NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
C O VER–– E & B Markets, 1973?, plastic shopping bag. I NSIDE–– Processing and Providing Access to Boston's Based on The Big Push (for CBS), 1957. Courtesy of Stephen African American and Latino History (Archival Insight, page Lee Taller Ben Shahn Archive, Fine Arts Library, Harvard 4); Community and Communication--The Story of the University (Around and About, page 20). Archives for Women in Medicine (Open Forum, page 12); The Stephen Lee Taller Ben Shahn Archive at Harvard University (Around and About, page 20). ❦
❦ N EW E NGLAND A RCHIVISTS 2 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
Table of Contents
WPI Archives and Special Collections Gordon Library 100 Institute Road • Worcester, MA 01609
From the Editors
- Susan Earle
his issue of the NEA Newsletter focuses in various ways mid- and late-twentieth century medicine. In this article, Ton the challenges of selecting and appraising manu- Giordana Mecagni, Project Archivist at Countway Library’s script materials. It features two articles dealing with the dif- Center for the History of Medicine, reports on the efforts ficulties and rewards inherent in collecting and processing to both provide better access to existing collections and to underrepresented communities and professions. Archival acquire the records of first-generation women leaders in Insight describes the experiences of two Northeastern Harvard medicine who are now nearing retirement. University archivists in processing the papers of seven pri- vate, non-profit organizations related to social justice in Around and About describes the holdings of the Stephen Boston’s African American and Latino communities. The Lee Taller Ben Shahn Archive at Harvard University. Frank articles also features an interesting response to the ideas Boles’s book, Selecting and Appraising Archives and expressed in Mark Greene and Dennis Meisner’s article Manuscripts, reviewed in this issue by Anastasia Weigel, “More Product, Less Process.” describes decisions archivists must make about the materials they select. Finally, Nora Murphy’s From the President col- Open Forum, in turn, describes the Women in Medicine umn reminds us of the importance and rewards of advocacy project at Harvard Medical School, which aims to represent and urges us all to attend the fall meeting at the University and document the special role that women have played in of New Hampshire in Durham, October 20-21. ❦ ❦
❦ N EW E NGLAND A RCHIVISTS
Fall 2006 Meeting: "Passionate About Archives"
The passions are the only advocates which always persuade. They are a natural art, the rules of which are infallible; and the simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without. --François de la Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)
• If you want to know how the National Historical Publications and Records Commission advocates for archives on many levels . . . • If you want to discuss special interest topics with colleagues . . . • If you want to promote the use of your collections . . . • If you want to share your excitement about archives . . .
Then join us for Passionate About Archives at University of New Hampshire on October 20 & 21, 2006 Courtesy of UNH Photo Services. 4 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
Archival Insight Processing and Providing Access to Boston’s African American and Latino History Marisa Hudspeth and Kimberly Reynolds, Archives & Special Collections Department, Northeastern University
he Archives and Special encoded descriptive inventories avail- mission is to guarantee residents of the T Collections Department able electronically in HTML via the Villa Victoria community long term (UASCD) at Northeastern University University Archives and Special control over their housing by offering has completed the first year of a two Collections Department Web site programs in community organizing year grant funded project from the
less well-organized records of non- evidence of any forethought or under- collection. The most significant rea- profit organizations, Greene and standing of what material should be son for item-level screening, however, Meissner specifically suggest that “col- sent to the archives. The amount of was the need to identify potentially lections that are truly unorganized duplicated and historically insignifi- restricted information, an issue should be sorted/ordered only into cant material was enormous, includ- Greene and Meissner fail to address. series” with the caveat “unless, again, ing cancelled checks, federal registers, Although we were able to assess at the their perceived research importance and grant writing guidelines. In total, folder level some portions of the col- demands more detailed work” (p. we returned over 141 cubic feet of dis- lections that obviously did not need 244). In our case, we felt more cards to the organizations, an amount to be screened for this type of sensi- detailed processing was needed not of space we definitely deem worth the tive information, the bulk of the mate- only because of the high research value amount of time we spent weeding, rial did have social security numbers, of the collections involved, but also especially considering the space con- personal client and employee informa- due to the condition and types of straint we face. tion, and sensitive legal documents material we received. scattered throughout. In sum, consid- The disorganization and poor ering the poor previous storage condi- We deviated from Greene and condition of the records also resulted tions and overall organization of the Meissner primarily in two respects, in the need for item-level screening records, we decided it was too risky to item-level weeding and screening. The and subsequent minimal arrange- both the physical and the intellectual choices we made, however, were not ment. We encountered a significant integrity of the collection to process made due to “professional fastidious- number of labels that did not accu- these collections at the series level. ness” or “our reluctance to be perceived rately reflect the contents of folders, as sloppy or uncaring by users and missing labels, and unfoldered mate- Our experience processing these others” (p. 241). Although Greene and rials. Although the fading and acidic collections has reinforced our view that Meissner argue that we should no papers throughout the collection were because each collection arrives with a “longer insist that the small amounts in most cases in no immediate danger different level of organization and with of space saved by weeding at the item of damaging the collections, consider- different restriction and preservation level are remotely worth the amount ing the climate controlled environ- issues, processing levels for every series of time such action takes” (p. 243), we ment of the archives, all the collec- of each collection need to be carefully would argue that is not always the case. tions had a significant number of determined. For all three collections, the material moldy documents that did need to be had been hastily boxed, had little to no screened for and removed to keep *This article appears in Volume 68, order, and was demonstrably lacking them from posing a threat to the entire Number 2 of The American Archivist. ❦
(left to right) Processing Assistant Dominique Tremblay and Assistant (left to right) Processing Assistants Susan Martin and Zachary Enright, and Archivist Marisa Hudspeth. Project Archivist Kimberly Reynolds. 6 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
Internet Tidbits a section called “Search Tips”—a great resource for researchers, with a link to the AAS online catalog, helpful - Susan Martin hints for searching, and specific examples.
he newest online exhibit from the American All of the items in the exhibit are beautifully reproduced, TAntiquarian Society (AAS), “Architectural Resources at down to the small print, signatures, annotations, details, the American Antiquarian Society,” showcases some of the colors, shadows, and imperfections of the originals. One library’s many items related to the history of American archi- particularly nice example is Earle & Fuller’s drawing of the tecture. Created by AAS staff members Christine Graham west elevation of St. John’s Church in North Adams, Mass.; and Jaclyn Donovan and accessible at
The exhibit begins with a brief introduction to the architectural resources at the AAS, which include design books, biographies of architects, architectural journals, gen- Back Issues of the eral reference books, and other secondary sources. The intro- NEA Newsletter duction is followed by individual sections devoted to draw- ings, lithographs, periodicals, and the Forbes Collection of Now Available Online! architectural photographs. The Forbes Collection at the AAS contains (among many other items) 800 photographs of Visit us at local architecture taken by Harriette Merrifield Forbes of
Promote your photograph collections by sharing an image of an historic event, place, or person with the NEA community.
