Metropolitan Archivist Volume 16, No. 1 Winter 2010 Welcome New BoardMichael of SimonsonDirectors President Student Members! Jennifer Anna Vice President The following students have joined the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York since July 2009. Bonnie Marie Sauer Treasurer Brooklyn College New York University Leilani Dawson Deborah Nitka-Beyda Simmons College Ann Christiansen Secretary Linda Thai Brittan Durham Cynthia Tobar Columbia University Margaret Fraser Coordinator, Education Committee Tanisha Madrid-Batista Pratt Institute Daniel Michelson Rachel Chatalbash Emelie Pierrel Amanda Brown Shanley Peterson Coordinator, Communications & Randy Torres Laura Eiford Stephanie Schinding Outreach Committee Casey Fisher Joanna Steinberg Columbia University Yeila Fuentes Jill Strykowski Karen Murphy Dental School Heather Halliday Paula Wagner Coordinator, Membership & Nominating Committee Erika Douge Jennifer Kaair John Joseph Queens College, CUNY LIU, Palmer School Christina Manzella Don Corr Editor-in-Chief Seung Baek Denis Pasquinelli Andrew Grablewski Rachel Chatalbash Michael Floyd Alison Slyziuk Katie Hughes Melissa Heide Daniel Tsai Howard Ngai Managing Editors Michelle Howry Megan Wacha Anne Selleck Mary Ann Quinn Stephanie Wilson Angelo Vigorito Madeline Rogers Rutgers University Meredith Wisner Caryn Radick Features Editors Celia Hartmann Joy Weiner
Book Review Editor Kristen Nyitray The mission of the Metropolitan Archivist is to serve members of the Archivists ART News Editor Round Table of Metropolitan New York (ART) by: Casey Babcock • Informing them of ART activities through reports of monthly meetings and committee activities. Student Section Editor • Relating important announcements about individual members and member Holly Deakyne repositories. • Reporting important news related to the New York metropolitan area Layout Design archival profession. Bonnie Marie Sauer • Providing a forum to discuss archival issues. The Metropolitan Archivist (ISSN 1546-3125) is issued semi-annually to the members of ART. Comments, questions, or submissions for features should be directed to the editor at [email protected]. Deadlines for submissions are April 30th and November 15th. Similar inquiries and submissions for reviews should be directed to [email protected].
Preferred length of submissions is 800-1000 words for feature articles and 400-500 words for reviews.
The Metropolitan Archivist and ART assume no responsibility for statements made www.nycarchivists.org by contributors. Metropolitan Archivist Volume 16, No. 1 Winter 2010 Contents 6 President’s Message
6 Editor’s Note
FEATURE ARTICLES
7 The Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Second Life: A Virtual Co(-l)laboratory Shannon Bohle
9 Archives Come to the Collegiate School Marian Bach
11 The Archives of the New York Academy of Art Kristine Paulus
13 Preserving Tiesa: Historical Lithuanian Newspaper Microfilmed by New York Univesity Libraries Edward Bell
15 The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society Collections in the Manuscript and Archives Division, New York Public Library Valerie Wingfield
17 The Records of Our Lady of Pompei at the Center for Migration Studies Mary Elizabeth Brown
19 Trinity Church’s Archives Blog: Twenty-First-Century Technology Increases Awareness of 300 Years of Records Anne Petrimoulx
The Metropoliatan Archivist is sponsored by
Front Cover Image: Avatars Archivist Llewellyn (Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Second Life) and OhMy Kidd (National Film and Sound Archive, Australia) discuss the identification of recovered NASA telemetry tapes in Second Life. Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Second Life. Welcome New Members! The following individuals have joined the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York since July 2009.
Evelyn Kim Adams Deborah Galambos Cara McCormick Judith Smith Rutgers University/New WNYC Radio Leadership Directories Brunswick Free Public Dana Gordon Library Frank Mecklenburg Jivan Kaur Soverall Matthew Gorham Leo Baeck Institute Kristine Boniello Rutgers University Libraries, Julia Teonidis Special Collections and Nicole Milano Benjamin Brown University Archives New York University, Angela Tudico Winthrop Group University Archives & National Archives at New Chris Gushman Preservation Department York Lucas Buresch National Archives Museum of the City at New York Carolle Morini Annie Tummino of New York The Boston Athenaeum Tara Hart Rachel Tutera Joey Cabrera Public Art Fund Sheena Morrison National Library of Medicine Nicki Vance Jennifer Cher Amy Hau AIG The Noguchi Museum Yelena Novitskaya Farris Wahbeh Columbia University Eileen Clancy Martha Horan Ted O’Reilly I-Witness Video Guggenheim Museum New-York Historical Society Kewannah Wallace
Sandra Clayton-Emmerson Anne Hutchinson Sara Pasquerello Gloria J. Walters Manhattan College National Archives The Ford Foundation Rebecca Hyams at New York Patrick Connelly Piskin Wayne National Archives David Kay, MLS Anne Petrimoulx CCP Solutions at New York Trinity Wall Street E. Maura Keleher Stephan Weatherly Athena Danalakis Convent of the Sacred Heart Greg Plunges Department of National Archives Sanford Wexler Environmental Protection Kira Limer at New York Department of Gail Whittemore Lisa Darms Environmental Protection Norman Ringle Pace University School of New York University, Fales New Utrecht High School, Law Library & Special Collections Flordalisa Lopez N.Y.C. Department of New York Public Library for Education Elen Woods Deborah Falik the Performing Arts Keith Haring Foundation The Information Sourcerer Nadia Rivera Dianne S.Macpherson Haruko Yamauchi Andrey Filimonov Greater Hudson Heritage Diane Russo Arts Connection American Jewish Historical Network Department of Society Environmental Protection John Zarrillo Lidia McCarthy Cold Spring Harbor Sara Fitzpatrick Columbia Investments Laura Silver Laboratories Brooklyn Navy Yard Freelance Development Corporation Contents (continued) 21 Interview with the Archivist Rich Wandel Ellen Mehling
25 Reaching Out A Profile of Outreach Activities at the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Archives for Parsons The New School for Design Shirin Khaki
Student Section 27 Journey and Discovery in the Metropolitan Opera Archives Andrea Walton 29 Archivists Round Table Get Together 29 NYU SAA Club Displays Archival Treasures
Book Reviews 30 Archives Power: Memory, Accountability, and Social Justice by Randall C. Jimerson Review by Mario Ramirez
31 Chinatowns of New York City (Then and Now Series) by Wendy Wan-Yin Tan Review by Eunice Liu
32 Archival and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers by Michele F. Pacifico and Thomas P. Wilsted, Eds. Review by F. Jason Torre
ART News: News Around the Table Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York 33 Metropolitan Museum of Art Archives Opens Recently 44 Awards Ceremony 2009 Processed Collection
ART Discussion Groups 34 Assessing the Legacy of the Feminist Art Movement 45 Archivists Round Table Summer Social New Book on History of Jersey City 46 Managing Archives During Challenging Times 35 The College of New Rochelle Receives Gift of Leland 46 Archives Week Events in New York Metropolitan Area 37 Castle Related Materials
ART’s Job-Hunting Workshop: A Success 38 LaGuardia and Wagner Archives 47
Accessing Oral Histories 39 Columbia Medical Center Opens New Collection 47
Join ART Mentoring Program 40 Archives of the Amex Moves to NYSE Euronext 48
Meeting Roundup: Fall 2009 41 Davids Island to Live on in Virtual Exhibit 48
September Workshop: Implementing “More Product, 42 AudioVisual Preservation Solutions Seeks Your Archive 49 Less Process” Success Story
Catherine Tyler Brody, 1927-2009 42 BHS and Partners Receive Major Federal Grant for 49 Brooklyn Abolitionist Project Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the 43 Street ART Financial Statement through December 31, 2009 50
Special Collections and University Archives at Stony 43 Secretary’s Report 50 Brook University
Social Security Records Lecture 44 Page 6 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 President’s Message
I am happy to report that despite the economic setbacks I would like to thank each that have beset the archival world over the last year, of our members who has the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York made this last year possible. has continued to meet the challenges of the financial This includes members environment and to offer quality programming, of the board; those who workshops, and networking events. have served on various committees; and even those As we enter a new year, we can look back and see who have simply attended a transformation within the organization: We have our programs and events: your membership and/or successfully conducted an expansive outreach to students presence at ART functions represent an important form in archival study programs, created informal organizational of support to the organization. I urge everyone, in the discussion groups, and forged relationships with other new year, to consider attending more ART functions, archival associations to plan and run events. In a time using the organization to further enhance your own of extreme budget cuts, including to our own funding, professional knowledge, and to visit the website and see we have managed to deliver free monthly programs what opportunities for individual growth and networking and an awards ceremony for the archivists of the New can be found there. The Archivists Round Table is here to York metropolitan area. In addition, ART now offers a serve you. mentoring program, through which experienced members of the profession share their knowledge of archives and Michael Simonson archival work with those just entering the field. President Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc.
Editor’s Note Welcome to another to the metropolitan archives community. Shirin Khaki issue of the Metropolitan has created a new section for the newsletter, “Reaching Archivist. We are delighted Out,” which will highlight the outreach activities currently with the great number of performed by New York City repositories. I would also ART members who have like to welcome Madeline Rogers and Mary Ann Quinn, approached newsletter who have agreed to act as the newsletter’s managing section editors with ideas for articles or for author editors. Additionally, beginning with our next issue, Pratt contributions. On behalf of all the section editors, I would student Amanda Brown will assume responsibility for the like to thank you for your participation. newsletter’s student section.
I would like to mention a few changes to the newsletter Many thanks to all who make the Metropolitan Archivist staff. First, as Holly Deakyne moves westward for a new possible, including our staff, our contributors, our readers, job, this is her last issue as student-section editor. I would and our sponsors! As we begin 2010, I hope to further like to thank her for her help in creating a student-focused the newsletter’s growing role as an essential vehicle for section for the newsletter, and I wish her well in her new sharing the work, achievements, and emerging directions position. of members of the profession.
Second, I would like to welcome five ART members to Best wishes for the New Year, the newsletter staff. Casey Babcock has joined us as the ART news editor. He will be responsible for short Rachel Chatalbash announcements of recently opened collections, acquired Coordinator, Communications and Outreach Committee grants, surveys of collections for special projects, Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. professional achievements, and other news of interest Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 7
The Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Second Life: A Virtual Co(-l)laboratory
Shannon Bohle Director and Volunteer Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Second Life
Nobel Laureate John Mather responds to a question from Archivist Llewellyn. Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Second Life.
