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Measurement and Metrics for US Presidential Libraries

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Measurement and Metrics for US Presidential Libraries Measurement and Metrics for US Presidential Libraries Wanda Dole Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, USA Jack Robertson Jefferson Library at Monticello, USA Abstract NARA Presidential Libraries Although there are established measurements There are currently 13 NARA presidential libraries and metrics for academic libraries, there are few, documenting the lives of presidents from Herbert if any, for presidential libraries, especially hybrid Hoover to George W. Bush. The inspiration for presidential libraries. The presidential library the system came from the Rutherford B. Hayes system, which is part of the National Archives and Presidential Center, which opened to the public on Records Administration (NARA), administers 13 May 30, 1916. The Hayes Center inspired Franklin libraries documenting the lives and work of US Delano Roosevelt to establish a library to house his presidents since Herbert Hoover (1929–1933). papers on the Roosevelt estate in Hyde Park, NY, Libraries and museums documenting the lives of in 1939. earlier presidents are housed and administered in a variety of ways—by foundations, universities, In 1950, Harry S. Truman decided that he, too, would state historical libraries, and state governments. build a library to house his presidential papers and This presentation examines and compares the helped to spur congressional action. The Presidential characteristics and current practices of NARA and Libraries Act of 1955 (http://www.archives pre-NARA presidential libraries and attempts to .gov/presidential-libraries/laws/1955-act.html) identify guidelines and metrics for measuring them. established a system of privately built and federally It examines in depth the unique characteristics maintained libraries. In each case, funds from private and challenges of two pre-NARA presidential and non-federal public sources provided the funds libraries: the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library to build the library. Once completed, the private and Museum in Springfield, IL, and the Thomas organization turned over the libraries to NARA to Jefferson Foundation, which owns and operates operate and maintain. Monticello in Charlottesville, VA. The Presidential Records Act of 1978 (http://www Introduction .archives.gov/presidential-libraries/laws/1978-act Although there are established measurements .html) established that the presidential records and metrics for academic libraries, there are few, that document the constitutional, statutory, and if any, for presidential libraries, especially hybrid ceremonial duties of the president are the property presidential sites, which combine libraries and of the United States government. After a president archives with home sites, museums, and education leaves office, the archivist of the United States centers. The federal presidential library system, assumes custody of the records. The act allowed which is part of the National Archives and Records for the continuation of presidential libraries as Administration (NARA), administers 13 sites. These the repository for presidential records. There preserve archives and artifacts documenting the lives are currently 13 NARA presidential libraries that and work of US presidents since Herbert Hoover follow national standards for preservation and (1929–1933). Libraries and museums documenting access to public records established by statute earlier presidents are administered in a variety of and administered by NARA. NARA establishes the ways—by foundations, universities, state historical metrics used by these libraries. libraries, and state governments. 460 Dole and Robertson Pre-NARA Libraries images, and 80 years of TJF unprocessed archives. In addition to the 13 NARA presidential libraries, Since 2002 it has grown to 25,000 books and there are commemorative sites for 29 presidents, 10,000 research reports and vertical files. The some of which support research libraries for scholars integrated library system provides analyzed and and some with information centers for staff use only. abstracted records for all material. Two-thirds of These sites, addressing 69% of American presidential the institutional archives, which originally consisted history,1 range widely in governance, funding, of 1,500 linear feet of “stuff,” have been processed staffing, programming, public engagement, and into 75 record groups and finding aids entered into support of scholarly endeavors. There is no network the Archon archives management system for public or association within which these libraries share access. Particular emphasis on acquisition of digital common values or data-driven planning, and even historical resources has resulted in provision of a listing of agencies associated with the American nearly 100 databases containing over 100 million presidency is hard to come by. The Jefferson Library full-text titles. JL has become the Library of Record at Monticello and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential for Thomas Jefferson research and scholarship. Library and Museum are pre-NARA presidential libraries, and they will be described and assessed in The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and some detail. In addition, findings of a survey of key Museum traces its roots to 1889 when the Illinois sites representing all presidents prior to Herbert General Assembly established the Illinois State Hoover will be presented. Historical Library as a repository for materials on the state’s political, social, and religious history. A The Jefferson Library at Monticello and the large collection of Lincoln materials collected by Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Illinois governor Henry Horner and willed to the library upon his death in 1940 formed the foundation Museum of the library’s Lincoln Collection. Later additions The Jefferson Library (JL) opened on April 13, 2002, included the 1942 acquisition of an original copy of and adopted as its mission: “to provide access to the Gettysburg Address in Lincoln’s hand purchased information on Thomas Jefferson’s life, times, and in part with pennies donated by schoolchildren, an legacy.” JL is the information services and resources extensive collection of other manuscripts written or provider and the institutional archives repository signed by Lincoln, as well as books, photographs, and for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which artifacts relating to his life, times, and legacy. has owned and operated Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, since 1923. TJF is incorporated as a Although known for its namesake, the library 501c3 and has over 300 staff members, of whom contains an outstanding collection of materials on 200 have academic knowledge-based jobs. JL is a Illinois’ history, including eight miles of below- component of the International Center for Jefferson ground stacks that house books, original maps, and Studies (ICJS) founded in 1994, which provides thousands of boxes of personal papers and other residential fellowships for 30 research fellows and records relating to Illinois’ political, business, and hosts another two dozen visiting scholars per year. cultural leaders. The print collection includes over In the past 20 years these fellows and scholars have 200,000 volumes. The manuscripts department produced over 400 publications based on work at contains roughly 6,000 manuscript collections with Monticello. JL supports other key components of over 12 million items; approximately 1,100 of the TJF: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement collections have a Civil War component. The AV Series (Princeton University Press), Archaeology and department contains over 500,000 photographs and the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative negatives, as well as over 20,000 films, videotapes, Slavery, Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants, audiotapes, posters, broadsides, and works of art. the Curatorial and Restoration Department, and The Lincoln Collection contains roughly 52,000 the Education and Visitor Programs Department. items, including manuscripts, published items, Many students, researchers, and scholars from relics, artworks, newspapers, broadsides, prints, the University of Virginia, which was founded by maps, and music. The library is responsible for Jefferson in 1816–1819 across town from Monticello, microfilming approximately 270 local newspapers conduct work at the JL. from 102 Illinois counties. The newspaper collection has 100,000 reels of microfilm. The library hosts JL commenced with 5,000 uncatalogued books, approximately 48,000 visitors annually. 50+ years accumulation of gray literature and 461 2016 Library Assessment Conference The Survey 4. Nature/scope of physical facilities: age/size/ The authors sought to identify the characteristics public, staff, storage of pre-NARA libraries and to learn if the data 5. Archives: original manuscripts/facsimiles/family collected by the libraries were similar to those found and friends/digital finding aids and/or digital in previous surveys. They also wanted to identify content initiatives how the libraries used the data and what data were 6. Electronic outreach: online catalog/website (and considered useful for measuring performance and stats)/online pubs/born-digital scholarship/ doing planning. They used both qualitative and digital dissemination initiatives quantitative methods to gather this information. 7. Funding sources: through governing agency operating budgets/endowments/fund raising/ Robertson phoned, e-mailed, and visited a number of grants pre-NARA presidential libraries. His calls and visits 8. Connections/collaborations/networking:
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