutions: Drew University Library and the General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH), which houses the archive of the United Methodist Church. With the two collections combined, the Center holds one of the world’s largest collections of global Methodism, as well as Drew University’s non- Methodist special