Second Life (SL) is a Multi-User Virtual Environment fedconsortium.html), the Federal Consortium for Virtual (MUVE), also referred to as a synthetic immersive Worlds 2009 meeting focused on an existing need to assist environment created by Linden Lab. What does this “individuals and organizations to improve government mean? SL is real-time communication, a shared virtual collaboration.” They chose to do this “through the use of space with individuals represented as avatars, operating virtual worlds to enrich collaborative online experiences.” in a landscape where the content is designed by its users. One of the most successful applications of SL has been its Along with other federal agencies, NASA has become ability to create a collaborative environment that fosters involved. NASA CoLab holds weekly meetings bringing new business ventures and ideas. together NASA employees, volunteers from around the world, and the public to discuss current NASA events Compared to librarians, archivists are well behind the relating to SL and First Life activities. There have been trend. There are eleven library islands and not a single many interesting guest lecturers streamed into SL, such archives island. There are numerous librarian groups and as Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and others who have only two archives groups, the Archivists of Second Life taken the plunge using an avatar. The library also has links and Aero-Astro Archives. The question is, “Why have so for visitors to follow astronauts on Twitter and to connect few archivists taken advantage of this collaborative virtual with NASA employees via the X-500 directory. environment?” The repository is the first virtual world library or archives Several technical problems have deterred users. A non- to be recognized by the Library of Congress. standard computer graphics card and additional computer RAM are required for participation. Regular hang-ups, The archives is a digital repository which provides real crashes, and bugs necessitate frequent software updates. reference service to patrons and describes the history of Computer processing “lag” can slow, if not stop, an avatar spaceflight via tours and item-level descriptions of over in its tracks. There is also a limit on the number of visitors 200 archival items. to events. As the Director of the Library and Archives at NASA CoLab The possible benefits gained from future collaborative in Second Life, I have collected and housed transcripts of projects far outweigh the technical difficulties. meetings, organizational documents, and other NASA Government, in particular, is looking at virtual worlds as a history materials. The archives, a repository consisting technologically savvy way to function more efficiently and solely of digitized and born-digital organizational economically. The cost savings in holding online meetings documents, presents a challenge to implementing best and conferences are only one such reason. According practices. I have been diligent in applying provenance and to their Web site (http://www.ndu.edu/irmc/fcvw/ continued on next page Page 8 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, wikis, YouTube, and Slideshare. For original order in the arrangement example, as part of the Apollo 11 of the collection into series. I am Anniversary Celebration, I started currently writing an EAD-encoded a Flickr group, where I posted the finding aid for inclusion in the Online SL virtual tour with a link to the SL Archive of California to be submitted Archives, enabling users to interact on behalf of NASA JPL/Caltech in with the SL exhibit and share their Pasadena. This archival repository is own photos and memories of the an interesting case study because it moon landing (http://www.flickr.com/ must confront cutting-edge issues groups/apollo11_40th_anniversary/). relating to the management of digital and “born digital” documents; these The NASA CoLab Archives has are its only holdings. Above: Archivist Llewellyn, avatar received significant “new media” Shannon Bohle. attention in its first year. During Among the many items held at the Library and Archives at NASA CoLab in Apollo 11’s Fortieth Anniversary repository are records on “Rosie, Second Life. Celebration, the archives was the Riveter,” the early women featured on CNN’s Web site pilots like Amelia Earhart, NASA’s Below: Article about the Library and (http://www.ireport.com/docs/ “female computers” and scientists, Archives at NASA CoLab in Second DOC-301402). Recently, a video the Mercury 13, Bessie Coleman, the Life, featured on CNN’s Web site (or “machinima”) filmed at the Tuskegee airmen, African American (http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC- Archives in SL and that aired on the astronauts, and the working classes 301402). Nobel Prize Channel showed John who helped build the aviation and Mather, winner of the Nobel Prize spaceflight industries. Other materials in Physics, respond to a patron’s include a mission statement, minutes question (http://www.youtube.com/ of meetings as well as archival watch?v=aN9uaAEXnbY). photographs, documents, and sound recordings. Three dimensional objects SL offers myriad possibilities to such as full-text NASA books, replicas the user, including marketing and of period air/space craft and space/ displays, recruiting, networking flight suits add a museum-like feel to and connecting with people, the collection and encourage visitor professional development, and interaction. Touching a sign dispenses creating communities by establishing a note card with descriptions and islands and specialized groups. SL unique location identifiers. The Broadcast and New Media at the offers educational opportunities for virtual archives has the advantage of National Film & Sound Archive e-learning that include formal and displaying many more items than a (NFSA) in Australia, asked for informal education, utilizing teaching traditional archives, allowing visitors information about identifying what he tools and course-management to be surrounded by and visually believes to be high-quality telemetry tools like SLoodle (Moodle for immersed in archival materials. transmissions of John Glenn’s historic SL). There are also possibilities for Friendship 7 spaceflight recorded at business-related ventures. With a To date, the project has allowed the Muchea ground tracking station co-partner, I created slurlicious, a exciting opportunities for in Australia. Academic collaboration way to bookmark slurls (Second Life collaboration. Collaborative efforts includes class visits, mainly from URLs) to existing delicious accounts have been interdisciplinary in university students. in SL. Delicious, a popular “social nature, involving stakeholders in bookmarking” Web site, allows academia, business, and government. SL is a valuable networking tool (or individuals to share their favorite An example of government-to- site) that allows users to connect. Web sites with others. government interaction occurred Avatars often combine SL with their when Matthew Davies (OhMy Kidd personal or organizational profiles Government and corporations in SL), senior curator of Sound, on various social networks, such continued on page 12 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 9
Archives Come to the Collegiate School
Marian Bach Archivist Collegiate School
Memorial display and commencement photographs. All images courtesy of the Collegiate School Archives.
The Collegiate School is an independent day school for In 2001, with the renovations completed, a second boys in grades K–12 located on the Upper West Side committee of parent volunteers formed to reestablish in New York. The school’s mission is to develop the the archives. As is often the case, the school’s 375th- intellectual, aesthetic, physical, and spiritual faculties of Anniversary celebration in 2003–2004 was a major each student. stimulus in helping us gain support for the archives. This effort is where my story as the school’s archivist begins. Collegiate was originally affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church. Its beginnings date back to 1628 The first task the volunteer committee and I faced was to when the Dutch West Indies Company sent Reverend survey the collection. We found that documentation and Jonas Michaelius to New York (then known as Nieuw photographs were scattered throughout the school — in Amsterdam) to minister to the congregants of the Dutch the library, basement, and various offices. There were Reformed Church and to educate the Indians who had shopping bags filled with photographs in the publications settled in lower Manhattan. office and back issues of school newspapers in the guidance director’s office. Collecting the materials (paper Over the years, the Collegiate School has moved to documentation, audiovisual materials, artifacts, and various locations throughout the city. In 1892, the school photographs) helped us to determine what we had and, settled at its present address on West 77th Street. It is not equally important, to consider what historically significant surprising with all these moves that much documentation items we were missing. We decided to retain the record- has been lost. group arrangement and photo-identification system. The 1992 Finding Aid to Collegiate’s Records was on a 5 ¼” In 1983, the school’s archives was established by Phyllis floppy disk. With no computer available to read the disk, Klein, a professional archivist and a Collegiate parent. we were at a loss until, most fortunately, we found a hard With the assistance of a parent-volunteer committee, copy of the finding aid. Klein collected documentation and photographs in anticipation of Collegiate’s 360th Anniversary during It was crucial to designate a space for the holdings. In the school year 1987–1988. Ms. Klein and the parent 2002, Collegiate’s archives found a home in one of the volunteers organized the collection into appropriate apartments that Collegiate had reserved for faculty record groups and then housed the materials in the library. housing. We ordered metal shelving, fireproof cabinets, Ms. Klein resigned as archivist when her son graduated flat files, a computer, and an air conditioner, in addition from Collegiate in 1988. With the school’s anniversary to archival boxes and preservation materials. At the same celebrations over, there was less urgency to maintain the time we wrote our mission statement and usage policy. archives. Also, the school’s administrators were occupied We inventoried the holdings in the archives, along with at the time with the construction of new classrooms. continued on next page Page 10 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Collegiate School continued from previous page the records and other documents “Collegiate behind the Scenes.” After that were kept in various offices touring the Collegiate School’s former and departments. With a policy premises in Lower Manhattan, the in place, we were in a position to fifth-grade archaeology class visited educate faculty, staff, and alumni the archives to view the artifacts about the archives’ role as the from an earlier site. An Upper School permanent repository for the school’s student studying women’s history inactive records. We also prepared examined the archives’ records finding aids for the most frequently for female students and faculty in used collections, such as student Collegiate’s history. A film student newspapers and school publications. accessed records from 1894 to explore the history of an all-boys As a result of our continuing school. outreach efforts to faculty, alumni, and parents, we have received a We cannot rest on our number of donations. In one case, accomplishments. Among the for example, we received records challenges are files that are digitally documenting a special lecture series born, such as online newsletters, spanning twenty-five years. In the Above: Collegiate’s 360th Anniversary publications, and photographs. fall and spring, we send a memo banner with commencement These born-digital items are stored to the faculty and staff, reminding photographs. on the school’s server and saved them to retain items that document Below: Multiple box sizes to as PDF documents. With large the history of the school. I keep an accomodate media and artifacts. volumes of files being created, we archives wish list, and periodically realize material may be lost. I cannot I ask the alumni director to make tag every digital photograph, nor requests for archival materials in the do I think it is necessary to do so. alumni newsletter. Collegiate has started to digitize the collection on a selective basis. With The Collegiate School’s archives now limited resources and no immediate holds approximately 115 linear feet plan to make the collection accessible of records, dating from 1692 to the to the outside community, we scan present. With designated space to only the documents and photographs store and process the materials, the that are frequently used. Fragile collection is readily accessible (and materials are also digitized. We have used) by the Collegiate community. Below: Collection arranged in record begun systematic scanning of the The school magazine runs a column, groups. student newspaper. Though there are “From the Archives,” featuring fun many digital projects I would like to archival photographs, and we have undertake, writing descriptive tools, received numerous responses from such as finding aids and container alumni who recall the photographs. lists, remains a top priority. Recently, an alumnus donated a student film made in 1976 that was The school’s archives holds 381 years depicted in one of the photos. of history. Gaps may never be filled. Nevertheless, education efforts about Both faculty and students use the the archives will continue. I hope all archives. Faculty assign projects that my efforts come in handy for the focus on using primary sources. The 400th Anniversary of the Collegiate third-grade immigration studies class School in 2028! begins with the school’s early history. The Lower School newsletter team Marian Bach can be reached by e-mail toured the archives for an article on at [email protected] Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 11
The Archives of the New York Academy of Art
Kristine Paulus Archivist New York Academy of Art The first class ever taught at the Academy, in 1982. Students are drawing from the collection of 19th-century plaster casts of classical sculptures.