The NEA Newsletter is seeking submissions from repositories in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont for back cover pictorial features in This Season in New England History. Send submissions in JPG or TIFF format, along with a caption detailing the subject of the photograph, to:
Inside NEA Executive Board Meeting Report
From the President - Elizabeth Slomba
- Nora Murphy The business handled at the June 19, 2006 meeting of the Executive Board is hat is Advocacy? While summarized below. All VOTING is in WMerriam-Webster’s definition of bold. Complete minutes are available on advocacy as "the act or process of advo- the NEA Web site or from the secretary. cating or supporting a cause or propos- al" may immediately bring to mind the The meeting was called to order at image of someone proselytizing from a 11:00 AM by Nora Murphy. Minutes soap box, there are many more subtle from the March 10, 2006 Board Meeting were presented. forms of advocacy we can utilize. All members voted to accept the March 10, 2006 Board Meeting Minutes. There was a brief discussion about Archivists have been trying for years to craft what some refer various committee reports and replacing retiring committee to as the "elevator pitch," bigger than a sound bite but members. smaller than a paragraph, to set the stage for conversation about what we do. So far we have not found a statement Officers’ Reports that applies universally. Maybe we try too hard to explain everything rather than finding small bits of information President with which to start a conversation and further our cause. Nora Murphy reported on difficulties in finding a location I’d like each of us to think about how we can invite interest for the Spring 2007 Meeting and noted that she will be put- in what we do. ting together a Spring 2007 Program Committee. The board discussed going back to the Lowell location used for Develop ways to describe why what you care for is previous NEA spring meetings. important to your town, college, society, or organization in everyday life as well as historically. Think of the big picture Vice-President – an entire repository – or parts of that picture – a single Chris Burns discussed locations and recruiting for the Fall collection or program aspect – tailor it to your particular 2007 Meeting committees. situation. Spread the word about your work with exhibits (physical or virtual), brochures, presentations, ‘find of the Immediate Past President week/month’ emails to non-archives coworkers, newsletters, Paul Carnahan is recruiting volunteers for the 2007 annual reports, or conversations with colleagues – the possi- Nominating Committee as well as candidates for Treasurer, bilities are limitless. Experiment to find what works best Vice-President/President-Elect, and two Representatives- for you. Share successful and unsuccessful ideas and tactics At-Large. He is also looking for nominees for the with other NEA members – then maybe we can begin to Distinguished Service and Archival Advocacy Awards before craft that elevator speech that will benefit all of us. Advocacy the spring meeting. is about supporting what we do in any way we can.
I hope to see you at the fall meeting at the University of New Hampshire in Durham on October 20-21, when there will To reach NEA officers, please be lots of opportunities to trade stories and ideas! ❦ see contact information on the NEA Web site at:
Treasurer was discussion about funding the printing of additional Lois Hamill sent in updates concerning the budget and cur- copies. Outreach had considered posting a PDF of the rent spending. The board discussed the projected budget brochure on the NEA Web site, but there are concerns about and current expenses of the Newsletter Committee and the quality of brochure copies printed from it. whether the committee had been adequately funded. Membership Committee The Membership Committee proposed forming a Meetings Membership Retention and Recruitment Task Force to research issues concerning membership, recruitment, and Fall 2006 Program and Local Arrangements Committees retention. All members voted in favor to establish a Elizabeth Slomba discussed the proposed budget for the Fall Membership Retention and Recruitment Task Force and 2006 Meeting, food costs, and likely attendance numbers. to appoint Debbie Richards and Lianne Keary co-chairs. There was a lengthy discussion about vendors and confer- The committee plans to meet through 2008. Board mem- ences. The board also discussed a proposal to create a stan- bers discussed how to handle legacy membership informa- dard registration fee for each conference. All members tion, the numbers of new members versus old members, voted to set the Fall 2006 Meeting registration fee at $45 retention rates, how renewals are handled, and creation of for members, $75 for non-members, $22.50 for students lists of non-renewing members. There was an initial discus- and $15 late fee. sion among Membership Committee members about ways to recruit and retain members, such as getting lists from There was a general discussion about the program and the other organizations and members calling non-renewing number of speakers. members. There was a brief update on the status of the mem- bership directory. It was suggested that there be a survey to find out why people do not renew their membership. Committee Reports to the Board College and University Archivist Conference Development Coordinator Steering Committee Jane Ward reported that she raised $3900 at the Spring 2006 Board members discussed at length the report from the Meeting and hopes to raise $3000 for the Fall 2006 Meeting. College and University Archivist Conference Steering Committee recommending that NEA sponsor a conference Outreach Committee for college and university archivists. They debated sugges- April Hagins reported on the Outreach Committee’s work tions that the proposed conference be held before a regular with the Massachusetts Memories project, funded through NEA meeting or as a regular NEA meeting. Although the the Massachusetts Historical Records Advisory Board report had recommended a conference be held separately (MHRAB). Outreach has created a basic informative from the two semi-annual NEA meetings, concerns were brochure to be distributed at Massachusetts Memories expressed about the impact of a third conference in the events aimed at teachers. NEA had committed to staffing region on attendance at the NEA meetings and about the pilot project events and expressed interest in staffing future difficulty in recruiting three program and local arrange- events if possible. Now that the brochure has been created, ments committees in the same year. There was discussion of Outreach is considering using the brochure at other NEA whether NEA had had special theme programming for con- events and for public relations purposes. There will be a lim- ferences before and whether special programming could ited print run of the brochure for distribution at splinter NEA. There was further discussion about conflicts Massachusetts Memories events; if NEA plans to use the with other organizations’ conferences and the need to hold brochure, NEA will need to pay for additional copies. There the annual business meeting at the spring meeting. The board also discussed holding the specially themed meeting in fall 2007 and developing programming around the New Please visit us online at England region that would be of interest to the member-
lectures, round-tables, and sponsoring events with similar Please visit us online at organizations.
