Visit Grand Rapids! Cultural Destination OPEN ENTRY Volume 40 Number 1 Winter 2012 MiArchivists.Wordpress.com Enjoy the attractions in Grand Rapids at MAC’s spring meeting and MAA’s business meeting. HIGHLIGHTS President’s Leadership MAA Board Open Entry Michigan Corner - 3 Transitions - 4 Updates - 6 Decision - 7 Collections - 8 Table of Contents MAA Board Members Winter 2012 2 President’s Corner 3 Leadership Transitions 4-5 - Benson Ford Research Center OPEN ENTRY is the newsletter of the - Bentley Historical Library Michigan Archival Association Register for MAC 2012 in Grand Rapids 5 Editors, Rebecca Bizonet and Barbara DeWolfe MAA News from Your Board of Directors 6-7 Production Editor, Cynthia Read Miller All submissions should be directed to the Editors: MAA 2012 Annual Business Meeting 6 [email protected] or [email protected] MAA Open Entry Decision 7 By the deadlines: - Print or Electronic • May 25 - Summer 2012 issue Michigan Collections 8-13 September 21 - Fall 2012 issue • Walter P. Reuther Library Director 14 - Position Announcement MAA Board Members Winter 2012 Welcoming MAC to Michigan 15 Editors’ Note 15 Officers Mystery Photograph 16 Whitney Miller President (2009-2012) Photograph Sources University Archives and Historical Collections 101 Conrad Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Page 1 – Courtesy of Russell Sekeet (Detail) 48824-1327 Page 3 – Tom Nanzig (517) 355-2330 [email protected] Page 4 – From the collections of The Henry Ford, photograph by Michelle Andonian (ID THF57001 - Detail) Kristen Chinery Page 5 – Karen Jania Vice-President/President Elect (2011-2012) Page 9 – Marian Matyn Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University Page 13 – Michigan Tech University Archives, #MTU-166-03-0001 Page 15 – Rebecca Bizonet and Barbara DeWolfe 5401 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202 Page 16 – Archives of Michigan (313) 577-8377 [email protected] Susan Panak Treasurer (2011-2013) Hugh A. and Edna C. White Library, Spring Arbor University Melinda McMartin Isler (2009-2012) & MAA Online, Editor 106 E. Main Street, Spring Arbor, MI 49283 University Archives, Ferris State University, Alumni 101 (517) 750-6434 [email protected] 410 Oak St., Big Rapids, MI 49307 Cheney J. Schopieray (231) 591-3731 [email protected] (Appointed 2011) Secretary (2011-2012) Karen Jania (2011-2014) (Appointed 2012) William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan 909 S. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1190 1150 Beal Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2113 (734) 764-2347 [email protected] (734) 764-3482 [email protected] Members-at-Large Sarah Roberts (2010-2013) Rebecca Bizonet (2011-2014) & Open Entry, Co-editor University Archives and Historical Collections Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford 101 Conrad Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, MI 48124-5029 48824-1327 (313) 982-6100 ext. 2284 [email protected] (517) 884-6440 [email protected] Nicole Garrett (2010-2013) (Appointed 2011) Carol Vandenberg (2009-2012) Stockwell-Mudd Libraries, Albion College Madonna University Library 600 E. Cass St., Albion, MI 49224 36600 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia, MI 48150 (517) 629-0487 [email protected] (734) 432-5691 [email protected] 2 Open Entry Winter 2012 President’s Corner Whitney Miller at our 2011 Beaver Island conference. Dear Colleagues, The time has come again for the changing of the guard. At our next annual business meeting, my time as Michigan Archival Association president will come to an end. It has been a great honor being your president for the last three years. Because of the early departure of our previous president, I have been with you longer than most. So it is heartfelt when I say I will miss serving the membership of MAA. As I look back on those years, one theme that has stood out is the board’s desire to update the way our organization operates and communicates. As the profession changes, so must MAA change in order to continue bringing you relevant opportunities. The establishment of the website blog, a listserv, the digital Open Entry option, the reworking of our governing documents, and the development of the annual Fall Workshop are just a few of the projects that were completed or have been improved over the last few years. In addition, the organization has continued to bring you the traditional opportunities to present or attend conference sessions, network with colleagues (virtually & in person), write articles for our newsletter, and support young archivists through scholarships. Finally, I am proud to say that we have responded to the needs of the membership and looked to the changes in the profession to guide us as we improve and update the organization. As I transition off the board, I look forward to participating in and contributing to MAA in new ways. I know that the current economic climate sometimes makes it difficult to participate in every annual meeting and workshop. However, the board of MAA is dedicated to bringing you affordable and relevant professional, educational, and networking experiences to boost our collective know-how. So, I urge you to continue to stay involved to the furthest extent you are able, and to join me in supporting our organization as we move into the future. Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to make a difference. Whitney Miller Email: [email protected] Open Entry Winter 2012 3 Judith Endelman Retires After 25 Years at The Henry Ford and Benson Ford Research Center By Cynthia Read Miller, Curator of Photographs and Prints Email: [email protected] Judith E. Endelman, Director of the Benson Ford Research Center, has Firefox leader announced her retirement the end of Mitchell Baker with March 2012. In her announcement to Judith Endelman, her BFRC staff, she indicated that she 2008. This image started her career at The Henry Ford is part of a group of working on the museum’s permanent digital photographs Automobile in American Life exhibition accompanying collection which opened in 1987 and she 2009.63.0, “Oral completed her work on its replacement, History Interview Driving America. These two seminal with Mitchell Baker, efforts serve as bookends to her varied Chairperson of projects over the course of 25 years. Mozilla Corporation, September 22, 2008.” Judith Endelman has been a writer, The photographer is archivist, historian, and curator for Michelle Andonian. nearly thirty-five years. She began her professional life at the American Jewish Historical Society, when it was located in Waltham, Massachusetts. As to research his Jewish ancestry, which University of Michigan, Judy joined the a foreshadowing of her later museum she traced back to seventeenth-century staff of The Henry Ford in Dearborn, career, her first publication was aGuide London. Both of these efforts resulted Michigan, in 1986. In her twenty-five to the Paintings, Daguerreotypes, and Artifacts in publications (although John Loeb’s years at the museum, she has held a of the American Jewish Historical Society in family history wasn’t published until variety of leadership positions in the 1974. Her experience with American 2009!). collections, curatorial, and research Jewish history inspired her to continue areas. She has spearheaded many her education. In 1977 she received an In 1979 the Endelmans moved to initiatives, including the construction M.A. in American Studies from Boston Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana of the Benson Ford Research Center, College. University. The Indiana Historical which opened in 2002, and which she Society commissioned Endelman to currently serves as director. She has In 1976 Endelman moved with her write a history of the Jewish community participated in the development of husband and infant son to New York of Indianapolis, which was published numerous exhibits, such as Americans City. She took a part-time position by Indiana University Press in 1984 on Vacation and Your Place in Time: 20th as archivist of the Jewish Theological as The Jewish Community of Indianapolis, Century America, as well as many other Seminary and also conducted historical 1849 to the Present. She also worked at public programs and partnerships. She research for private clients. Two Lilly Library, the rare books and special is the author of numerous articles of her clients led her deep into the collections library of Indiana University, and several books, speaks frequently seventeenth-century origins of the and co-edited Religion in Indiana: A Guide at conferences, serves as a museum American Jewish community. For to Historical Resources, which was funded consultant and grant reviewer, and sits John L. Loeb, Jr., a descendant of by the Lilly Endowment and published on a variety of professional boards. two investment banking families—the by Indiana University Press. Lehmans and the Loebs—she wrote Judy’s BFRC staff and THF colleagues a history covering the life and times In 1985 the Endelman family, which wish her well with this new chapter of of nine generations of his family, now included a daughter as well as a her life and hope that her retirement beginning with his great-grandparents. son, moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan. years will be filled with much activity Gordon Gray, who served as secretary After a one-year fellowship at the and enjoyment. of the navy under Truman, hired her Bentley Historical Library at the 4 Open Entry Winter 2012 Fran Blouin to Step Down as Director of the Bentley Historical Library in August 2013 By Marilyn M. McNitt, Associate Archivist, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Email: [email protected] On January 24th Fran Blouin announced to the staff of the Bentley Historical Library that he would be stepping down as director at the end of August 2013. The provost suggested he announce his plans well in advance so that a search committee could be formed for his successor to be in place before his departure.