History of New York Academy of Art In 1982 while the art world, and the downtown New York The term skill, I think, was very carefully chosen. He could scene in particular, continued to embrace Conceptual, have used the word talent, but talent has been confused Minimalist, and Pop Art trends, as well as the newer in our day with an all-too-fuzzy notion of genius. Anything graffiti movement, a group of artists, scholars, and can be and is likely to be passed off as genius. Skill is the patrons of the arts formed a new school to train artists: perfect word.” Other commencement speakers have the New York Academy of Art (NYAA) — incorporated included the journalist Pete Hamill, and art critics Donald as a merger between the New Brooklyn School of Life Kuspit and Hilton Kramer. Some of their speeches can be Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture and the New York found in the academy’s archives, and provide interesting Drawing Association. The school’s founders and early insights into changing trends in the art world, and the supporters, including Andy Warhol, were dedicated to growth of the academy itself. improving fine-arts education in the United States, and sought to compensate for the disappearance of traditional Establishment of NYAA’s Archives and Records training in studio art programs and the lack of emphasis Management Programs on quality craftsmanship. As at the European academies, NYAA’s reference library was created soon after the on which NYAA was modeled, the study of the human organization was born, but it was only recently, in the body was considered fundamental to fostering the wake of a near-tragedy, that the academy devised a resurgence of figurative and representational art. NYAA formal plan for managing its institutional records. Inspired and its Graduate School of Figurative Art continue to by an archivist’s worst nightmare — a fire followed by advance this tradition as the basis for vital contemporary a flood — the administration hired me, a librarian who art. was also an archivist. Since September 2007, I have been processing the academy’s records, and creating finding Initially a non-degree program, the academy’s Graduate aids for use mainly by in-house users, but also by outside School of Figurative Art awarded its first MFAs in 1990 and researchers seeking information on past exhibitions, today is the nation’s only independent fine-arts graduate academy publications, and more. I was previously the school not associated with a college or university. The assistant archivist at the University of Pennsylvania academy does not award undergraduate degrees, but Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and, before does offer adult continuing education classes, free that, reference librarian for the New-York Historical lectures, and public exhibitions. Society’s Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections. The early emphasis on craftsmanship in art-making is evident in the academy’s 1990 inaugural commencement The Archives’ Holdings speech, by the novelist Tom Wolfe. Quoting Tom The NYAA archives houses records typical of a college: Stoppard’s play “Artist Descending a Staircase,” Wolfe student academic records, admissions applications, course said: “ ‘Contemporary art is imagination without skill.’ continued on next page Page 12 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
New York Academy of Art supported by current continued from previous page audiovisual equipment. Other catalogs, and syllabi. Many challenging media include items in the archives cross a collection of nineteenth- over into library collections: century plaster casts of faculty and alumni Classical and Renaissance exhibition catalogs and sculptures, and a fragile artists’ files of ephemeral theater set by the multi- material, such as gallery- media artist Red Grooms — opening invitations and all heavily used by students, reviews, including those who draw inspiration by noted NYAA-affiliated from them. As with most artists and critics Eric archives, we are gradually Fischl, Jenny Saville, making a transition to digital Will Cotton, and Vincent formats, and are exploring Desiderio. Establishing funding opportunities for an archival policy while reformatting for preservation the organization is still Above: Students still draw from the and access. relatively young has had casts today. the advantage of allowing us to Founded at a time when figurative Below: One of the many casts in the cultivate good relationships with and representational art was rarely Academy’s collection. living artists associated with the featured in galleries and publications, school. This has enabled us to actively the academy has not only preserved collect documents that record the traditional skills, but has also ensured evolution of developing artists early that future generations of artists have in their careers. access to those who still teach those skills. Figurative art is once again The archives also holds extensive gaining popularity, as demonstrated materials related to the academy’s by recent gallery exhibitions and art many special events including its two magazines, in which academy alumni major annual fundraisers: the TriBeCa and faculty have appeared. The New Ball, and the annual art auction York Academy of Art serves a vital entitled Take Home a Nude. Both function in continuing to collect and generate artfully designed invitations, document this evolving movement. auction catalogs, as well as hundreds of photographs of the city’s cultural The New York Academy of Art is and social elite. located at 111 Franklin Street, in downtown Manhattan. Kristine Challenges Paulus can be reached by e-mail at As anyone who runs an archives [email protected] located in a re-purposed building knows, among my greatest NASA CoLab in Second Life SL which raised over $215,000 USD in challenges is finding the best ways continued from page 8 2008 and nearly a quarter of a million to store archival materials in a 1915 explore SL for group work, building dollars in 2009 (http://www.cancer. structure located in an historic and engineering design, project org/docroot/COM/content/div_TX/ district. This is particularly tricky for management, and employee COM_5_1x_The_Society_in_Second_ a collection of video recordings of orientation. Educators and nonprofit Life.asp). the academy’s remarkable lecture organizations use live events, series. Since its inception, the NYAA tours, and debates to spark interest SL offers tremendous opportunities has hosted numerous prominent in and solicit donations for their for archivists to explore. visiting artists, art historians, critics, organizations’ First Life activities or and others. The recordings exist in causes. One of the most successful Shannon Bohle can be reached by e- a multitude of formats no longer was the American Cancer Society in mail at [email protected]. Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 13
Preserving Tiesa: Historical Lithuanian Newspaper Microfilmed by New York University Libraries
Edward L. Bell Former Member Association of Lithuanian Workers
Preservation microfilming has been completed for the historical Lithuanian American newspaper Tiesa (The Truth). Tiesa was published from 1930 to 2006 by the Lietuvių Darbininkų Susivienijimas (LDS, Association of Lithuanian Workers), a fraternal benefit society. As an ethnic, fraternal newspaper, Tiesa is particularly The full run of Tiesa reformatted on six rolls of microfilm. interesting for the window it offers onto the history of the Photo by Edward L. Bell. Lithuanian immigrant experience and of fraternal benefit societies in the United States, and for its perspective The deterioration of the principal LDS publication was on the post–World War II Red Scare, as the LDS was an alarming. association that successfully challenged its placement on the U.S. attorney general’s blacklist of subversive The project to preserve Tiesa began with a records survey organizations. to evaluate the size, condition, and completeness of the serial before the LDS records were moved to the Royal The LDS was founded in 1930 by progressive, labor- Arcanum. A diligent search located only a few issues reform-minded, non-sectarian Lithuanian Americans, as scattered among libraries in the United States and in a breakaway group from the conservative Susivienijimo the Lithuanian National Library in Vilnius. Only the LDS Lietuvių Amerikoje (Lithuanian Alliance of America). The preserved a complete run of Tiesa. Outreach to several national office of the LDS was first located in Brooklyn, libraries generated great interest in the preservation then Ozone Park (Queens) for most of its history, and of Tiesa, but since funding for the national newspaper then in Middletown, New York, until it merged with one of preservation program had been reduced, subsidizing this country’s oldest fraternal benefit societies, the Royal the microfilming posed a huge challenge. The Tamiment Arcanum, headquartered in Boston. Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at NYU accepted the task. Tamiment is internationally known For most of its run, Tiesa was published on acidic wood- for its collections that preserve the documentary history pulp newsprint. Early issues had become brittle and of the labor movement “and the broader struggle for extremely fragile. The last volumes of Tiesa were printed economic, social, and political change.” The historical in a newsletter format on sturdier, but still acidic, paper roots of the LDS as a socially progressive, labor-oriented stock. Typical reference use of back issues could cause fraternal organization headquartered in New York fit permanent damage if the pages were not handled with Tamiment’s collecting and preservation interests. the utmost delicacy, making access impractical for students and scholars. In effect, Tiesa was self-destructing Conservators in NYU Libraries Preservation Department in little bits and shreds with every turn of the page, removed the bindings from the large volumes of fragile and was being further undermined by storage in acidic newsprint and prepared the brittle pages for microfilming. cardboard binders, file folders, and manila envelopes. continued on next page Page 14 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Tiesa continued from previous page Above: The Tiesa masthead. Courtesy of NYU’s microfilming contractor, the the Association of Lithuanian Workers. to improve labor conditions Northeast Document Conservation for Lithuanian Americans. Center in Andover, Massachusetts, Below: Later issues of the newspaper were Prominent members of the LDS created the microfilm master stored in acidic file folders and manila were also notable progressive negative, print-master negative, envelopes. political activists, some of whom and service copies. Tamiment has Photo by Edward L. Bell. espoused socialist and communist included Tiesa in its online catalog. philosophies. Among them was The six rolls of the complete Anthony Bimba, author of many microfilmed serial are available for works including The History of the interlibrary loan or purchase. The American Working Class (1927), original newspaper was returned to and The Molly Maguires (1932), storage at the Royal Arcanum. who in 1926 was charged in Massachusetts with sedition and LDS served to foster Lithuanian blasphemy. heritage and ethnic identity through social, educational, and The activists brought the fraternal cultural activities. LDS-affiliated association to the attention of the groups included choruses, dance FBI in 1943. Review of a sample of troupes, literary and drama clubs, the FBI reports indicates that the language classes, youth groups political activities, statements, and and sports leagues. Annual writings of a few LDS members conventions, lodge meetings, led the agency to suspect that sports tournaments, picnics, folk reports of boards and officers, and news the LDS itself was a subversive music and dance performances, about members — in the affable gossip organization. Tamiment Library literary and lecture programs and column entitled “Have You Heard?” Earlier holds the LDS records relating to publications were highlights of LDS issues often contained reports of news the FBI investigation and LDS’s membership. The main business of of the world and the nation. Twenty LDS successful legal challenge. In 1953, the organization was affordable life members were killed in action in World War the LDS learned it had been placed insurance. II; more than 600 members served in the on Attorney General Herbert armed forces, some also volunteered in Brownell’s blacklist of subversive Tiesa covered the business and the Spanish Civil War, and the organization organizations. The LDS and a social news of the LDS. There were sponsored many World War II home- related Lithuanian literary society photographs; scores and standings front activities, including the purchase challenged that designation in of LDS athletic teams; Lithuanian of $400,000 in war bonds to fund two cases that were pending at the poetry, folklore, music, recipes, B-25 Mitchell bombers, The Association U.S. Supreme Court in 1957, when and language lessons; advice on of Lithuanian Workers and Lituanica’s the Department of Justice (DOJ) health care and finances; travel Dashing Star. abruptly delisted the groups. In accounts; and editorials and lively 1974, the FBI closed its 31-year debates. The writers, contributors, While the LDS was officially non-political investigation, concluding that and editors of the “official organ” and non-sectarian and offered membership the LDS was not a subversive of the association — the old- to anyone regardless of political belief, organization and had not been fashioned phrase that appeared religious creed, or ethnicity, in the involved in foreign espionage. The on the masthead — dutifully organization’s early years vocal, politically historian Robert Justin Goldstein mounted a monthly effort to report engaged labor reformers who were also (American Blacklist, University the main business of the LDS and LDS members were especially active in Press of Kansas, 2008) learned its lodges — finances, elections, rallying, speechifying, and publishing continued on page 20 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 15
The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society Collections in the Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library Diary of Mary Spingler Fonerden. Valerie Wingfield Manuscript Specialist All images courtesy New York Public Library of the New York Public Library.
NYG&B Comes to NYPL for these collections are available online through the In July, 2008, the records of the New York Genealogical Library’s website at http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/ and Biographical Society were donated to New York Public spe/rbk/mss.html Library, including 75,000 volumes, 30,000 manuscripts, and 22,000 reels of microfilm. Where did those collections What We Found end up in the Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building When the genealogy collections arrived, the archivists at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street? And how were they were not quite certain what to expect from the handled and processed once they arrived there? approximately 392 linear feet of boxes, cartons, and volumes of various shapes and sizes of new material in The Library made decisions to ensure that the collections our holding area. Determining their provenance usually would receive the maximum care appropriate to the involves surveying the collections and the card catalogues various genres represented. The Manuscripts and inherited from NYG&B. Archives Division received approximately sixty individual collections; transcripts and books are to be incorporated From the collections that I have arranged, the Canfield into The Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States collection stands out for its richness of genealogical History, Local History and Genealogy; and published information. The Amos Canfield Genealogy Papers were books dating from before 1830 are slated for inclusion in created around the time of the Great Depression when the Rare Books Division. Canfield, a non-practicing physician, decided to write the definitive history of the family in the United States. About a dozen archivists are evaluating and arranging His inspiration came from F. A. Canfield’s book A History the collections. The Manuscripts and Archives Division of Thomas Canfield and of Matthew Camfield [sic], with intends to have these collections ready in a timely manner a Genealogy of their Descendants in New Jersey. The so that the public may have access to them. A survey collection documents that Dr. Canfield wrote tirelessly indicates that the collections are predominantly 19th and to many Canfields for relevant information, but his 20th century. The Division already has significant holdings book never materialized. He died before the work was of genealogy collections. Two of the most popular and completed. widely used are the Emigrant Savings Bank records, which primarily document 19th-century Irish immigrants to New One remarkable letter in the collection says a good deal York City; and the Methodist Episcopal Church records, about Dr. Canfield and the times he lived in. Arthur E. which document the Methodist churches located in New Canfield of Birmingham, Alabama, wrote: “I haven’t York City from the 18th to the 20th century. Finding aids continued on next page Page 16 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Left: Photo of three generations named William M. Powell (elder parents expulsed). Right: Judith Powell. Disowned from Society of Friends (1830).
