news 2018 fall Documenting DHPSNY’s Adventures in the Empire State

inside: view from the road: 1 View from the Road: Second-year Highlights 4 Interview: Bonnie Marie Our Second Year in Site Visits, Sauer 5 Notes from the Second Year 6 Planning, Survey, and Conferences, and Workshops Assessment Sites 7 Questions for our Team: elivering Documentary Heritage Anastasia Matijkiw and Preservation Services for 8 DHPSNY by the Numbers DNew York’s free programs and services comprehensively throughout the State requires our staff to spend a lot of time on the road. In our first year, we traveled nearly 15,000 miles in New York State—by the summer of 2018, we more than doubled that total. Our travel schedules often have staff members crisscrossing New York, and monthly travel recaps have become a centerpiece of our email newsletter. In the past year, we brought the total number of organizations awarded free Planning & Assessment Services to 81 while continuing to deliver workshops and present at conferences and meetings around the State. Let’s take a look back together at some of the highlights of the past year at DHPSNY.

Site Visits As the last issue of DHPSNY News went to press, we were just beginning to conduct Planning & Assessment site visits from the summer 2017 application round. We began with a Preservation Survey at the Lake Placid Museum in Lake Placid (Essex County), whose collections contain commemorative pins, photographs, and other documents from the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. Other visits from that round included an Archival Needs Assessment at the historic Museum in lower (New York County), which was featured in an episode of our podcast, and a Preservation Survey at The Explorers

Continued on page 2 looking back (continued from page 1)

Club in (New York County), collection of architectural watercolor paint- whose research collections date from 1472 ings of proposed theater and courtyard and reflect the institution’s dedication to designs. You can read more about our the advancement of field research and the ongoing work with Lincoln Center in this exploration of land, sea, air, and space. issue’s interview with Archivist Bonnie In 2017, DHPSNY added a new category, Marie Sauer. Other planning retreats Condition Surveys, to our roster of free around that time included trips to the Planning & Assessment Services. We traveled Northport Historical Society in Northport to the Bronx Zoo that fall to conduct our (Suffolk County) and the Schenectady pilot survey at the Wildlife Conservation County Historical Society in Schenectady Society Archives (Bronx County). The survey (Schenectady County). examined specific photographic content in After a break to avoid the winter weather, the collection, the suitability of current we headed back on the road in March for housing and storage, and potential our first site visits of 2018. We started with conservation treatment needs. Preservation Surveys at the Hudson River Around the same time, we visited Maritime Museum in Kingston (Ulster Syracuse for an Archival Needs Assessment County) and the Cheektowaga Historical Workshops at WCNY (Onondaga County), Central Association and Museum in Cheektowaga New York’s member-supported public (Erie County). DHPSNY staff also Hands-on, interactive workshops are a broadcasting station. This was our first visit conducted a number of Archival Needs major part of what we do at DHPSNY. to the archives of a local media outlet, and Assessments throughout the spring, visiting Every year, we present on three new topics it was fun to view decades of programming the Holocaust Museum & Center for at five locations each throughout the documents, including promotional Tolerance and Education in Suffern State—15 workshop sessions total, with the photographs and back issues of the station’s (Rockland County); Bard College’s goal of enabling everyone in the State to colorful program guide. Stevenson Library in Hudson (Dutchess take part. Last fall, we presented Funda- DHPSNY continues to provide Strategic County); and the Memorial Art Gallery mentals of Caring for Paper Collections at Planning Assistance in collaboration with (MAG) at the University of Rochester in the Brooklyn Historical Society in the New York Council of Nonprofits Rochester (Monroe County). Brooklyn (Kings County); the Western (NYCON), and our Strategic Planning Later in the spring, we conducted a New York Library Resources Council in visits in fall 2017 included a meeting at Preservation Survey at the Huntington Cheektowaga (Erie County); the National Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Public Library in Huntington (Suffolk Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs New York City (New York County). While County). The collections in the Library’s (Saratoga County); the Corning Museum we were there, we viewed the Center’s Local History Room included a number of of Glass in Corning (Steuben County); and archives, which featured an incredible rare books, such as this personally inscribed the Flower Memorial Library in Watertown 1867 copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (Jefferson County). (pictured left). We also visited Long Island In spring 2018, we presented Red Flag! for an Archival Needs Assessment at the Identifying Preservation Needs While Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center Processing Collections. These sessions in East Hampton (Suffolk County). In provided participants with the opportunity addition to housing a research library that to assess the condition of items in a study includes the archival materials of Jackson collection and work together to assign Pollock, Lee Krasner, and related artists, conservation and housing priorities. The the house preserves many original furnish- series took DHPSNY staff to the North ings. The studio floor is still covered with Shore Historical Museum in Glen Cove evidence of Pollock’s famously kinetic (Nassau County); Crandall Public Library creative process. in Glens Falls (Warren County); Northern Throughout 2018, our Strategic New York Library Network in Potsdam Planning retreats also continued, including (St. Lawrence County); Livingston County visits to the Sojourner Truth Library at Emergency Management Center in Mt. SUNY New Paltz (Ulster County); Valley Morris (Livingston County); and the Stream Historical Society in Valley Stream Roberson Museum and Science Center in (Nassau County); and the Lesbian, Gay, Binghamton (Broome County). Bisexual & Transgender Community Center Our summer workshop series, Identifi- in New York City (New York County). cation and Preservation of Photographic Collections, began in June in Albany