Jane A. Callahan Michelle Romero Other Business Simmons College
Brenda Lawson announced that NEA members had given David Dwiggins NEW INSTITUTIONAL $1535 to the SSA-SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Simmons College MEMBERS Grant Fund. The NEA donation challenge has been met, so NEA will be sending the challenge donation to the Society Joshua A. Lascell Littleton Historical of American Archivists. Simmons College Society (Mass.)
Next Meeting Date and adjournment Kim Nusco New Hampshire Technical The next quarterly Executive Board Meeting will take place Massachusetts Historical Institute Library at Dimond Library, University of New Hampshire, October Society 20, 2006, time to be announced. ❦ Amy Palmer Historical Associates Inc. 10 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
People University collects in the fields of literature, criticism, jour- nalism, drama, music, film, civil rights, diplomacy, and Jeffrey Marshall Named University Libraries’ national affairs. Prior to being named managing director, Director of Research Collections Paladino was associate director and served in various capac- ities at the center over the past twenty-nine years. A New ssociate Library Professor Jeffrey York City native, Paladino earned a bachelor’s degree in AwMarshall has been named the Sociology and a master’s degree in Social Work from Boston University of Vermont Libraries’ Director University. In the past two years, the center has acquired of Research Collections, following the the collections of such noteworthy figures as Emmy and retirement of Connell Gallagher, whose Tony Award-winning actress Tyne Daly; two-time Pulitzer thirty-six years of service helped to build Prize winner Russell Baker; author and Vanity Fair writer- collections of distinction, such as UVM’s at-large Marie Brenner; investigative journalist and author public policy archives and artists’ books collections. Gerald Posner; Village Voice theater critic Gordon Rogoff; Senator Edward W. Brooke, III; opera stars Deborah Voigt Over the last eighteen years, Marshall has served as and Denyce Graves; best-selling mystery and crime fiction UVM Special Collection’s University Archivist, Curator of writer Robert B. Parker; and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Manuscripts, and most recently, Curator of the Wilbur Franz Wright. A sample of the recent events hosted by the Collection. Prior to that, he was a manuscript curator at HGARC include a presentation by Newsweek Senior the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston. Marshall Editor, columnist and author Jonathan Alter; an evening brings extensive knowledge of UVM’s collections and a great with renowned choreographer Mark Morris and the Boston body of scholarship on Vermont history. He has produced Ballet’s Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen; and an on-stage guides to Special Collections’ photographs, Civil War interview with Golden Globe-winning actress Mary-Louise papers, and university records, and has written about mate- Parker. The center’s collections vary in size and content rials as diverse as the Dorothy Canfield Fisher papers and and contain a variety of manuscripts, drafts, galleys, notes, photographs documenting the Winooski mills. notebooks, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, reviews, photo- graphs, memorabilia, and personal and professional corre- Marshall is the author of two books. AWar of the People: spondence. Although the twentieth century is the specialty Vermont Civil War Letters features Civil War letters from of the center, there are substantial holdings of earlier his- UVM’s Special Collections and from archival repositories torical documents and over 140,000 rare books. Under around the nation. It was a finalist for the Vermont Book Gotlieb, who died in December 2005 at age seventy-nine, Professionals Association’s Book of the Year Award and the Boston University was one of the first to specialize in con- winner of the Society of American Archivists’ Philip M. temporary archiving, and it now contains private papers Hamer/Elizabeth Hamer Kegan Award for increasing pub- and artifacts of more than 2,000 notable figures. lic awareness of archival or manuscript collections. His most recent work, The Inquest, is a historical novel based on the true but largely undocumented story of Experience “Speedy” Sheila R. Spalding Named Hospital Archivist Goodrich, a young woman who died after undergoing an at Children's Hospital Boston abortion in Burlington, Vermont, in 1830. heila R. Spalding has joined Children’s Hospital Boston Sas the Hospital Archivist. The Children’s Hospital Vita Paladino Named Gotlieb Center Director Boston Archives was established in 1993 to acquire, pre- serve, and make available the historical records that docu- ita Paladino, managing director of the Howard Gotlieb ment the ongoing history of the Children’s Hospital com- VArchival Research Center (HGARC) since February munity. The archives maintains a wide variety of collec- 2004, has been appointed director, succeeding Howard tions comprised of letters, publications, photographs, arti- Gotlieb, the center’s founder. Instituted in 1963 as Special facts, oral histories, and other records, which document the Collections and renamed in 2003 to honor its founder, the evolution of the institution as well as the guiding principals Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston that have inspired generations of physicians, nurses, and Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006 NEA NE WSLETTER 11
other professionals to provide the best care for sick and of the most recent class of SAA Fellows. Gregor, currently injured children. Serving as the hospital’s memory, the a preservation specialist for the Massachusetts Board of Children’s Hospital Boston Archives is fertile ground from Library Commissioners, holds a bachelor’s and double mas- which scholars can study the institution, the field of pedi- ter’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin. He has been atrics, and the role of health care workers. In addition, it extraordinarily successful in assisting institutions in preser- provides resources, such as data and imagery that support vation planning and implementation projects including dis- fund-raising, advertising, and public relations ventures. aster planning and recovery. The statewide preservation program he developed is, as one supporter noted, "worthy Spalding’s professional accomplishments include writ- to be a model for other state libraries and archives." ing metadata for the digital collections at the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston and assisting in the grand opening His most notable contribution has been coordinating of the library; processing and creating finding aids for over SAA’s response to hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Rita in 350 cubic feet of the Desegregation-era Records Collection 2005. Following the destruction caused