NYG&B at NYPL diary have turned brown with age; processing by Lea Jordan and Leslie continued from previous page nevertheless, the deliberate script of Reyman) document in particular anything new yet. Things down here this young socialite is evident. Mary Elsie Powell Ingraham (great- are still in a bad shape. The C.W.A. wrote constantly about one of her granddaughter of abolitionist [Civil Works Administration, the first suitors: “I almost long for tomorrow Isaac Tatem Hopper), her husband public employment program of the to see if Frederico would speak. If Edward Ingraham, and Rachel New Deal] is putting about 11,000 to I see him with those ladies again I Hopper Powell. The Ingrahams work…but you can’t miss that many will give up or try to either writing, were a prominent New York Quaker out of about 35,000 unemployed. You speaking or thinking about him that is family; two members, Henry Powell spoke of playing golf. I have never if he takes no notice of me.” and his wife Judith Powell were played the game, but I guess I would disowned by the Society of Friends in dig up some dirt myself.” Other More to Discover 1830. A mystery remains about the interesting aspects of the collection There was so much more to discover expulsions: the collection does not include the many autobiographical about the NYG&B collections. provide any clues to the reason for notes and family trees. Another multigenerational collection, this. the Elsie Powell Ingraham Family After having arranged several of the Papers (in the final stages of In searching for genealogical genealogy collections, I was curious information many commercial about what my fellow archivists found Henry J. [?] Powell. Seceded vendors offer invaluable information. in other collections being worked document. Census records provide a good start, on. Diana J. Bertolini showed me but researchers and genealogists the original diary, 1827-1828, kept should never discount the value of by Mary Spingler Fonerden (who unpublished and published family or later married Michael Van Beuren). biographical collections. Searching Located in the multigenerational for a surname similar to the one Mitchell Family Papers, 1706-1957, you are researching may turn up a the diary provides an intimate portrait hitherto unknown family connection. of the daily life of a wealthy 17-year Researchers should also remember old girl in 19th century New York. We that people in earlier eras took the found it so interesting that we both time to construct family trees and had to read the entire volume. often recorded this information in continued on page 20 Extremely fragile, the pages of the Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 17
The Records of Our Lady of Pompei at the Center for Migration Studies
Mary Elizabeth Brown Marymount Manhattan College and Center for Migration Studies
Pompei’s archives’ usefulness for other aspects of Greenwich The Records of Our Lady of Pompei (yes, it’s really spelled Village history is evident in this 1920s image of Pompei’s male with one i) document the history of a Roman Catholic leaders. Father Demo sits behind the American flag. Behind him, parish for Italian immigrants in Greenwich Village. Parish, third from the right, is John A. Perazzo, who worked at the Varick personal, and institutional histories have shaped this Street post office, owned real estate on Carmine and Leroy streets, collection into a valuable resource for the parish and for and served as a lay trustee of the parish. The mustachioed man is students of Italian Americans, Catholicism, New York City, John Baptist Perazzo (no relation to John A.), a local undertaker and Greenwich Village. whose funeral parlor’s sign is still on Bleecker Street. All images courtesy of the Center for Migration Studies. The Parish’s Early History Pompei’s history began in 1891, when Father Pietro Plays at the church. When the city demolished this church Bandini joined the Scalabrinians, an order founded in to extend Sixth Avenue, he purchased a plot at Carmine Italy in 1887 to assist migrants in transit and in their and Bleecker streets, and in 1928 erected a church, new homes. Bandini organized the New York branch of convent, parochial school, and rectory on the site. the Saint Raphael Society for the Protection of Italian Immigrants. He rented a building, still standing, at 113 Father Demo seems to have saved every scrap of Waverly Place in Greenwich Village and opened a chapel paper that crossed his desk. Want to know about named Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, after a shrine Italian American religious life? He preserved books of near the volcano site. The chapel proved so popular that handwritten, Italian-language announcements read at Bandini rented a former African American Methodist all masses, detailing the parish schedule. Wonder what it Church on 214 Sullivan Street as the first step in creating cost to run a parish? He saved the receipts. Curious about a parish. In 1896, Father Francesco Zaboglio succeeded what priests did besides say Mass? In the absence of Bandini at Pompei. On July 14, 1897, Zaboglio and two lay telephones, Father Demo’s parishioners communicated co-workers descended to the basement to investigate a on paper, and he saved their mail and his responses. gas leak: the subsequent explosion destroyed the church, His records suggest an alternative to standard histories killed both laymen, and injured Zaboglio. of immigrants or of Catholicism, with clear separations between immigrants and natives, Catholics and non- Father Demo Catholics. Much research has focused on the institutions The third pastor, Father Antonio Demo, was at Pompei, immigrants built for themselves, or on institutions that although not always as pastor, from 1897 to 1936. He reached out from the American-born to the immigrants. transferred the parish from the burnt-out church on Catholic history, especially, emphasizes the degree to Sullivan Street to 210 Bleecker Street, across from Minetta which the church built a parallel world of service for Lane, and started a parish day care center in 1911. During its members. Father Demo was a citizen of Greenwich the 1920s (as the Provincetown Players were putting on Village, actively involved in local welfare, and American- Eugene O’Neill’s first plays), he sponsored annual Passion continued on next page Page 18 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Our Lady of Pompei continued from previous page born workers in local agencies finding guide available on-site often worked with him to help or via e-mail to the archivist at immigrants, rather than serving [email protected]. them directly. Researchers have already Saving the Parish’s Records mined Pompei’s records in From 1907 to 1919 Father varied ways. Italian scholar Demo was the Scalabrinians’ Patrizia Salvetti used the provincial superior, a role that sacramental registers for a may have helped save Pompei’s demographic study, published papers, since his successors in Studi Emigrazione (21 as pastor saved few records [1984]: 43-64). The records themselves. However, unsure are basic to Edward C. what of Demo’s massive legacy Above: Father Anthony Demo organized a month’s Stibili’s monograph, What pertained to Pompei and what memorial Mass for the victims of the Triangle Can Be Done To Help Them? to the province, they left the Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Many histories of the fire divide The Italian Saint Raphael the workers into Jewish labor activists and Italians papers untouched until 1964. Society, 1887–1923 (New York: who put present need over labor justice. Father Demo’s That year, under the leadership description of his plan for the event (in parish bulletins CMS, 2003). Stibili’s current of Scalabrinian priests and blood in the archives), plus his welcoming the Women’s project is a biography of brothers Silvano M. Tomasi and Trade Union League to distribute literature on the Bandini. The plaza opposite Lydio F. Tomasi, the province church steps after Mass, indicate a more active social Pompei is named for Father created the Center for Migration conscience. Demo, and the New York Studies (CMS), headquartered City Parks Department drew on Carmine Street, to expand on the archives to draft the the Scalabrinians’ migrant plaque placed there in 2008. The ministry into scholarship. CMS Greenwich Village Society for Historic organized an archives to document Preservation has used the archives the migration experience, and the to support its efforts to landmark province transferred its records the South Village as a historic Italian there. Archivist Richard Del Giudice neighborhood. processed Pompei’s papers in 1986. Since 1986, CMS has accumulated The Archives Today more Pompei materials to process. The papers comprise sixty-seven These materials will extend Pompei’s boxes organized into series story from the Italian Village into according to genre. Most are the 1950s beatnik Village, the 1970s chronological, but there is also a Stonewall Village, and the 1990s correspondence file organized by gentrified Village. correspondent, and subject files, the largest of which documents For more information, contact the erection of the Carmine Street Mary Elizabeth Brown by phone church. The papers are about at (718) 987-8994 or by e-mail at equally divided between English [email protected]. and Italian and between typed and handwritten documents, with examples from multiple schools of Above: Fiorello La Guardia lost his baby daughter Fioretta and his first wife, the former Thea Almaghetti, to tuberculosis. Father Demo attended Mrs. La Guardia in her last illness. Italian penmanship. The material This letter documents a subtle point of immigrant language etiquette. Each man knew the is accessible through a folder-level other read Italian, but once La Guardia used English, Father Demo followed suit. Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 19
Trinity Church’s Archives Blog: Twenty-First-Century Technology Increases Awareness of 300 Years of Records Anne Petrimoulx Assistant Archivist Trinity Church
Our first blog entry
In 2003, when Trinity Church’s archives were fully arranged main “Blogs” page and the main “History” page (and and described for the first time in the church’s 300-plus- occasionally on the home page) of Trinity’s Web site. year history, the archives finally became what a corporate archives should be: a valuable internal resource. However, Evolution of the Blog’s Format given Trinity’s unique position in history, the archives has The blog soon evolved toward more of a story-based far more to offer. Situated at the head of Wall Street in format as we strove to become more engaging, lower Manhattan since 1697, Trinity has witnessed the incorporate visual materials, and illuminate compelling birth and growth of the city, the nation, and the Episcopal but little-known topics. For example, the name of Church, and its records tell those stories. Charlotte Temple, the tragic heroine of a wildly popular 1791 novel, is inscribed on a vault stone in Trinity Once Trinity’s staff was using the archives, our staff Churchyard. There is, however, no record of a Charlotte turned its focus to outreach. First we created online Temple being buried in the churchyard, or of who was resources: a finding aid (http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/ interred in that vault. How did a fictional character come history/guide/); a searchable database of our registers to be “buried” at Trinity? The archives and Web staff of baptisms, marriages, and burials; and an interactive collaborated to create a blog post that is now a reusable virtual churchyard, allowing users to browse or search a resource on the subject. When inquiries about the grave map of burials in the churchyards of Trinity Church and St. come up from those who have stumbled across the Paul’s Chapel (http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/history/ legend, we can direct them to the post. We hope to spur registers). These resources were a great success and interest thereby among the scholarly community: perhaps pointed to future online outreach endeavors. someone, curiosity piqued, will finally solve the mystery!
Working with the Web-Content Team An Aspect of Trinity’s Online Presence The Web-Content Team, with whom we have worked The blog is an outreach tool for Trinity Church as well before, approached the archives in 2008 with the idea of as for the archives. The archives blog works together, publicizing the archives by adding a blog to the others for example, with the gardener’s blog (http://www. that have been maintained on Trinity’s Web site (http:// trinitywallstreet.org/news/blogs/the-gardeners-blog), www.trinitywallstreet.org/news/blogs) since 2007. We which discusses the upkeep and landscaping of the Trinity collaborated with them on focus and presentation, and Churchyard, the parish’s first burial ground (the records the blog was launched and highlighted on Trinity’s home of which are in the archival collection), to show different page in late 2008, with posts adapted from past reference sides of the parish’s resources. Trinity has a vibrant online questions (http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/news/blogs/ presence that includes a Twitter feed with almost 600 the-archivists-mailbag ). The blog is linked both on the continued on next page Page 20 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Trinity continued from previous page followers; a Facebook page with 863 The blog is a great addition to these internal and external, has been wholly friends, 1,191 fans, and 123 group mostly static resources, ideally suited positive. We have received e-mails members; and weekly webcasts of for telling more stories and reaching and comments through it both about its Sunday services. The blogs are a wider audience. Unlike brochures, blog articles and about other topics. yet another way to connect with the newsletters, or even our Web page, It has sent researchers old and new community. the blog’s informal character allows through our doors — in one case, a our users interaction and personal previous researcher came up with The Blog as One Research Tool involvement. Content can be updated a new thread to investigate after among Others frequently and easily; new content reading the blog. We are very pleased Archives information now available adds to, rather than replaces, existing with the result and will continue to online includes the blog, our registers content; we reach scholars who use it to tell stories to publicize our and churchyard information, our increasingly perform Web-based fabulous collection. finding aid, as well as contact research; and the RSS feed makes information and archives policies. possible much wider distribution than Anne Petrimoulx can be reached by All are accessible from the Trinity just to Web site visitors. e-mail at Web site’s main history page (http:// [email protected], www.trinitywallstreet.org/history/). The reaction to the blog, both or by phone at 212-602-9652, or 347-328-4259.
Tiesa continued from page 14 through FBI records that DOJ feared persistence of the LDS embodied activities, and accomplishments of that the Lithuanian cases would result American values of equality, freedom, its officers, lodges, and members in a decisive precedent against the and the pursuit of happiness by — and it ensures broader access to government’s blacklisting process. members of an ethnic group a significant source for the history Until Goldstein’s research, it was who were finding their place and of the American labor and fraternal not publicly known that the LDS’s improving their lives as involved, movements and the cultural history legal challenge to its blacklisting educated citizens of a nation of of immigrant and ethnic groups in had a significant effect on the DOJ’s immigrants. The microfilming American society. presumptive tactics. of Tiesa preserves an important part of LDS history — the official Edward L. Bell can be reached by e- In retrospect, the founding and published history of interests, mail at [email protected]
NYG&B at NYPL continued from page 16 at NYPL: Collections and family bibles. Circulation Operations; the Irma and Paul Milstein There are certainly other Division of United States surprises to uncover as History, Local History and my colleagues continue Genealogy; Manuscripts to work through the and Archives Division; collections. The project Rare Books Division; and is slated to be completed Special Formats Processing in October 2010. Division of Collections Understanding what Strategy. these collections hold and making them available is Valerie Wingfield can a collaborative effort of be reached by e-mail at archivists, cataloguers, [email protected] librarians, managers, and technical assistants of Arthur E. Canfield. Dec. 12, 1933. the following divisions Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 21
Interview with the Archivist: Rich Wandel By Ellen Mehling
Rich Wandel is the Archivist for the New York Philharmonic Archives and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center Archive.