– 2 – Albany Conferences workshop led Fall 2017 was a very busy season of for members of the Western New York by Barbara conferences for DHPSNY staff. In Association of Historical Agencies Lemmen October, DHPSNY Program Manager (WNYAHA). Anastasia Matijkiw attended the New York As with site visits, conferences slowed Archives 2017 Week Symposium: Archives down for the winter and picked up again and Local History in New York City (New in April, when Anastasia was in Rochester York County) and was an exhibitor at the (Monroe County) for this year’s Museum Greater Hudson Heritage Network Association of New York (MANY) Annual (GHHN) Annual Conference at Bard Conference. That month, we also attended College in Hudson (Dutchess County). the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Later in the month, Anastasia and Conference (MARAC) spring meeting in DHPSNY Archives Specialist Amelia Parks Hershey, PA. There, Anastasia chaired the visited Buffalo (Erie County) for the fall panel discussion “Serving Archival Com- meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional munities,” which also included CCAHA Archives Conference (MARAC), where they Director of Preservation Services Dyani Feige. presented the panel discussion Serving New In May, Amelia joined the Long Island (Albany County) in conjunction with the York State’s Collecting Institutions: The Museum Association (LIMA) for a round New York Archives Conference (NYAC). Documentary Heritage and Preservation table discussion in Smithtown (Suffolk Barbara Lemmen, Senior Photograph Services for New York Initiative. County). Amelia’s presentation Emergency Conservator at the Conservation Center In November, DHPSNY staff attended Planning and Preparedness: An Introduction for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), led the Association of Public Historians of New to Basics took place at the Smithtown this hands-on presentation which guided York State (APHNYS) Annual Conference Historical Society’s Frank Brush Barn, the participants in understanding and in Poughkeepsie (Dutchess County), where site of one of DHPSNY’s 2017 hands-on identifying a complete range of photo- Anastasia led a discussion on DHPSNY, Disaster Preparedness workshops. graphic processes and materials. The series highlighting successes and challenges from As June began, DHPSNY Preservation continued with stops throughout June and our first year. Anastasia also attended the Specialist Gillian Marcus was in Houston July at The William H. Miner Agricultural New York Library Association (NYLA) for this year’s American Institute for Research Institute in Chazy (Clinton Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs Conservation of Historic and Artistic County); the Ukrainian Museum in New (Saratoga County), where she presented a Works (AIC) Annual Meeting. On the final York City (New York County); the George panel discussion on DHPSNY with day of the conference, Gillian presented the Eastman Museum in Rochester (Monroe colleagues from the New York State Library paper “Caring for Electrophotographic Art: County); and the Roger Tory Peterson and Seymour Public Library in Auburn A Case Study of the Pati Hill Archives at Institute of Natural History in Jamestown (Cayuga County). Between site visits in Arcadia University,” which analyzed Pati (Chautauqua County). November, Amelia led a disaster response Hill’s materials and working methods in panel discussion at the Genesee County order to establish a preservation strategy for History Retreat in Batavia (Genesee County) black and white photocopy art.