by these hurricanes, at the City of Boston Archives, under an NHPRC funded he generously gave his time to represent SAA on the Heritage project; and assisting the Boston Public Schools with estab- Emergency National Task Force and helped SAA and its lishing a records management program under another members understand how best to respond to colleagues who NHPRC funded project. Spalding is currently the senior needed assistance. His outstanding service was recognized editor of the NEA Newsletter and the secretary for Friends by SAA’s governing council this year. of Boston City Archives. His professional involvement is indeed impressive. In addition to SAA, he participates actively in the Academy of Gregor Trinkaus-Randall Honored at SAA Certified Archivists, New England Archivists, Midwest Annual Meeting Archives Conference, Boston Archivists Group, and Association of College and Research Libraries. As his nom- regor Trinkaus-Randall was honored at the Society of inators summed up: Trinkaus-Randall "is a prototype for GAmerican Archivists DC 2006 Meeting as a member the dedicated archival professional." ❦
New Member/Change of Address/Directory Information
Name ______Date: ______Address: ______Telephone: ______Home Business Fax number: ______E-mail: ______
Please mail to New England Archivists: Rodney Obien WPI Archives & Special Collections Gordon Library 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609
Open Forum Community and Communication—The Story of the Archives for Women in Medicine Giordana Mecagni, Project Archivist, The Archives for Women in Medicine The Center for the History of Medicine, The Countway Library, Harvard University
ontemporary historian Jill Lepore matched by Dr. Martin on behalf of ACCESS—Bibliographic records Cobserved that “those who hold the Medical School. Funding was suf- the evidence make the history.” But ficient to hire a project archivist for We had an agenda, a mission, a where is the evidence of women’s con- three years. plan, but what kind of collections did tributions to Harvard medicine? AWM already have? A thorough CURRENT ACTIVITIES search of the holdings of the Since the admission of the first Countway’s Center for the History of female students in 1948, women have In 2005, I was hired to be the Medicine revealed a few collections played an increasingly important role Archives for Women in Medicine’s first that had been lost or were difficult to in the Harvard Medical School’s his- project archivist. Our first project was find. At the beginning of the project, tory. Despite this remarkable shift, to define our mission and charge: we determined that: women are woefully underrepresented in the manuscript holdings of the The Archives for Women in •Sixty collections fall under the Countway Library’s Center for the Medicine is an initiative to capture the AWM umbrella History of Medicine. history of women in medicine, starting •Eight were not in Harvard’s online with HMS and the affiliates. In partic- catalog at all HISTORY OF THE PROJECT ular, we are interested in documenting •Seventeen were not described in the social phenomenon that brought RLIN In 2000, Harvard Medical School women to the forefront of the profession •Fifteen had incorrect creator and Harvard School of Dental of medicine, and in honoring the lives names—either spelled incorrectly, Medicine’s Joint Committee on the and achievements of women in medi- or recorded with an incorrect Status of Women (JCSW) recognized cine. Working from our solid base of early name authority and acted upon the need to represent pioneers, we will continue to acquire col- and document the special role that lections of other noteworthy women pro- Of the sixty collections, only fif- women have played in mid- and late- fessionals. Our goals are to: teen were open to research, and of those, twentieth century medicine through only six had any kind of finding aid. their own records. •Provide better access to collections; •Acquire collections of personal and ACCESS—Processing In response to a call by Harvard professional papers of outstanding Medical School’s dean Dr. Joseph medical leaders; Once I cleaned up the biblio- Martin for projects and events to com- •Celebrate women in medicine, pub- graphic records, I moved on to memorate the new millennium, the licize our collections, and reach out processing. The first two collections Joint Committee on the Status of to our communities. I processed were the Lydia Dawes and Women initiated a partnership with the Ethel Collins Dunham papers. the Countway Library to create an For the initial three years, we decid- Dawes was a pioneer in child Archives for Women in Medicine ed to work on all three of these objec- psychiatry and the first child analyst (AWM). tives simultaneously: access, acquisi- and child psychiatrist at Children’s tions, and outreach. Our goal is to push Hospital. Dunham was a forerunner The JCSW undertook a vigorous the project’s agenda forward, while in care for newborns and premature fundraising effort that obtained gifts remaining nimble enough to seize any babies. Perhaps most importantly, from 120 faculty and community unexpected opportunity to advance or she established national standards members; these donations were promote women in medicine. for the care of newborns. Both Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006 NEA NE WSLETTER 13
women now have an EAD finding OUTREACH—Direct The traveling exhibition pays trib- aid in OASIS, Harvard’s finding aid ute to the lives and achievements of database. We have a mandate to honor the American women in medicine—past lives and accomplishments of female and present. We created a local list, I am currently working on the doctors making a difference, in the online and paper, in order to empha- Grete L. (Grete Lehner) Bibring, hope of inspiring a new generation of size the strong local representation in M.D., papers. A student of Freud’s medical leaders. this national exhibit. and a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, Bibring fled In the spring of 2006, AWM host- In addition to “Changing the Vienna with the Freuds after the Nazi ed an exhibition created by the Face,” we created two corollary exhibits annexation of Austria in 1938. She National Library of Medicine and the using Center for the History of soon settled in Boston and worked at American Library Association. Medicine material. “The Stetho-scope the Simmons School of Social Work “Changing the Face of Medicine: Sorority,” curated by Master of Liberal and at Harvard Medical School. In Arts in Museum Studies candidate 1946, she was appointed chief of psy- Lesley Schoenfeld, presents stories from chiatry at Boston’s Beth Israel some of the women in the Archives for Hospital, and in 1961 she became one Women in Medicine through their of the first women physicians appoint- original documents and photographs. ed to a full professorship at Harvard The materials selected illustrate these Medical School. Called the “doyenne women’s