Ellen Mehling: Where were which was in history and while I was going to school; restructured in 1909, under you born? Where did you archival management, at I was working for what Gustav Mahler, a more grow up? NYU. I graduated from was then the Bettmann modern structure. But there in 1992. Archive: it’s an image partially because it was a Rich Wandel: I was born bank specializing in older cooperative, they really in Milwaukee, but moved EM: So, relatively recently… images, and is now Corbis, had to keep good records; to New York City, Queens, but at that time was the they kept pretty much about the age of one or RW: Yes, I came back to it. Bettmann Archive. everything from the very something; earlier than I beginning. There’s one or remember, in other words. EM: And your current title EM: Then you got your two later periods where it So I am a New Yorker. — well — titles? degree and they hired you was a little light, when they as a full-time archivist? weren’t saving as well as EM: What part of Queens? RW: I’m the associate that, but in general, pretty archivist at the New RW: I had a temporary much everything has been RW: My grammar school York Philharmonic and job before I got this one saved, in terms of business years were in Ozone Park, I am also — which is a with Chemical Bank records, also of scores, and and my high school years volunteer situation — the immediately after it later on — once you have were on Long Island: archivist/historian at the took over Manufacturers sound when it began on the Suffolk County, Deer Park. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Hanover, so I was working radio in the 1930s — they Transgender Community on the Manufacturers have most of those sound EM: Where did you go to Center. Hanover records for, I don’t recordings. It’s an amazing school and what degrees know, three months or collection. do you have? EM: How long have you something like that, before been at the New York getting this [Philharmonic] EM: For all those decades, RW: I began by running Philharmonic? job. was the collection cared away to a monastery, so for and organized, or was it my undergraduate degree, RW: Since about 1995. EM: Would you describe the just saved? which was a dual major of collection? philosophy and history, was EM: Was that your first RW: They had made several in that context. Then I did position after graduation? RW: The New York attempts, in maybe the a number of other things Philharmonic was founded late 1970s or so, to hire before returning to school RW: I was working in a as a cooperative of somebody to get it in order. for my master’s degree, semi-archival capacity musicians, in 1842. It was continued on next page Page 22 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 continued from previous page any archivist will tell you, users, we are open to the tours to the Soviet Union The great problem with not you go into a business or public by appointment. So and to Latin America; or having an archives is not organization or whatever, we have musicologists, we the politics of Bernstein, for that the stuff isn’t saved, that’s unfamiliar to you and have young conductors example, and the left-wing, but that somebody comes you learn about it; I mean looking at our marked Black Panther controversy in and uses it, and doesn’t that’s what we do. We bring scores, for example, the of the 1970s. That’s all get it back to where it the archival expertise, and Bernstein Score Collection here. Questions of racial belongs. The big problem if we’re smart we do a little or the Kostelanetz Score discrimination are involved is finding it the second reading about the specific Collection. in how we do our auditions time, as opposed to the subject matter … and, of and the impact of that, in first time. They realized this course, working within the We also answer the 1970s. Whatever the and made several attempts collection itself, I mean the questions by phone or subject is, it is also here. by hiring, essentially amount I know about music e-mail. Everybody’s got musicians; it’s wrong but and, more importantly, genealogists [laughing], EM: What is the part of it’s the natural way to think, about how an orchestra including us: “It was said your job at the New York because they would know runs, is tremendous now, my grandfather, So-and- Philharmonic that you music. Then in the mid- certainly compared to what So, was a member of the enjoy the most? ’80s, they made another it was when I first came. On orchestra, probably around attempt, only this time my first interview they told 1800- or 1900-such-and- RW: My job is largely they found Barbara Haws, me about a book on the such, is it true?” Usually, involved with supervising my boss, who successfully history of the Philharmonic, it’s not, at least not as volunteers and interns, convinced them that and by the second an official member. We and is also involved with they really had enough interview I had read it. also get, “I met my wife answering research musicians and what they at a concert and I don’t questions. I enjoy both of needed was an archivist. EM: Who are the typical remember exactly what those things a great deal. So Barbara, who’s still the users of this collection? was played, and it would With younger interns, archivist/historian at the be nice to have a program for example, we work New York Philharmonic, RW: A great many different from that” from forty years sometimes with City-as- founded the formal types. The orchestra ago or whatever. So, a wide School which is a high archives, in 1984. It was itself, the institution itself, variety of kinds of users. school program, and we originally in the basement constantly uses its history. And now with putting up work every summer with of Avery Fisher Hall, and Every program note the Bernstein years, 1943 the University of Chicago, then moved over into what not only talks about the to 1970, on the web, which with college-age interns. was a new building, the particular piece of music is a three-year project, use I really like passing on Rose Building, in 1991. but when we first played should increase greatly. knowledge, whether it, if we premiered it, was What has already happened it’s knowledge of the EM: Are you a musician? it one of our important only to a slight extent orchestra, or knowledge anniversaries of composers should happen more. of how to make order out RW: No. or artists. It will talk about, Cultural historians in the of chaos, which is what an “well, this is his or her United States have largely archivist does. In addition EM: Do you read music? fiftieth year” or whatever is ignored classical music and to that, the depth of the Play no instruments? appropriate. So internally, they should not. Let’s say collection is so amazing the orchestra uses it I’m a labor historian: well, that you can always RW: I’ve always been a fan, constantly. In addition to the history of musicians’ learn something new. A always a classical music fan, this type of use, we answer unions is very much real researcher comes in, and but no, I’m not a musician. questions like, “Where in our records. Any area of makes you think in a way did we find that special American history, not only you didn’t think before EM: Do you need extensive bell, last time we played classical music, impacts on because the question knowledge of classical this piece, fifteen years what was happening at the is different than you’ve music? ago?”— those kinds of Philharmonic. For example heard before, so you learn very practical questions. the politics of the State- something new, and that’s RW: No, I really think In addition to the internal Department–sponsored continued on next page Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 23 continued from previous page thinking of this as a career. RW: Yeah, oh yeah. doing a paper. We get a always fun. But I said to myself, “Well, lot of people doing film if I’m going to do this, it EM: How many hours a documentaries or video EM: And your volunteer would certainly be helpful week do you work on that? documentaries, and we position? to have the formal, official, do occasionally get a high on-paper credentials to do RW: I put in about four to school student walking in. RW: I’m the archivist/ so. There are many ways six hours a week. Now, there are exceptions historian for the Lesbian, of learning what to do to this, but usually the high Gay, Bisexual and properly, which you can EM: What does that school student is in the Transgender (LGBT) learn with or without the collection consist of? wrong place; they should Community Center. piece of paper; there is be in the library upstairs. learning involved but there RW: It is a collection of But we don’t look at them EM: How long have you are various ways of doing pretty much anything and say, “Get out of here. been doing that? it. It would be wise for the that is LGBT, directly You should be in the library good of this program that I LGBT-related. As well as, upstairs.” We sit down, we RW: This coming spring was setting up, if I had the of course, the business talk, we encourage and will be our twentieth on-paper credential too.” records of the Center help them. And then we anniversary. So that made me go to itself. It is divided into the send them to the library school. business records of the upstairs. Also there are EM: You’ve been a Center and the manuscript cases where the high school volunteer all this time? EM: So that led you to… collections. student is in the right place; they are at that level. RW: I’m the founder of RW: To NYU, and to the EM: Is it mostly that archives and still going history master’s. And documents? Photographs? EM: Are most of the users strong. when the time came at people who physically the end of the master’s, RW: All that, including come in? EM: How did that come when everybody else was things like periodicals. Our into being? discussing their next step, collection policy is: it has RW: Yes their academic career, to be specifically LGBT, RW: The executive going for a doctorate, and for example, in periodicals EM: They’ll come in as director of the Community perhaps what their thesis it’s got to be specifically opposed to calling or e- Center, and the board of would be on, I thought an LGBT periodical, as mailing? directors at that time, about it and distinctly, opposed to the “gay” issue asked around as to who definitely, decided that of Time magazine, which RW: We don’t have the they might get, to do rather than spend ten you can get anywhere. We staff to really answer this. My name came up years writing a book, don’t take in any books research questions, unless because I had participated which is what a doctorate or any commercial CDs or it’s something I can very a couple of years earlier is, I would prefer to spend DVDs, because there’s a quickly answer. Sometimes, in an LGBT exhibit at City that ten years building the separate but cooperating without coming in, Hall, during the Koch archives at the Community library program at the someone will say, “I saw administration, and for Center and helping other Center. So they do that; we a photograph credited to that reason they thought researchers. It was a don’t do that … but pretty your archives; I’d like to of me. And they asked very conscious decision much everything else. use the same one.” Well, me to do it. At that time on my part. Of course in that one we can do without I was not contemplating the process I opened up EM: Who are the users of them coming in, but for the being an archivist in a another career, which I then that collection? most part, yeah … formal sense. I had my pursued. interest in history — in gay RW: It is very wide. EM: Are there regular history in particular — and EM: Are there others that We most assuredly get hours each week? Do a background in the LGBT work with you on that historians doing their thesis people have to make an movement going back to collection? or their second book, but appointment? about 1970, but I was not we also get undergrads continued on next page Page 24 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 continued from previous page RW: Yes, the way we do RW: Very little. I do have an EM: You live in Jackson stories, which I get to do it is to have one evening abnormally large number Heights? from time to time, relative that’s advertised as drop- of Ganesh images. Do you to the LGBT history and in hours. The fact is, we’re know who Ganesh is? RW: In East Elmhurst, just specifically to my own time there — not necessarily me, outside of Jackson Heights. in the movement. but somebody’s there three EM: The Indian god? evenings a week, although EM: If you could move EM: So, stories from your only one is advertised as RW: Right, little statues, anywhere else in the U.S., own experiences? such. We encourage people pictures, whatever. where would you like to to call or e-mail first so we live? RW: Right. In fact, I was can oftentimes say, “yes we EM: How many? recently the principal do have a lot of stuff about RW: I don’t want to move speaker at a gay men’s neo- that,” or “no, don’t waste RW: I don’t count them, anywhere else. I am a dyed- pagan festival in Ohio. And your time.” And in addition they’re not catalogued; in-the-wool New Yorker, that’s exactly what I did for, to that, on the other two they’re just all over the but if I was going to have a like, an hour and fifteen evenings, if our usual place. Probably twenty or second house I might go to minutes, or hour and a half volunteer can’t come, we something like that. upstate New York, in other … just told stories. don’t have to worry about words, the opposite of city it. If someone hasn’t made EM: Do you seek them out life. EM: Interesting. And at the an appointment, we aren’t wherever you may be? Community Center, this absolutely committed the EM: And not that far from could be an event, or part way we are on that one RW: I try to control myself. the city. of an event, at which you’d drop-in night. And, for a be speaking? good number of years now, EM: So it could become a RW: Right. all of the finding aids for much larger collection if RW: Right. our processed manuscript you let it? EM: What is your favorite collections are on the web. meal? EM: And that’s kind of like Most of the actual material RW: Well, there’s a financial acting, too … is off-site, so we have to call question there too, of RW: These are hard it in. We encourage them course, so that restricts it. questions! I love Indian RW: Right. to look at the finding aid on food, so it would be the web first, unless they EM: Are they very pricey? vegetarian in nature, it EM: And finally, as an happen to live around the would be spiced, maybe alternative to my usual corner, in which case they RW: There’s a kind of Thai, but more likely Indian. last question: If you could might as well stop in. They Ganesh — you can hardly have dinner with any living can then say, “I will be in on tell it’s him — the size of a EM: If you were not an person — someone who is this date, and I need this silver dollar pancake, which archivist, what would you real and still living — who collection number and this is designed to carry in your be doing? would that be? box,” and we can have it pocket, which you can in for them, so they don’t buy for, I don’t know, five RW: Maybe theater. RW: (pause) Hard question! waste their time. dollars, in a local store. I I think maybe the current live in Queens so it is a local EM: Performing? president. EM: How far is the store. There are also large collection held from the Ganesh statues on a swing, RW: Yeah. EM: Okay… Center? for a thousand dollars; I don’t have any of those. EM: What kind of RW: I would not have said RW: It’s in a records- The range is amazing. performing? that about the previous management facility, so it president, not even about could be there the next day. EM: Where in Queens do RW: I love storytelling, Bill Clinton, but, yes, I you get them? and, indeed, I do a bit of think Mr. Obama would be EM: Do you collect that. Instead of giving a interesting. anything yourself? RW: Jackson Heights. lecture on history, I tell Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 25