Meanwhile, back at the office, we were busy with a number of other projects. In late 2017, we introduced the DHPSNY Podcast (available on Apple Podcasts and Mixcloud), which highlights some of the outstanding organiza- tions we work with and gives the listener a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how we deliver our Planning & Assessment Services (Archival Needs Assessments, Preservation Surveys, Condition Surveys, and Strategic Planning Assistance). In early 2018, we also launched the DHPSNY Directory (dhpsny.org/directory), an interactive online map and database of nearly 4,300 libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other organizations located throughout New York State. The Directory’s purpose is to promote communication and Participants processing collections collaboration among the employees and volunteers of the State’s collecting at a Red Flag! workshop institutions.

– 3 – interview: Bonnie Marie Sauer

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA)

n our spring 2017 application round, What is your personal favorite archival footage of the construction of the Lincoln Center for the Performing document or item in the archives? campus and opening of Lincoln Center’s Arts (LCPA) was awarded DHPSNY’s concert halls and including new footage I We had two film archivists work on our Strategic Planning Assistance. Earlier this shot for the occasion, Variations was year, after completing our Strategic Planning film collections last year and discovered conceived and directed by Bob Gil and curriculum, Lincoln Center was awarded a this incredible 30 minute film made for the Robert Rabinowitz, who were coming off Preservation Survey, making it the first 20th Anniversary of Lincoln Center. The their success in creating Broadway’s organization to receive DHPSNY services full title is 51 words, so we just refer to it as Beatlemania. The film is incredibly clever in more than one category. We caught up Variations or “the 20th.” This production and charming. We had it transferred into with Archivist Bonnie Marie Sauer to was as massive as its title. From three a composite digital format and I can’t tell discuss the distinguished arts institution’s projectors across the plaza, the film was you how many times I have watched it. history and collections, as well as her projected on five screens—each covering experience collaborating with DHPSNY. one of the arches of the Metropolitan How did you find out about Opera House; this was the largest tempo- DHPSNY? Please tell us a little about rary screen for a film at the time. The film Lincoln Center. premiered on May 21, 1979, with I learned of DHPSNY through a colleague screenings continuing every weekend who suggested looking into the services as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts was through Labor Day as a gift to New York a way to start out on firm grounding in my incorporated in 1956 and broke ground on City’s residents and visitors. Pulling from new position. its campus in 1959. It serves three primary roles: the world’s leading presenter of superb artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. Its Archives were estab- lished in 1989 to provide a secure central repository where records of permanent value can be preserved, maintained, and made available for research and reference use. In May 2019, we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the ground breaking ceremonies at which President Dwight D. Eisenhower turned the first shovel of earth.

Premiere of Variations… projected on the façade of the Metropolitan Opera House as part of Lincoln Center’s Twentieth Anniversary Celebration gala on May 21, 1979. Photo by Peter Schaaf. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Archives.

– 4 – DHPSNY Statewide Survey Notes from the Second Year by Lee Price, Director of Development, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts

o a statistician, survey results viewed to the right person. This task is often tion Program are using the data for insight in the aggregate appear like a surprisingly subjective: at an all-volunteer into existing or emerging collections care Tsnapshot. As individual responses organization, the best contact person might needs. Additionally, DHPSNY benefits blend together, trends and patterns start to be the Board President; at a small organiza- from the analysis in pinpointing opportu- come into focus. While the resulting tion with professional staff, the best contact nities to refine existing programs for “snapshot” may not exactly match the result might be the Executive Director; and at a technical support or education. of any single survey response, it can provide major university, the best contact might be As we enter DHPSNY’s third year, the insights unavailable through any other means. the Special Collections Librarian. Of survey analysis will be deepened to include Add a second survey, administered course, sometimes we get it wrong—and a qualitative analysis of open-ended approximately one year later, and then then we welcome the feedback that directs responses. This new component will focus the real task of survey analysis can begin us toward the most appropriate contact! on identifying current gaps in available in earnest. This is the point where Perhaps the increase in the response rate is support services and consultation, DHPSNY now stands, with the second a partial indication that our efforts to emerging needs, and new trends that could analysis completed of the annual DHPSNY fine-tune the survey are working. affect how collections care practices evolve Statewide Survey. With two consecutive years of informa- in the 21st century. We’ll start with great news: responses tion, DHPSNY can now begin the process And, of course, there will be a third year were way up in the second year! The response of moving beyond the task of establishing survey, to be launched in late fall 2018. rate increased by more than 40%, with 385 baselines to the identifying of patterns. Ultimately, it’s the quality of the individual viable responses received from New York From the first survey, we could begin to see responses that determines the value of the State’s libraries, archives, museums, historic variations according to region, institution survey. To date, that quality is extraordinarily sites, historical societies, and local govern- type, and institution size. And now with high. So please—keep up the great work! ment archives. Since we know it takes time, the second survey, we can begin to sharpen If you have no record that your thought, and sometimes even research to the focus, adding the dimension of time organization received a survey last November, complete these complex surveys, we deeply which allows us to note where needs are please contact DHPSNY at [email protected] appreciate the commitment of all respondents. increasing or decreasing. Information of with your organization name and the The second DHPSNY Statewide Survey this kind is essential in making critical deci- preferred contact—ideally the person with was launched on November 6, 2017 and sions about where and how to invest the most direct knowledge of your remained open through December 1. Using funding, resources, and assistance. collection care systems. We don’t want to information received from the first survey, The New York State Archives Docu- leave any institution’s voice out of this along with notes from DHPSNY staff, mentary Heritage Program and the New valuable process. every effort was made to direct the survey York State Library Conservation/Preserva-

How was your experience with the room. Some great ideas came out of the When I saw all the services DHPSNY DHPSNY application and site visit discussions and some of the information I offered, I wanted to apply for them all! I process? had been working to convey about archives started with the first logical step of the really reached people in the group setting. Strategic Plan, which helped me to identify The application process was fairly painless. which services were necessary. From there, Even if I had not been awarded the You’re the first site to be awarded we were awarded the Preservation Survey. I services, the process was helpful in DHPSNY services in more than feel fortunate to have DHPSNY’s support centering me. The site visit during the one category. Did insights from the in these stages as we work towards Strategic Planning was tremendously Strategic Planning Process lead you furthering the LCPA Archives. helpful in that it brought stakeholders from across my organization together in one to apply for a Preservation Survey?

– 5 – Planning, Survey, and Assessment Sites across New York State AWARDED FALL 2017 THROUGH SUMMER 2018

Archival Needs Assessments • Stevenson Library, Bard College, (Annandale-on-Hudson, Dutchess County) • Cobblestone Society and Museum (Albion, Orleans County) • Coney Island Museum (Brooklyn, Kings County) Historic • Historic Red Hook (Red Hook, Red Hook, Dutchess County) Dutchess • Holocaust Museum and Center for County Tolerance and Education (Suffern, Rockland County) • McEntegart Hall Archives, St. Joseph’s College NY (Brooklyn, Kings County) Preservation Surveys Strategic Planning • Memorial Art Gallery of the University • (New York, • Albany County Historical Society of Rochester (Rochester, Monroe County) New York County) (Albany, Albany County) • NAACP Legal Defense Fund (New York, • American Jewish Historical Society • Bard College, Stevenson Library New York County) (New York, New York County) (Annadale-on-Hudson, Dutchess County) • Oswego County Historical Society • Cheektowaga Historical Association and • Cortland County Historical Society (Oswego, Oswego County) Museum (Cheektowaga, Erie County) (Cortland, Cortland County) • Pollock-Krasner House and Study • Clinton County Historical Association • Fulton County Historical Society Center (East Hampton, Suffolk County) (Plattsburgh, Clinton County) (Gloversville, Fulton County) • Poughkeepsie Day School (Poughkeepsie, • Hudson River Museum (Kingston, • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Dutchess County) Ulster County) Community Center (New York, New York • Preservation Long Island (Cold Spring • Huntington Public Library (Huntington, County) Harbor, Suffolk County) Suffolk County) • Schenectady County Historical Society • Syracuse Polish Community, Inc. • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (Schenectady, Schenectady County) (Syracuse, Onondaga County) Archives (New York, New York County) • Sojourner Truth Library, SUNY New • Town of Western (Westernville, Oneida • Livingston County Historian’s Office Paltz (New Paltz, Ulster County) County) (Mt. Morris, Livingston County) • Valley Stream Historical Society • Upper New York Conference of the • NYC Municipal Archives (New York, (Valley Stream, Nassau County) United Methodist Church (Liverpool, New York County) Onondaga County) • Rakow Research Library, Corning Condition Survey Museum of Glass (Corning, Steuben • Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx, County) Bronx County) • Schenectady County Historical Society • Merchants House Museum (New York, (Schenectady, Schenectady County) New York County) • Town of Islip (Islip, Suffolk County)