experiences as mentors, pio- of the Boston psychiatric communi- neering researchers, and strong voices. ty,” Bibring was president of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and “Refocusing Family Planning,” Institute, president of the American curated by Center for the History of Psychoanalytic Association, and vice Medicine staff member Jennifer president of the International Psycho- Pelose, chronicles the work of Analytical Association. Her papers are Abraham Stone and Alan Guttmacher rich, highly detailed, and extensive. in their roles as Director of the Margaret Sanger Research Bureau and AQUISITIONS as the President of Planned Parenthood-World Population, the Many first-generation women Planned Parenthood Federation of leaders in Harvard medicine are near- America, respectively. Both men were ing retirement. This gives us a unique Curator of the "Stethoscope Sorority: Stories responsible for shifting the focus of the from the Archives for Women in Medicine" opportunity to proactively capture the Lesley Schoenfeld shows guests items from the organization to include fertility servic- records of many pioneers. The project exhibit. Courtesy of the Harvard Medical Library es, marriage counseling, and the pre- that began as a grass-roots effort, sup- in the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine. vention of global overpopulation by ported by a few key, influential women collaborating with international col- and men at Harvard Medical School, Celebrating America’s Women leagues while continuing to provide has become wildly successful—partic- Physicians” used interactive multi- birth control and family planning edu- ularly on the acquisitions front. We media exhibits to tell the extraordinary cation in the United States. acquired the papers of HMS superstars story of how American women strug- Mary Ellen Wohl, Patricia Donahoe, gled to gain access to medical educa- We also reached out to dozens of and Lynne Reid. We also conducted tion and ultimately to pioneer in their media outlets and gained a wide range three Oral History interviews—two chosen medical specialties. On a of coverage. More than forty publica- with HMS faculty, and one with national tour, the exhibition stopped tions included articles about the Racquel Cohen, one of the students in at the Countway Library from March exhibits or mentioned the events that the first class of women at Harvard. 13 through April 20, 2006. we co-hosted. 14 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
We co-hosted five programs dur- Through registrations and strate- work to do. We are discussing the ing the time that the exhibit was at gically placed guest books, we capture future and formulating a plan to con- HMS. Perhaps the most exciting was and retain an email list of constituents tinue the project; including how to our opening celebration event with and contacts for future mailings, invi- fund it, how to continue to prioritize speakers Tenley Albright, M.D. and tations to events, and fundraising cam- the collections we collect, and how to Anne Klibanski, M.D., together with a paigns. We intend to foster a commu- care for future acquisitions. We will panel of female HMS doctors at vary- nity of people interested in coming continue to work on all three strands ing stages of their careers. This panel together to preserve the ‘stuff’ of of the project— access, acquisitions, brought the “Changing the Face” women in medicine. and outreach, and will add a fourth: exhibit to life as each panel member strategic planning and fundraising for candidly described her own experiences We take very seriously the state- the future of the Archives for Women as a woman in medicine. They ment that “those that hold the evi- in Medicine. explored the experiences, leadership, dence make the history.” We want to and accomplishments of women in ensure that the evidence is available, The Archives for Women in Medicine medicine by discussing the critical deci- accessible, and easily found by practi- The Center for the History of sions they made, the challenges they tioners, medical students, and history Medicine faced, and their proudest accomplish- of science and gender studies The Countway Library ments. More than 200 attendees researchers. We would like to foster Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM packed into our opening event, the telling of the extraordinary stories Phone: 617.432.2170 responded well to the panel, and par- of these women’s lives. Fax: 617.432.4737 ticipated in a lively question and answer session. We were delighted to THE FUTURE
Harvard Medical Students at the Opening of Changing the Face of Medicine. Courtesy of the Harvard Medical Library in the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine. Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006 NEA NE WSLETTER 15
News and Notes Mr. Donovan’s death in December 2005, Mrs. Mary Donovan donated her husband’s extensive collection of pho- tographs, timetables, publications, and research files to the CONNECTICUT Railroad History Archive.
Chinese Archivists Visit Yale The Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company opened for service in Haddam Neck, Connecticut in 1968 hirty Chinese archivists visited Yale from August 7-10 as the first commercial nuclear power plant in the state. In Tas guests of the Manuscripts and Archives department its twenty-nine years of operation, the plant produced over at the Yale University Library. The Chinese archivists came 110 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. Decommissioning to the United States to participate in the Joint Seminar on of the plant, known as a “construction in reverse” process, Archival Methods, a program established in 1999 between has been underway since 1998. In March 2006, the compa- the University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library and ny donated its historical records to the Connecticut Business the State Archives Administration of China (SAAC). The History Archive. The records, which consist of design draw- seminar and visit to Yale were intended to introduce young ings, technical reports and manuals, employee newsletters, Chinese professionals to the current theory and practice of scrapbooks, photographs, and audiovisual material, docu- archival administration in the U.S. The delegates were ment the impact of this important utility to the state. selected by the SAAC based on their knowledge of archival administration in China and their ability to understand and speak English. MAINE This year the seminar took place from July 23 - August 15. The first portion of the program was held at the Maine Memory Network Exhibits Bentley Historical Library. The second portion of the pro- gram consisted of participation in the annual meeting of enry Wadsworth Longfellow, a native of Portland, the Society of American Archivists in Washington, D.C. H helped define America by creating stories that con- The program then continued at Yale, where the theme tinue to live in the American imagination: Paul Revere’s ride, was “Yale and China.” Sessions explored American Hiawatha, and Evangeline. The Maine Memory Network, a archival practices by focusing on the preservation and doc- statewide digital museum of over 10,000 historical items umentation of American-Chinese interaction and history, from over 160 museums, historical societies, libraries, primarily in Manuscripts and Archives, but also in the and other organizations from every corner of Maine, is Divinity Library and the Beinecke Rare Book and now featuring online exhibits based on a 2002 gallery Manuscript Library. In addition, scholars Beatrice exhibit at the Maine Historical Society: Henry Wadsworth Bartlett, Janet Chen, and Pierre F. Landry presented Longfellow: The Man Who Invented America. To learn more research on Chinese history and culture. about Longfellow, visit the Network’s Web site:
Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University MASSACHUSETTS of Connecticut Libraries, Announces Recent Acquisitions Lawrence Public Library Special Collections Announces Opening rancis D. Donovan of Medway, Massachusetts spent his Flifetime collecting and writing about the railroads of he Lawrence Public Library Special Collections depart- New England, particularly the New York, New Haven & Tment announces the opening of a new Local History Hartford Railroad and one of its better-known predecessor Reading Room on the third floor of the main building at lines, the New York & New England Railroad. Following 51 Lawrence Street, Lawrence. The room has been open to 16 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
the public since April of this year. The Special Collections lic/private partnerships and develops and implements pro- department collects material on Lawrence and Merrimack grams that enhance, preserve, and encourage regional aware- Valley history, the textile industry, labor, immigration, eth- ness of the unique historic, cultural, and natural resources nic groups in the Merrimack Valley, and local genealogy. At found within the area. present the collections include city records and documents, printed material concentrated on labor and the textile indus- try, the 1912 textile strike, family histories, and other genealogical resources. There is also a collection of Robert NEW HAMPSHIRE Frost monographs and the Ancient Order of Hibernians library. “Mystery Stone” On Display
ne of the New Hampshire Historical Stephen Phillips House Receives ENHC Grant OSociety’s most mysterious and requested artifacts, the “Mystery Stone,” is he Stephen Phillips House, the newest property of now on display at the Society’s museum in THistoric New England, has recently received grant the exhibition New Hampshire Through funding from the Essex National Heritage Commission Many Eyes. (ENHC) to process the papers of Stephen Willard Phillips (1873–1955). The grant funding will provide for an In 1872, construction workers dug up a suspicious lump of archivist to process approximately seventy-five linear feet of clay near the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, and Seneca A. archival material belonging to Stephen Willard Phillips, Ladd of Meredith discovered the carved stone within the lawyer, philanthropist, and Hawaiian scholar. The project clay casing. Amateur and professional archaeologists have will culminate with a finding aid accessible via the Phillips speculated about the stone’s origin for over a hundred years. House Web site and associated collections at the Peabody At the time of discovery, the American Naturalist described Essex Museum and the Phillips Library. it as “a remarkable Indian relic.”
The Essex National Heritage Commission (ENHC) is Frances Ladd Coe of Center Harbor, the daughter of the non-profit management entity for Essex National Seneca A. Ladd, donated the “Mystery Stone” to the New Heritage Area, one of twenty-three heritage partnership Hampshire Historical Society in 1927. Society staff know parks of the National Park Service. Working in collabora- of no other reported findings of a stone like this in the tion with the National Park Service, ENHC promotes pub- United States. ❦
Three E-Mail Lists at a Glance NEAboard: Established in February 2001, this is an unmoderated list that facilitates communication of the NEA Executive Board. However, it is also open to all current NEA members. Scope of messages is limited to discussion of issues that come before the NEA Board; electronic votes may also be taken via the list at the discretion of the President.
NEAannounce: Intended to facilitate communication about NEA-sponsored events, programs, and elections. It is open to all current NEA members, who will automatically be subscribed. However, messages may be posted by members of the NEA Board and committees only.
NEAdiscuss: An open forum for NEA members to communicate about items of common professional interest. Open to all members, and moderated by the E-mail Coordinator for content.
For more information, go to
Reviews contained in this format can be manipulated advantageous- ly. Paper, although more stable than electronic data, cannot Boles, Frank, Selecting & Appraising Archives & Manuscripts. be manipulated in this fashion—it is static. If we do not Chicago : American Library Association, 2005. 192 pp. $49. attempt to migrate and preserve electronic data, we are con- ISBN: 1-931666-11-3. tributing to the loss of information.
Anastasia S. Weigle, Adjunct Faculty, Information and Library For me, the true test of this book was using it on my Services, University of Maine, Augusta. third year undergraduate students. The theoretical examples were a real revelation to many of my students who clearly r. Frank Boles, author of Selecting & Appraising were unaware of the various methods and challenges DArchives & Manuscripts, explains the theory and prac- involved in appraising collections. It hit home on a number tice of archival appraisal without putting you to sleep! I have of areas, including the differences between archivists and used F. Gerald Ham’s book, Selecting and Appraising Archives record managers. and Manuscripts (1993), in my class, “Preservation and Archiving of Library Materials,” and found his book easy to Dr. Boles’ book ends with three appendices: 1) dealing incorporate into my lectures on appraisal. However, Dr. with transferring records to the custody of the archival repos- Boles’s book takes the archivist and/or student to a deeper itory; 2) mathematical sampling in selection; and 3) an level of appraisal theory. With his extensive knowledge and extensive bibliography in the theory of appraisal. background in appraisal methodology, Dr. Boles has put together an authoritative book that gives us a clear and thor- I strongly recommend Dr. Frank Boles “Selecting & ough history of appraisal practices in our profession today. Appraising Archives & Manuscripts” to all archivists and stu- dents interested in this field. Dr. Boles has written a “primer” The book is