REACHING OUT is a new column created in response to interest the topic of outreach activities within archives has generated among the members of the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York. Outreach is particularly crucial in these difficult times, when many archivists face limited resources and budget cuts. It may have nothing to do with describing and arranging, and be far removed from subject headings and archival folders, yet the outreach efforts an archivist makes help build the reputation of an archives and help keep it in public consciousness. We believe sharing outreach methods that other institutions have employed will serve as a valuable tool for the members of our community. For this inaugural column, we have chosen to profile the outreach efforts of the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Archives for Parsons The New School for Design. Reaching Out: A Profile of Outreach Activities at the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Archives for Parsons The New School for Design Shirin Khaki Intern Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Archives for Parsons The Located in a newly renovated building at 66 Fifth Avenue, New School for Design. behind an unassuming door, are the Anna-Maria and All photos by Shirin Khaki. Stephen Kellen Archives for Parsons The New School for Design. It is a windowless, brightly lit room that offers Web page: http://library.newschool.edu/speccoll/kellen/. access to the rich history of Parsons, design education, It was a project that required a significant amount of and the work of the many designers the school has time, planning, and collaboration with the director of produced over the course of its 100-plus-year history. Digital Services for the New School Libraries, but the resulting online visibility proved to be a crucial outreach At one end of the room, a blown-up photograph of component. Many researchers who have visited the Kellen William Merritt Chase, the founder of the Chase School, have found their way there as a result of the Web page, which eventually became Parsons The New School which contains collection descriptions, links to online for Design, looks down from atop a wall of chartreuse collections, and information on individuals important to lockers. The lockers could accommodate “hordes of the history and development of Parsons. The Web page, scholars,” although not quite as many could find a which went live in April 2009, seems to appear high in spot at the long white table to pore over the unique results rankings of Internet searches. It is difficult to treasures of the archives (space issues and the nature estimate the total number of people who have become of the materials mean that the archives can schedule aware of the Kellen as a result of the Web page, yet the only one researcher at a time). It is here that a staff of fact that the staff of the Kellen has noticed the Web page two professional archivists has been tirelessly working credited as a source of information and recognized that on numerous ways of reaching out within and outside of others are using their text speaks to the usefulness of their institution. Although the guard in the lobby had a creating an online presence. There is also a link to the little trouble pointing this visitor in the direction of the page from the New School Library Web site, particularly archives (the sign on the door helped), their various efforts useful in promoting the existence of the archives among have nonetheless proven quite successful at allowing the students and faculty. Kellen to maintain a presence in the minds of the public, improving accessibility to the archives’ holdings, and First established in 1994, renamed the Kellen in 1997, and, generating interest within the institution. after a period of dormancy and renovation, re-opened in 2008, the Kellen is a relatively new part of Parsons and the A major priority for the Kellen has been the creation of a continued on next page Page 26 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 continued from previous page release in an electronic vast New School University. newsletter can accomplish Contacting the heads of the task, and new media various administrative and provide numerous effective academic departments of opportunities for publicity. The New School to inform them of the existence of Wendy Scheir, the director the archives, its physical of the Kellen, aptly location, and the nature noted that outreach is of its holdings, and essentially a method of encouraging donation of “self preservation.” Ms. their non-active records Scheir explained that has been another essential Left: Jenny Swadosh, Assistant Archivist, Kellen Archives. undertaking these various component of outreach Right: Page from New York School of Art student Roy Fleming’s outreach initiatives “was endeavors. Tours for alumni notebook. Roy Fleming student work, circa 1902–1907. Image just a matter of deciding and orientation sessions courtesy of Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Archives, Parsons The New School for Design, New York, New York. that it was a priority for students have helped immediately. Even though dispel the air of mystery has made its way into the benefit from and be a lot of our collections previously surrounding Kellen in the past through beneficial to the archives, are still unprocessed and the archives and have various avenues was is worth the effort. The there’s a tremendous made it more welcoming showcased in an exhibition Alumni Association, for amount of organizational to first-time archives this past spring entitled, example, has relied on the and administrative and visitors (Jenny Swadosh, “Spanning the Decades: archives to supply them nuts-and-bolts archival the assistant archivist, 100 Years of Student Work with information and has work to happen, we have to emphasizes that the Kellen from the Kellen Archives.” helped the Kellen pursue start showing people what welcomes students who It was held in the Parsons potential donors. we’ve done.” Outreach have never used an archives library and contained communicates an archives’ before) and veteran the work of both famous Among the Kellen’s and archivist’s value by researchers alike. alumni, such as Marc potential donors is the allowing others to see the Jacobs, and not so famous Parsons student body. archives as a resource. Furthermore, forging The Kellen decided to alumni. “I feel that we do strong relationships with have a lot of material here pursue collecting student An important piece of other departments of the that is crying out to be seen work seriously this past parting advice that Ms. institution has paved the and used,” Ms. Swadosh spring. Doing so not only Swadosh provided was way for collaboration and says, and mounting introduces the students that outreach activities the exchange of mutually exhibitions affords the to the archives, but also often require few resources beneficial services. opportunity to share these reinforces their role as beyond staff time and Learning to navigate the interesting documents. The institutional stakeholders. dedication. The financial various departments of the Kellen hopes to make an Ms. Swadosh admitted cost is minimal and the university takes time, but exhibition in the library an her surprise at the great return on the investment is finding the right person to annual event. Furthermore, popularity of this endeavor unquestionably worth the contact can be a “gateway the staff hopes to apply among the students effort. to getting information out and the immense honor the skills acquired from there,” says Ms. Swadosh. an Omeka workshop to students have felt when Have you overcome the The advantages of being creating online exhibitions. asked to donate their challenges of implementing part of a vast institution projects to the Kellen. successful outreach efforts cannot be underestimated. Ms. Swadosh admits that She sees the collection of on behalf of your repository? Doing the necessary “it’s an ongoing challenge student work as a long- To share your story in legwork to identify various to keep the archives in term investment: “They the next installment of groups, whether the people’s consciousness.” can be our advocates in the REACHING OUT contact student council or the Yet, she also recognizes design industry.” Shirin Khaki at Alumni Association, which that something as simple [email protected]. might simultaneously as sending out a press Indeed, student work that We look forward to hearing (and learning) from you. Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 27
Student Section The Student Section of the Metropolitan Archivist is written by and for students in archives programs in the New York metropolitan area. We invite all up and coming archivists to write about the profession and/or any issues important to students, new archivists and the archives community, including opinion pieces, news or events. Photographs accompanying the articles and showing in action are welcome. Please submit all proposals and questions for the next issue via e-mail to Amanda Brown at [email protected]. Journey and Discovery in the Metropolitan Opera Archives
Andrea Walton Intern Metropolitan Opera
The 126-year performance history of the Metropolitan “Clover” costume design for L’Africaine, 1922–1923. Opera (Met) can be understood through production Watercolor and pencil on illustration board (9 x 11 in.). designs. As an intern at the Met since January 2008, I had the privilege of inventorying, assessing the condition All images courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera Archives. of, and scanning selections from the costume, scenic, and prop design collections. The materials I inventoried information gleaned from the box labels. I then examined are comprised of drawings and architectural elements and began to process the contents of each box. Clues associated with individual designs and productions. I to performance history were revealed in a signature, re-housed, arranged, and described over 2,300 items the name of a performer, titles, production notes, or residing in sixty-one boxes, framed on the archives’ walls, comments, often in multiple languages. Reference to shelves, and drawers, and hanging on the walls of dressing the stylistic conventions of individual designers and to rooms, corridors, and offices of the Met Opera and the surviving photos can provide additional information, both Metropolitan Opera Guild. illuminating and restoring lost bits of history. Checking performance history in the MetOpera Database –– To begin my project, I established a flat-file database in hanging files devoted to individual artists and productions Excel after consulting with the Met’s archivists. Together, (containing photos, clippings and ephemera) — helped we determined the most meaningful and searchable with identifications. categories to describe the collections’ materials, which range in date from the late nineteenth century to the Because I can only summarily discuss here the richness of present. An information baseline was constructed the collections and what I found, I will focus on costume incorporating the last inventory (essentially an itemized designs and one of the many discoveries I made. Every list), an acquisitions list of purchases and donations, and continued on next page Page 28 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
continuedStudent from previous page Section artist has his or her own style and contributes elements of it to Right: “Amazons Clover Solo” costume productions. As time allowed, I was design for L’Africaine, 1922–1923. determined to recover as much Signed “EFox’23.” Watercolor and information as possible. Even by pencil on illustration board (10 x 15 in.). the standards of the Metropolitan Opera’s 1922–1923 season, Giacomo Meyerbeer’s last opera, “L’Africaine,” was a relic of the French nineteenth- century grand-opera tradition — an extravaganza always incorporating ballet. Gretel Urban, assistant to and daughter of the legendary set designer Joseph Urban, is the credited costume designer, and uncredited designs are by Ethel Fox. Left: Bayadiere costume design I examined designs from “L’Africaine” for L’Africaine, 1922–1923. Signed early on. Box Three contained two “EFox’23.” Watercolor and pencil on signed designs by Ethel Fox for the illustration board (10 x 15 in.). Amazons Clover Solo and Bayadere dances. Both designs were created for twelve individual dancers whose names and costume measurements are found on the back of the Amazons drawing. At the end of the only record of this fragile art — of the current season. Below are links the inventory process, there were gone after each performance with no reflecting my activities: two boxes remaining of unidentified written script or score, unlike music Example of a set design examined: material. In one I found an unsigned, and drama. http://www.metoperafamily.org/ double-sided study of a dancer metopera/news/photos/gallery. with a distinctive headdress titled With the conclusion of this project, aspx?id=8512 “Clover” and a female figure in bare disparate and new information is now midriff, arms raised, with the notation gathered into one place, ready to Images of current productions “Rudolph” on the back (“Rudolph be consulted and updated. Looking captioned and scanned for the Solo” was written on the back of the to the future, the functionality and Archives database: Bayadere design). This reference may flexibility of Excel allows data to be http://archives.metoperafamily.org/ indicate the dancer Florence Rudolph, incorporated into a dynamic database Imgs/Nozze0910.htm whose career and performance if so desired. It was and continues to history crossed paths with both be thrilling discovering connections “Nights at the Opera” exhibit: Urbans during the 1922–1923 season. between the Met’s artistic past and http://www.metoperafamily.org/ The distinctive headdress and the the living present happening around metopera/news/features/detail. notations connected to a featured me. Currently, I research, scan in aspx?id=5632 dancer on the Met’s roster allowed Photoshop, and caption photographs me to restore these designs to Ethel from the collections. I assisted with Andrea Walton holds an MA in art Fox. Dressing performers to suit the preparation and installation of history and graduated this past June character, place, and or period is a the exhibition “Nights at the Opera,” with an MLS and certificate in archives, crucial process, and costume designs mounted in Founders Hall for the preservation, and records management provide compelling insight into this 125th Anniversary season last year from Queens College, CUNY. fascinating craft. It often becomes and updated prior to opening night Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 29
Student Section Archivists Round Table Student Get Together
Sixty students attended ART’s first-ever student gathering, which connected students across archives graduate programs with a new network of peers and ART resources. Pizza and soda were had by all, followed by a presentation by ART board members Karen Murphy and Rachel Chatalbash regarding ART programming and mentoring opportunities. We would like to thank the Archives and Public History Program at NYU for co-sponsoring this program.