– 6 – Questions for Our Team About us Anastasia A statewide program of the New York State Archives and New York State Library, Documentary Heritage and Preservation Matijkiw Services for New York (DHPSNY) provides free planning and education services to support earn more about members of the DHPSNY team! In this issue, we speak with the vast network of repositories such as archives, DHPSNY Program Manager Anastasia Matijkiw. Anastasia oversees every aspect libraries, historical societies, museums, and L of DHPSNY, including coordinating educational programs, communications, other institutions that safeguard and ensure outreach, and Planning & Assessment services. access to New York’s historical records and unique library research materials. What’s your background? What experience prepared you for life as DHPSNY’s Program Manager? Connect with us I’ve been working with collecting institutions Visit dhpsny.org for more on our free programs since high school, starting with my school’s and services and to sign up for our monthly archives. I then proceeded to work in email newsletter, which features our recent libraries, archives, and museums throughout activity and important updates on application my undergraduate career and found myself deadlines and upcoming programs. pursuing my MLIS in Archives, Preservation, and Records Management directly after Contact DHPSNY staff for answers to finishing my Bachelor’s. Since completing my archives- and preservation-related questions, Master’s, I’ve worked in positions that have help with applications, or to make suggestions required me to work with a wide range of Tell us about an interesting DHPSNY for future programs at [email protected] or collecting institutions, which led me to trip or site visit you’ve conducted (215) 545-0613. CCAHA and DHPSNY in 2016. While and what made it special. working with various sites prepared me to My favorite site visits have been those that tie some degree for my role, I feel I also have to into the Olympics. I’ve been a massive fan Our partners give credit to my time as a hostess and a camp since I was a child—just ask my family! I was counselor. Seating in a restaurant and super excited when I had the opportunity to Documentary Heritage and Preservation managing a bunk of teenagers can teach you a visit the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. Not Services for New York (DHPSNY) is a lot about management! only did I get to see the rink where the 1980 collaboration between two long-running New “Miracle on Ice” hockey match happened, I York State Education Department programs got to see gold medals, tickets, and more dedicated to service and support for archival documenting the 1932 and 1980 Winter and library research collections throughout the Games. This site visit was also special as I’ve State: the New York State Archives Documentary been able to watch them work hard to follow Heritage Program and the New York State through with a number of the recommenda- Library Conservation/Preservation Program. tions from their report in a short time! DHPSNY is a program of the New York State Education Department, with services provided by the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts.

What’s your favorite rest stop in New York State? Sloatsburg! It’s the perfectly located rest stop and I’m fairly certain I stop there every time I’m traveling North on the NY Thruway.

– 7 – 264 s. 23rd street philadelphia, pa 19103

by the Numbers

ith approximately 4,500 collecting institutions institutions awarded education in New York State, DHPSNY’s goal is simple: free Planning & program Wto reach every single one with free programs, Assessment Services attendees services, and other important resources. Whether your 81 1,011 (in past year) institution is interested in DHPSNY’s free Planning & Assessment Services or attends a free webinar or workshop, we want each repository in the State to know miles traveled in the past that we are here and available to help. year by DHPSNY staff 21,852 (36,783 total all time)

noth Thank you for making our second year 32,344 6,133 another great success! We hope these page views (in past year) unique website visitors (in past year) numbers will continue to grow. + =116,324 Because of your interactions with DHPSNY on our website and through social media, our message has made more than 116,000 total unique impressions on the professionals and volunteers around the State who help care for and safeguard New York’s historical records. – 8 –