broken down into six chapters starting with for selection and appraisal of archives and manuscripts. ❦ an introduction to why we, the Archivist, select—laying out our history on appraisal. We find chapters 2, 3, and 4 the most enlightening with chapter 2, “Muddied Waters and Conflicting Currents,” and Chapter 3, “The Big Picture,” the Attention Amateur most educational. Dr. Boles reviews the various appraisal theories developed by the early fathers of archival practice— Photographers! Jenkenson and Schellenberg—as well as modern archival theorists such as F. Gerald Ham, Margaret Cross Norton, James O’Toole, and Dr. Boles himself. He also discusses the importance of mission statements and collecting policies as these two go hand in hand in establishing appraisal policies. Chapter 4, “Mucking About in the Records: Making Selection Decisions on the Ground,” and Chapter 5, “Putting the Pieces Together,” take those policies and practices and put them “to the test,” so to speak. These two chapters help us under- stand how archivists begin to determine what practices work The Public Relations Committee seeks to compile a list and what practices do not within our own unique institu- of photographers to be made available to all NEA com- tion. mittees. Individuals with high quality digital cameras can help document the NEA organization by taking The last chapter is a real treat: “All Media are Created photographs of members, keynote speakers, leadership Equal and with the Right to be Archived.” You cannot ignore and committees at bi-annual meetings, special events, the serious challenge in archiving electronic records. Dr. Boles discusses why we must actively address the need to etc. To join the list of photographers, contact Tracy ❦ treat “born” digital records as equally as their paper coun- Messer at:
NEA Annual Business Hale Award Anne Sauer announced the winner of the Hale Award. Meeting Nancy Noble will use the award to attend the Association of Canadian Archivists Annual Meeting. Ms. Noble will write an article for the NEA Newsletter on her experience. NEA Annual Business Meeting Saturday, March 11, 2006 Nominating Committee Report Yawkey Center, Boston College Dan McCormick of the Nominating Committee 1:30 – 2:15 PM announced the results of the election: Chris Burns – Vice-President/President-elect Call to Order and Welcome Elizabeth Slomba – Secretary Paul Carnahan called the meeting to order and thanked Karen Adler Abramson – Representative-At-Large Laura Katz Smith of the Program Committee and David Burns of the Local Arrangements Committee and their com- Paul Carnahan thanked the committee for their work. mittees for their work on the conference. President’s Report Approval of Minutes Paul Carnahan announced the NEA Hurricane Katrina The Annual Business Meeting Minutes of April 30, 2005 Relief Fund Challenge. If the NEA membership donates up were approved. to $500 to the SSA-SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Grant Fund, NEA will give a matching donation of up Treasurer’s Report to $500. He said that the matching donation would apply Lois Hamill reported that NEA’s total assets as of February to donations made between January 1, 2006 and June 28, 2006 were $76,325.78. She explained the unearned dues 30, 2006. line and discussed the adjustments to liabilities and income lines in the financial report. She answered a question about Paul Carnahan and Mary Ide unveiled the new NEA logo, the amounts of money in the NEA checking account by say- which is part of the new NEA graphic identity. Ms. Ide ing that NEA collects most of its income at the beginning described what a graphic identity is and how the Branding of the calendar year due to membership renewal and then Committee and the graphic designers developed the identi- spends down the income for expenses throughout the rest ty. The graphic designers reviewed current and past NEA of the year. There was a discussion of possibly investing graphic identities to develop a consistent graphic and com- money to earn interest. pelling look for electronic and print publications. She dis- cussed past NEA logos and how the graphic designers want- All members voted to approve the Treasurer’s report. ed to develop a look that would be related to the NEA mis- sion and would distinguish NEA from other organizations. Distinguished Service Award In choosing the logo, the Branding Committee discussed Mary Ide presented the Distinguished Service Award online surveys and development of graphic identity style to Megan Sniffin-Marinoff. Ms. Ide introduced the sheets and taglines. She mentioned that taglines comple- winner and described her impact on the profession and her ment the mission statement and should be active not pas- service to NEA. sive. Ms. Ide then described the new logo and how the red color in the logo is reflective of New England red brick buildings and cranberries while the file tabs in the logo refer Join NEAdiscuss: An open forum for NEA Members to paper and digital files. to communicate about items of common profession- Mary Ide recognized members of the Branding Committee. al interest. Open to all NEA members and moder- Paul Carnahan thanked Mary Ide for her leadership on ated by the email coordinator. Send subscription this issue. requests to:
Remarks from the Incoming President She announced that the Fall 2006 Meeting would be at the Paul Carnahan introduced Nora Murphy as the incoming University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire. president. The topic is Archival Advocacy and the featured speakers will be Kathleen Roe and Kathleen Williams. Ms. Murphy Nora Murphy expressed gratitude to previous presidents for announced the names of those serving on the program and their work. She mentioned the work done on the member- local arrangements committees. ship directory and the Branding Committee survey. Ms. Murphy also urged the membership to think of ways to Ms. Murphy thanked Mary Ide for her work as President publicize and celebrate Archives Week and their archives and Immediate Past President and Anne Sauer as and to work on ways to share our passion for archives Representative-At-Large. with others.
Then Ms. Murphy urged the membership to become more New Business involved in NEA as NEA exists for the benefit of the mem- Gregor Trinkaus-Randall announced the May Day initia- bership. She urged members to contact the board with their tive and urged attendees to sponsor activities to raise aware- ideas and concerns. She mentioned that the NEA listservs ness of disaster preparedness. are wonderful ways to communicate with members. And she suggested that members can volunteer in many ways, NHPRC had been zero-funded again and attendees were such as submitting articles to the NEA Newsletter and serv- urged to continue to advocate for support for NHPRC. ing on committees. She encouraged NEA members to become involved, because the more participants NEA has, The Annual Business Meeting adjourned at 2:20. ❦ the better NEA is.
NEA Matches Member Donations for Hurricane Katrina Recovery Efforts
NEA members individually donated over $1,500 to the Society of Southwest Archivists- Society of American Archivists Emergency Disaster Assistance Grant Fund for archival repositories directly affected by Hurricane Katrina
Around and About The Stephen Lee Taller Ben Shahn Archive at Harvard University Susan Milstein and Robert Sennett
ucked away in a corner of the qualities of a master printmaker and tant graphic works became part of the TFine Arts Library at Harvard graphic artist. While Shahn worked permanent collection of the Fogg, the University is the “headquarters” of the in many media, including photogra- bulk of the research material, over Stephen Lee Taller Ben Shahn Archive. phy and painting, it is his graphic work 9,000 items, is now part of the Special When Dr. Taller (1933-1997) began which has best endured over time and Collections of the Fine Arts Library. collecting in the mid-1980s, his goal become his signature style. was to document every printed image The Archive is unusual in that it by the artist Ben Shahn (1898-1969). The Taller Archive was given to is primarily a repository of printed While it is not entirely clear why he Harvard University as a joint gift to resources. There are thousands of mag- chose to focus his collecting efforts on the Fine Arts Library and the Fogg Art azines and newspaper clippings dating Shahn, Taller had known Shahn’s eld- Museum in 1999, following the from the 1920s-1990s. This includes est son, Ezra, when they were both stu- untimely death of Dr. Taller in 1997 such rare material as the arts journal dents in New York City. To achieve his and based upon his expressed wishes. Art Front published from November, stated goal, Taller corresponded with While original works of art and impor- 1934 through December, 1937; Shahn Shahn scholars, museum was a frequent contributor curators, art gallery staff, and to this political magazine. book and antique dealers There are also hundreds of from around the world. In reference books about return, many scholars use his Shahn and his circle, as well repository as a resource for as exhibition catalogs, text- their own research. Today, books, and popular litera- Taller’s “Work Files” contain ture. Each item was collect- the records of his voluminous ed by Taller because it con- correspondence with his net- tains one or more images work of contacts. created by Shahn. The image can be as small as a Ben Shahn was born in framed print by Shahn Kovno, Lithuania in 1898 hung in a room in a House and immigrated to Brooklyn, Beautiful magazine, or an New York with his family in entire book designed and 1906. As a young man he illustrated by Shahn him- became interested in the self, such as November social and political issues Twenty-six, Nineteen which became his life-long Hundred and Sixty-three preoccupation. For example, (1964). Here, Wendell an early series of work Berry’s emotional poem focused on the about the assassination of Sacco and Vanzetti trials and President John F. Kennedy convictions in Boston in the (which originally appeared 1920s. Shahn’s style is a in The Nation, December, unique blend of social real- 1963) is poignantly ism and expressionism which Menorah, 1965, illustration from The Haggadah for Passover (Boston : illustrated with drawings never loses the minimalist Little Brown & Company, 1965). by Shahn. Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006 NEA NE WSLETTER 21
The collection also contains hun- sixteen categories or series in Taller’s Library. Scholars from as far away as dreds of examples of Shahn’s graphic home, so it was easy to retain his Japan, Europe, and California spend art, from prints, posters, postcards, organization at Harvard. When Taller anywhere from one day to two months greeting cards, advertisements, and became ill, he hired a curator who doing research. In recent years there artists’ proofs to more ephemeral helped him organize the material and has been an increase in requests for examples such as calendars, brochures, create records for each item in a images in digital formats. The Archive and even a plastic shopping bag FileMaker Pro database. This database staff use the services of the Library’s (E & B Markets). Shahn himself was is continually updated and new records Scanning Lab to provide this service. not averse to working on commercial are created for recent acquisitions. At illustrations or political advertisements the time of his death, Dr. Taller was The Archive is open to the public as a way to supplement his often mod- working on an inventory, or catalogue from Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM by est income. He also held strong polit- raisonne, of original works of art by appointment. A newsletter highlight- ical views supporting social justice and Shahn. Dr. Taller also maintained an ing the Archive’s activities appears equality. Some of his images are so extensive “image file” or picture annually. popular that they appear in many for- archive of Shahn’s work arranged mats. For example, the candelabra alphabetically by title of work. For more information about the which first appears in The Haggadah Stephen Lee Taller Ben Shahn for Passover (1965) has been used for These organizational tools make Archive, contact Susan Milstein everything from holiday cards to a it easy for researchers to find material
NEA is always looking for ideas for sessions at the fall and spring meetings. Your suggestions are invited!
Please complete and send this form to: Nora Murphy Reference Archivist, Institute Archives Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Proposed by: ______Institution: ______Mailing address ______Phone: ______Fax: ______E-mail: ______
Please provide a brief description of the session you’d like to see offered at an NEA meeting. If possible, include the overall purpose and a general description of the session, and its intended audience (including skill level and topic category). If you have ideas for potential speakers for this session, please include their names and institutional affiliations. 22 NEA NE WSLETTER Volume 33, Number 4 ¥ October 2006
Calendar San Antonio, Texas. See
Oct 25, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Digital Libraries and Digital Archives.” Knoxville, TN. Co-sponsored by the Press releases and other announcements of upcoming activities to be published in the Newsletter should be sent to Society of Tennessee Archivists. For details and registration NEA, c/o WPI Archives and Special Collections, Gordon information see
Oct 16, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Describing Archives: Nov 1 - 3, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Business Archives… A Content Standard (DACS).” Haverford, PA. Co-spon- Establishing and Managing an Archives.” Chicago, IL. Co- sored by the Haverford College Magill Library. For details sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago. For details and registration information see
Oct 20, 2006. NEA Workshop, “Describing Archives: Nov 6 - 7, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Understanding Archives: A Content Standard (DACS).” Durham, NH. Co-spon- An Introduction to Principles and Practices.” St. Meinrad, sored by SAA. For details and registration information see IN. Co-sponsored by St. Meinrad Archabbey. For details
Oct 20 - 21, 2006. NEA Fall Meeting, “Passionate About Nov 8, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Describing Archives: A Archives.” University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH. Content Standard (DACS).” Salt Lake City, UT. See
Nov 9 – 10, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Copyright: Dec 12, 2006. SAA Workshop, “Advanced Appraisal for The Archivist and the Law.” Lexington, KY. Co-sponsored Archivists.” New York, NY. Co-sponsored by the by Kentucky State Historical Records Advisory Metropolitan Library Council. For details and registration Board. For details and registration information information see
NEA Archival Advocacy & Distinguished Service Awards
Invitation for Nominations
NEA grants the Archival Advocacy Award (AAA) to an individual or institution demonstrating extraordinary support of New England archival programs and records; either politically, financially or through public advocacy. For more information on this award, visit:
The New England Archivists Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is granted to individuals or institutions who are dedicated to the promotion of NEA objectives and who have made significant contributions to the profession, their institution, NEA and/or the archival community in New England. The award shall reflect the total experi- ence of the awardee(s) and is based upon knowledge, leadership, participation and achievements in the profession. For more information on this award, visit:
Please submit nominations one month prior to the summer or winter Board meetings to: Paul Carnahan, Immediate Past President, Vermont Historical Society, 60 Washington Street, Barre, Vermont 05641-4209; (802) 479-8508 or
This Season in New England History
Students practicing the Ling System of Gymnastics
The Boston Normal School was established to train teachers in the city of Boston. In 1872, the Normal School separated from Girls High School, which was founded in 1852. The Normal School was renamed the Teachers College of the City of Boston in 1924; in 1952, it became the State Teachers College at Boston. The college was renamed Boston State College in 1960 and merged with UMass/Boston in 1982.
Boston Normal School Photographs, 1891-96. Archives and Special Collections, Healey Library, UMass Boston.