Above: Students arriving at the event. Left: Rachel Chatalbash, ART communications and outreach coordinator, speaking to students. Right: Students socializing. Photographs by Shirin Khaki. NYU SAA Club Displays Archival Treasures The New York University Society of American Archivists The display included a copy of Punk magazine, David Club hosted a Display of Archival Treasures in honor of Wojnarowicz’s journal, sketches from Alice in Wonderland, Archives Month on October 15. The event was meant historic photographs of NYU, yearbooks from the early to raise awareness in the NYU community about the 1900s, artwork from the Downtown Collection, pamphlets wealth of archival materials available at the three from the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, a university-based repositories. Tamiment–Wagner Labor Talent Guide produced by the New England Local (Boston) Archives, Fales Library and Special Collections, and the AFTRA, and two letters relating to blacklisting and CBS’s New York University Archives all provided unique and refusal to allow Senator McCarthy time to respond to interesting archival materials from their collections. Staff Adlai Stevenson’s criticisms, from the AFTRA collection’s members from each repository were on hand to answer Network Series. questions about the display and their broader collections. Below: NYU SAA Club hosts Display of Archival Treasures. Photographs courtesy of Keara Duggan. Page 30 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
contribute to the shaping of of democratic reform by historical discourse through providing the documentary Book Review the very functions of their evidence necessary to Archives Power: daily practice. Furthermore, hold individuals and he explores the place of governmental/political Memory, Accountability, archives in determining bodies accountable for and Social Justice the parameters of national their transgressions. By Randall C. Jimerson and local histories and Narrating nation, identity, Society of American Archivists, their contributions to the and notions of culture and 2009. 466 pp. formulation of historical civil society, documentary ISBN 1-931666-30-X. $56.00. memory. Although evidence is a slippery Jimerson’s theoretical property that is subject to, Review by Mario H. Ramírez. position is increasingly and is often the product prevalent in archival of, the whims of political With the recent (re-) Randall C. Jimerson asserts discourse, his talent power and influence, if affirmation of the “right in the preface to his book lies in the marrying of not prosecution and state to truth” by the United that “archival sources assist multiple perspectives that repression. Nevertheless, Nations Human Rights in protecting the rights of underscores the insights Jimerson emphasizes the Council (Resolution 9/11) all citizens and in holding gained by a consideration need to look at the “future and its recognition that public leaders accountable of archives outside the usefulness” of archival “archives and archivists for their actions.” hermetic confines of the materials and their innate play a central role in Indeed, the entirety of profession itself. Employing ability later to question undergirding human Jimerson’s project is George Orwell, Milan and repudiate the very rights,” the notion of committed to arguing for Kundera, and Jacques authorities involved in archives as a mechanism the liberating potential Derrida, among others, their making. Constructed for social justice and of of the archival impulse Jimerson ruminates on in nature and function, archivists as arbiters and the seminal role of questions of memory, archives nevertheless of evidentiary truth archival practitioners in the governmental censorship, contain the tools necessary has gained further struggle for social justice history, politics, and the for disarticulating master validity. Often acting as and equality. Divided duplicity of documentary narratives and for exposing instruments both of state into six chapters, which evidence, as a means of previously suppressed repression and communal employ diverse theoretical contextualizing archival realities. Although liberation, of erasure and viewpoints to explore such institutions and measuring recognizing the often re-inscription, archives issues as archival ethics, their impact on how exclusionary nature of the have historically served a justice, memory, and social societies are formulated. process of documentation, contradictory function that and political accountability, Jimerson never fails to has led to their dubious the book serves both as a Jimerson is at his most maintain this belief in the (ab)use by governmental primer for persons new to engaging when he explores potential of the archive bodies and their tragic the archival profession and the role of archives in to aid in the democratic fate at the hands of the a call to action for those the creation of collective process and in the unveiling revolutionary masses. already on the frontlines of memory, their often and critique of abuses of Archivists themselves the acquisition, appraisal, competing social and power. are not above the fray, and preservation of historical functions, and and they have frequently documentary materials. ultimately their usefulness At times belabored, proven as capable of Laying the groundwork in for justice and political Jimerson’s text is policing the documentary his opening chapters with restitution. For as much as nonetheless notable for its record and upholding a discussion of the nuances archival repositories have ability to push archivists to repressive regimes, as they and responsibilities of the capacity to buttress continue to reflect critically have of providing access to the archival profession, governmental narratives on their practice. Adding their holdings and serving Jimerson subsequently of national belonging and his voice to a growing body more democratic and proceeds to flesh out to prove exclusionary in of literature both in and democratizing ends. the specific ways in their practices, they can out of the field, Jimerson which archivists actively also serve as mechanisms continued on page 32 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 31
the photographs, and building called Hester consequently the reader Gardens on the same Book Review must make the connection block. The accompanying between the historical text briefly refers to this Chinatowns of New York and modern-day contexts new wave of high-end City (Then and Now Series) almost solely from the housing in Manhattan’s By Wendy Wan-Yin Tan. images. The bulk of the Chinatown; however, it Charleston, SC: Arcadia photographs comes from fails to explain what the Publishing, 2008. 128 pp. the collections of Eric Ng, changing housing climate ISBN 073855510X. $19.99. president of the Chinese means for long-time Consolidated Benevolent Chinese residents and other Review by Eunice Liu. Association of New York; immigrant populations Mesut Paca, coordinator in the community. By not of the Muslim Association recognizing this issue, the of New York; the New York book ignores a substantial At the mention of the Queens are rich in ethnic Public Library; and Queens part of the story of name Chinatown, most diversity today. Brooklyn’s Library. These archival Manhattan’s Chinatown. New York City residents Chinatown came about as images date from the late The community and and out-of-town visitors garment factories in Sunset nineteenth century to the cityscape of Chinatown are probably envision the Park employed a large present day. transforming as buildings bustling streets of fake number of low-income are being renovated or luxury goods, roasted Chinese workers in the The selection provides torn down to make way for ducks hanging in restaurant early 1990s. Only a few of some noteworthy higher-income residents. windows, and colorful signs the factories now remain, comparisons and contrasts bearing Chinese characters, yet new immigrants between past and present, Photographs of the lesser- which characterize continue to settle there for painting a cohesive known Chinatowns in this ethnic enclave of the lower cost of living in memory of the particular Queens and Brooklyn are Manhattan. Cantonese the area and the familiarity location. For example, a sprinkled throughout the merchants arrived in New of being among an East circa 1940 photograph chapters. The order of York as early as 1847, and Asian population. Eighth of architect Clarence W. the pictures jumps from Chinese railroad workers Avenue in Sunset Park is Brazer’s striking domed Manhattan to Queens, back from the West Coast began thriving with restaurants, building at 51 Bowery, then to Manhattan, to Brooklyn, to settle during the 1870s specialty grocery shops, occupied by Manhattan etc., in what seems to as anti-Chinese sentiment and other establishments. Savings Bank, is shown be a random pattern; drove them east to seek with a contemporary however, the content of the a safer haven. While the Wendy Wan-Yin Tan’s photograph of the same images makes up for this Chinatown in Manhattan Chinatowns of New York building, now occupied disruptive flow. A photo is the oldest of the City juxtaposes historical by HSBC (formerly called of the Andrew Carnegie– Chinatowns of New York images with contemporary Hong Kong and Shanghai funded Elmhurst Branch City, Asian communities in photographs of identical Banking Corporation). of Queens Library from Queens and Brooklyn have locations. Chapters are Other combinations of the 1930s coupled with a been growing from the sectioned into subjects images evoke bittersweet photo of the library (taken latter half of the twentieth by points of interest, sentiment in regard from the same angle) after century to the present. streetscapes, livelihood to recent issues of its renovation in 1985 An influx of Taiwanese (such as dining and gentrification and real- presents a static view upon immigrants to Flushing, retail establishments), estate practices in New first impression. Details Queens, resulted from the and community and York City. A picture of such as differences in desire for more affordable cultural associations. She tenement buildings lining automobiles, architectural housing, better school also touches upon the the intersection of Mott ornamentation, and districts, and opportunities Chinatowns’ neighboring and Hester streets from sidewalks clue the viewer for Asian-owned businesses diversities. There is the early 1900s is placed in to the time periods. to develop. Asian minimal explanatory next to a 2006 photo of a Tan’s use and choice of American communities in text supplementing high-end condominium continued on page 40 Page 32 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
their inclusion. Additionally, Collections Facilities: the need for some of the Guidelines for Archivists, Book Review facility recommendations Librarians, Architects, and Archival and Special is questionable; for Engineers will surely serve Collections Facilities: example, the necessity as the standard for the next for a separate room to archival repositories to be Guidelines for Archivists, consult finding aids, or built in the United States Librarians, Architects and the recommendation and will be the source of Engineers not to have wooden positive discussion within Michele F. Pacifico and Thomas P. furniture in reading rooms. the archival field. This book Wilsted, Eds. However, the guidelines is a worthy resource that Society of American Archivists, are supplemented by an belongs in every archival 2009. 191 pp. easy-to-use scoring system and library facility-planning ISBN 1-931666-31-8. $35.00. which provides the reader reference collection. with the ability to balance Review by F. Jason Torre. each recommendation F. Jason Torre is University with the reality of shrinking Archivist in Special The mark of good writing, even, detailed language budgets and individual Collections and University be it a novel, musical score, the book’s purpose and repository needs. Archives at Stony Brook or business document, is its the historical context University. He earned ability to stand on its own in which it was written, The thoughtful preparation his MLS and Archives as a conveyor of knowledge compiled, and edited. of the recommendations Administration certificate or emotion. The wonderful This attention to detail within Archival and Special from Long Island University, new resource in Archival is mirrored in the guide’s CW Post. and Special Collections comprehensive hierarchy Book Review: Archives Power and Memory Facilities: Guidelines for of content as reflected in continued from page 30 Archivists, Librarians, its nine chapters: Building compels his reader to Harris, attempts to respond Architects, and Engineers, Site, Building Construction, think conceptually and to speculations about the edited and compiled by Archival Environments, expansively about the purpose of archives from Michele F. Pacifico and Fire Protection, Security, meaning and purpose of the archivist’s vantage Thomas P. Wilsted, does Lighting, Materials archival documentation point. Replete with just this and more. With and Finishes, Storage and what it can ultimately philosophical and political this concise, information- Equipment, Functional contribute to social and musings, as well as pop- packed volume, the editors Spaces, and appendices. political progress. This cultural references, the and the dedicated SAA contemporary relevance book provides the reader task force involved in Each of these individual of the historical, of with a rollercoaster ride of its publication (the Task chapters is written by an democratic innovation discourses and clarion calls Force on Archival Facilities expert whose breadth arising from the proverbial to action, which demand Guidelines) may take credit of knowledge and archival dust, is key to an equally multivalent for establishing a succinct, understanding of archival an understanding of the engagement and response. comprehensive foundation needs is evident, even if the effective and future use for national archival facility recommendations are not of the archive. Grounded Mario H. Ramírez is Project standards. The book is truly always viable or practical. as he is in the archival Archivist for the Centro de an excellent addition to the The book falls short in its world, Jimerson offers a Estudios Puertorriqueños at archival world’s educational noticeable lack of the usual compelling analysis that, Hunter College of the City literature. planning items such as like the work of Verne University of New York. diagrams, photographs, or Archival and Special sample checklists common Collections Facilities begins in other facility- planning with an introduction by works. Although the JOIN US ON editor Thomas P. Wilsted. chapters stand on their In his opening remarks, own without them, the FACEBOOK! Mr. Wilsted describes in book would benefit from
Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 33 News Around the Table Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York Awards Ceremony 2009 Every year, the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York recognizes excellence in the archival profession and its many associated fields with its annual awards, presented for innovative use of archives, outstanding support of archives, and for archival achievement. This year, the awards program took place on October 23 in the Sacerdote Lecture Hall at Left to right: Andy Lanset, Frank Moretti, Sara Fishko, A. Maurice Matiz, Dr. the Metropolitan Museum Manning Marable, Christine Ward, and Anthony Spano. of Art, where recipients, Photograph by Michael Lorenzini. guests, and members of the archival community the African American Past commentary from County executive, and to gathered for a lively project. Columbia faculty and other Westchester County. reception and ceremony. Mapping the African specialists. A former history Introductory remarks were American Past (MAAP) is a The award was presented teacher, Mr. Spano was made by the Metropolitan public Web site created to by Dr. Manning Marable, M. responsible for founding Museum’s archivist James enhance the appreciation Moran Weston and Black the Westchester County Moske. Leonora Gidlund, and study of significant Alumni Council Professor of Archives in 1985 during his director of the Municipal sites and moments in African American Studies first term as county clerk. Archives, representing the history of African at Columbia University, Not only has the county Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Americans in New York and received by Frank government sustained presented a Mayoral from the early seventeenth Moretti and A. Maurice the archives since 1985 Proclamation recognizing century to the present. The Matiz, executive director for its own public records, Archives Week. website is a geographic and vice-executive director, covering a twenty-four- learning environment, respectively, and co- year period, but it has also Innovative Use of Archives enabling students, founders of the Columbia provided space in the same This award recognizes an teachers, and visitors to Center for New Media facility for the very valuable individual or organization browse a multitude of Teaching and Learning. library of the Westchester for use of archival material locations in New York County Historical Society. in a meaningful and and read encyclopedic Outstanding Support of In effect, Westchester creative way, making a profiles of historical people Archives County offers a center for significant contribution to and events associated This award recognizes an local history to all who use a community or body of with these locations. The individual or organization these two collections. people, and demonstrating site is further enhanced for notable contributions Support for the program the relevance of archival by selected film and to archival records or in 2009 included a materials to its subject. music clips, digitized archival programs through $1,575,000 budget line for This year it was awarded photographs, documents, political, financial, or the Westchester County to the Columbia Center for and maps from Columbia moral support. This year Archives and Records New Media Teaching and University’s libraries. The it was awarded to Andrew Center and $180,000 Learning, for its Mapping website also contains Spano, Westchester continued on next page Page 34 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Archivists Round Table ART Discussion Groups Summer Social On October 15, 2009, thirteen intrepid archivists braved a torrential rainstorm to gather at the Kellen Archives for a wide- ranging, productive, and fun conversation about processing challenges. This session was the first gathering of a new ART Communications and Outreach program designed to provide a space ART members for archivists to engage in active conversation Farris Wahbeh, around specific archival issues. Lesley Espenship, Our next discussion group will take place and Jennifer Anna in late January and will address the needs of chatting over a beer. corporate archivists. Plans are also underway for Photograph by the following session, in March, which will tackle Mark Lamoureux. issues associated with cultivating and managing donor relationships. A wonderful time was had by all at ART’s August Thanks to all of you who have submitted summer social. This event, held at Long Island excellent ideas for discussions. Keep them City’s newest beer garden and planned as a local coming: [email protected]. alternative to SAA’s annual conference, was News Around the Table Around News attended by forty ART members. We hope to see you there again next year! Awards Ceremony 2009 continued from page and records storage facility operating within the New that may not have the for the Westchester in Elmsford and expand the York metropolitan region. technology or funds County Historical Society. archival storage capacity Andy Lanset, archivist of to complete the work Staffing the archives unit during a 2009–2010 capital radio station WNYC, was themselves, and all the (not just the records- improvement program for this year’s recipient. while fielding requests management program) has which bonds have been Since establishing the from WNYC reporters and ensured regular hours for approved in the amount of WNYC Archives collection producers, as well as from patrons, timely response $8,875,000. in 2000, Andy Lanset has outside filmmakers and to research requests, Christine Ward, assistant been indefatigable in historians. Thanks to Andy continued processing commissioner of the pursuing and gathering Lanset’s efforts, the bulk of of collections, a vibrant New York State Archives, all things WNYC, from the collection is now stored volunteer program, expert presented the award. discs to microphones to in one central place. A imaging of irreplaceable photographs, to thousands special climate-controlled and historically valuable Archival Achievement of hours of tape. To date, room now houses the records, and online access The award recognizes the archives holds more astounding collection Andy to indexes and virtual an individual or archival than 50,000 recordings personally recovered. exhibits that demonstrate program that has made an and hundreds of pieces of The award was presented the county’s rich history. outstanding contribution ephemera, images, and by Sara Fishko, WNYC’s Collaboration on programs to the archival profession memorabilia from the executive producer. with the Historical Society or a notable achievement station’s eighty-five-year Archivists Round and with the Greater of value to the archives history. Mr. Lanset and Table thanks the Awards Hudson Heritage Network, community, its patrons, or his very small staff are Committee members who also use the facility constituents. The recipient working hard digitizing Marcos Suiero, Heather space, has been a hallmark must be a member of the WNYC’s historical holdings, Ball, and Carey Stumm, for of the archives. The county Archivists Round Table while making preservation their hard work in selecting will rehabilitate its archival or an archival program transfers for institutions this year’s winners. Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 35 Managing Archives During Challenging Times News Around the Table On July 23, 2009, in the New York Public Library’s South Court Auditorium, the Archivists Round Table sponsored a free event for the archival community on the topic of “Managing Archives during Challenging Times.” The panel discussion included four archivists who spoke about their work experiences during past and present recessions. The speakers’ presentations addressed such timely topics as identifying and demonstrating the essential value of archives to your organization, adapting the role of archives to align with your institution’s current priorities, and managing the archives’ activities with limited resources. Panelists the Records Management the working memory of Novak feels fortunate The panel was chaired Administration team. all the panel members, because, being in a by Ira Galtman, who joined His responsibilities but that archives and their research institution, American Express in 1996 include participating parent institutions have he is not called on to and currently manages in the revision of repeatedly felt the impact explain the value of their Corporate Archives. enterprise-wide retention of economic downturns. special collections to He is also responsible for schedules, providing Such a climate calls on his peers and superiors, the development of a reference services, and archivists to practice as who value institutional Digital Asset Management promoting awareness and they also often do in times records and see library, maintaining a understanding of records- of economic plenty: with their usefulness. permanent company- related issues. He has limited resources and with He described his history exhibit, and worked in the archives the continuing need to as a “relatively communicating historical field for over ten years identify and publicize the favorable” economic information to internal and and had been affiliated importance of archives to and intellectual external audiences through with the LaGuardia and their various constituencies environment for presentations, exhibit Wagner Archives, Municipal and stakeholders. archives. He questioned, tours, and articles on the Archives, and Transit Steve Novak remarked rhetorically, the premise company’s intranet. Museum Archives. that as a health-sciences of the day’s panel, noting Michelle Elligott is the Stephen Novak has been facility, supported by that we need to be museum archivist at the head, Archives & Special medical-school funds rather realistic about the ability Museum of Modern Art. Collections, at the Augustus than general endowment, of management skills or She has been with the C. Long Health Sciences his institution is faring approaches to remedy museum for thirteen years Library of the Columbia better in the current what are often external and has been head of the University Medical Center downturn than Columbia’s financial decisions and archives for over ten. In since 1997. Before that he associated libraries on outcomes, whether addition to directing the served as archivist at the the Morningside Heights at the institutional or department, she organizes Juilliard School for seven campus. He compared its cultural level. Many archival exhibitions and has years, and he has also current situation to that important decisions are co-edited the museum’s worked at the Medical experienced by many New out of individual archivists’ first self-published history, Archives of the New York York City institutions after control, and he reiterated Art in Our Time: A Chronicle Hospital–Cornell Medical the attacks of September that archivists have of The Museum of Modern Center and at the New- 11, 2001. It is currently almost always functioned Art. She is also co-curator York Historical Society. He operating with no salary in settings of limited of the exhibition 1969, has held many positions raises, no new purchases resources and time. He which opened at the P.S. 1 in archival organizations, beyond supplies, fewer was heartened, however, Contemporary Art Center in including being president of professional development by the number of archives the fall of 2009. the Archivists Round Table dollars, and an institution- that have survived and of Joseph Komljenovich in 1997–1999. wide hiring freeze. That new ones that have been is currently archivist at said, new collections established since he began the Federal Reserve Bank Presentations coming into the archives his career in the early of New York where, in In introducing the have been asked to 1980s. addition to managing the panelists, Ira Galtman contribute funds toward Joseph Komljenovich historical records program, noted that the current their processing, and those opened his presentation he serves as a member of recession is the worst in requests have been met. continued on next page Page 36 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
continued from previous page will you need to manage expand through internal her department visible, with a look at technological change? partnerships, such as with giving an institutional archival employment And prioritize your needs the museum’s robust retail context to decision- statistics from a to meet that worst-case operations. A measure making that affects the variety of sources, scenario. of its vitality is that the archives’ management and all of which predict • Take time for yourself: archives’ usage has operations. future growth recharge, and you’ll do a expanded 140 percent since Ira Galtman summarized in the field. He better job. its move to the museum’s the panelists’ comments noted the varieties Michelle Elligott new building. by noting that individual of archival work presented the museum On the minus side, archivists cannot control experience today of Modern Art (MoMA)’s she has had to trim her the larger societal or that are available archives as a case study operating budget twice institutional financial outside traditional in facing challenging recently, but noted that it is environment in which they institutional times. The Museum so small that any reductions function. But we should definitions: individual was founded nine days are equally small scale. For not sell ourselves short, consultants, after the Stock Market external funding sources, he emphasized: archivists outsourced archives Crash of 1929 by three she has traditionally looked have traditionally been services, as well as enormously resourceful, to foundations and other resourceful and resilient. temporary and grant- creative, and dynamic nonprofits. However, He stressed the importance funded positions women. The lesson is that their endowments have of forming partnerships, within institutions. archivists must still be also been buffeted by the of defining and publicizing He noted the need resourceful. The archives current downturn. Instead, the archives’ niche within News Around the Table Around News for archivists to have was initially founded just she is now working with its parent institution, and entrepreneurial for institutional records, groups already in the its value to the culture. skills even within the but it now functions as “museum family,” such Knowing that institutional institutional setting, the a repository for other as affiliate membership culture is crucial if the need to advocate for the related collections. Its groups to whom she makes archivist is to succeed in value of archives, and greatest challenge to presentations with the meeting stakeholders’ the crucial importance date was dealing with the objective of their becoming needs. of having people skills in aftermath of the attacks of champions of the archives. Hard times can often relating to peers, superiors, September 11, 2001, which The museum’s staffing emphasize the value of and other stakeholders. occurred when the museum freeze has been in effect the archives and its role He provided six key points was in the middle of an since September 2008. as the trusted authority of (and one extra for good extensive rebuilding plan. There have not been institutional memory. The measure) on what to know The rebuilding could not layoffs, but she will have archives can document how and how best to apply that be curtailed or put on hold, lost three staff members by an institution has reacted knowledge at all times, but but she was able to ensure August 2009. This reduction to previous challenges especially in a challenging that the budget for that means some tasks and and, in so doing, improve environment: initiative included funds for services must be put on employee morale and • Know yourself and your continued growth of the hold, among which she investment in the parent skills archives. mentioned the possibility institution. • Know your institution On the occasion of the of reduced service • Know your peers museum’s seventy-fifth provision, a moratorium Questions and Answers • Have a vision for your anniversary, in 2004, it on records-management The discussion ended archives published ART in Our destruction schedules, and with a question and • Put the vision into place Time, a history of the holds on further transfers answer session, in which with effective project museum with visual of institutional records the panelists offered their management: in other materials culled from the into the archives. Involving experience and opinions words, move from plan to archives. This publication higher-level management on topics including action gained the archives in these decisions, documenting reference • Plan for the worst: for significant visibility, she noted, widens the usage, their institutional example, what retraining which she continues to responsibility and keeps continued on page 40 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 37 Archives Week Events News Around the Table in the New York Metropolitan Area Every year in October, the archival community celebrates its unique holdings with special events and activities open to the public as part of Archives Week. This year was no exception, as repositories, museums, and public institutions presented the following: Films from the Hadassah Celebrate Suffolk County observe. Motion picture trading, the bubbles Archives: “A Galaxy of Archives archivists were on hand to of 1720, and John Feature Films” Historic Suffolk County discuss film preservation Adams’s successful Hadassah presented is an annual Archives and to give tips on how bid to secure a a screening of “A Land Month event, during which to save precious movies loan from Dutch of Their Own” (1950), the many organizations before it is too late (www. bankers on behalf documenting orphaned dedicated to preserving the homemovieday.com). of the Continental children, who were rescued unique history of Suffolk Congress, which through the Youth Aliyah County gather to raise Museum of American was the first program after World War public awareness of their Finance Exhibit: “Actien American state loan. II, acclimating to a new documentary resources. Handel: Early Dutch “Actien Handel” life and a new language Public libraries, genealogy Finance and the Founding was sponsored by in Israel; and “Journey groups, historical societies, of America” NYSE Euronext and across Centuries” (1952), and school classes all take This exhibit showcased Stichting VvdE within which showed students part in this celebration of the relationship between the framework of at Hadassah’s vocational Suffolk County history. early Dutch finance and the Capital Amsterdam (www. school in Jerusalem with In this year’s event at the United States. On display capitalamsterdam.nl and their end-of-semester Setauket Neighborhood were financial documents www.moaf.org). projects in cooking, House, visitors were from Amsterdam, including nutrition, sewing, and treated to a display of the oldest-known share Staten Island Museum other vocational programs. historical documents certificate, issued by the In September, the These two films are the and photographs from Dutch East India Company Staten Island Museum first Hadassah films to be the county’s past (www. in 1606 and featured in hosted a number of exhibits preserved and digitized. historicsuffolkcounty.org). the film “Ocean’s Twelve.” and events about Staten The preservation project The exhibit tied in with the Island history, focused began with a survey of all Anthology Film Archive city-wide celebration of around such topics as the of Hadassah’s extant films, Home Movie Day 2009 the 400th anniversary of early Dutch settlement conducted in 2005–2006 Home Movie Day Henry Hudson’s exploration of the New York area, by Lynley Lys, a student returned in its seventh of the area that became especially on Staten Island, in the Moving Image annual edition, for another New Amsterdam (and later and the history of the Archiving and Preservation celebration of films by your New York), and focused Native Americans who Program at New York parents, your grandparents, on the financial aspects originally inhabited the University. The Hadassah your neighbors, genuine of the area’s first 200 area. Of particular interest Archives at the American strangers, total weirdos, years. The Museum of was the official opening of Jewish Historical Society and you. HMD 2008 was an American Finance, NYSE the Museum and Archives, and the Department overwhelming success with Euronext, the Amsterdam which highlighted the of Cinema Studies at events held throughout City Archives, and the archival collections of NYU cosponsored the the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Dutch Exchange Heritage the institution and their program. Preservation and Europe, and Japan. This Foundation (Stichting new repository (www. digitization of the films year Anthology invited VvdE) collaborated on the statenislandmuseum.org). were made possible by the public to bring 8mm, exhibit, which featured generous grants from the Super-8mm, or 16mm exceptional documents Women’s Film Preservation films to Anthology where from these organizations, Fund and the National Film they were inspected including materials relating Preservation Foundation. and projected for all to to early Dutch share continued on next page Page 38 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
continued from archival stacks. previous page The Ellis Island Family ART’s Job-Hunting National Archives History Game Show is an and Records interactive experience that Workshop: A Success! Administration allows participants to learn This workshop, attended current economy. Instructor Events about their immigrant by twenty-five ART Ellen Mehling discussed The National ancestors and the type of members, was offered by tips for resume and cover- Archives and Records records that people can use the Communications and letter writing, the dos and Administration to find information about Outreach Committee in don’ts of job hunting and (NARA) hosted a them. This fall’s partner response to the challenge interviewing, and resources document discovery program between the of finding work in the for job seekers. session at Federal National Archives at New Hall, followed by a York City and the National tour of the building, Park Service took place in on the site where the Ellis Island Learning Washington was Center; a similar program inaugurated and will be held again in the Congress first met. spring. Facsimile copies The National Archives of the Constitution at New York City’s monthly and Bill of Rights Finding Family program were on view, along continued in October. Guest News Around the Table Around News with other records lecturer Dan Lynch, author that document the of the award-winning book founding of our nation. on genealogy, Google Your At the Alexander Family Tree, discussed key Hamilton U.S. Custom strategies for conducting research across the World House at 1 Bowling Green, Dorothy Dougherty shows some of NARA’s treasures at the Wide Web. NARA hosted a document Open House 2009. Photo courtesy of the National Archives The National Archives discovery session about at New York City. records that tell the story of at New York City offered the U.S. Customs Service. programs and suggested holdings of the National The conference included While at the Custom House, topics from its holdings to Archives that match the a discussion of this year’s visitors could tour the help students and teachers current theme. They also “Innovation in History” rotunda and its murals and create National History help judge student contests theme, a series of marvel at the beaux-arts Day projects related throughout New York and workshops for novice and architecture that makes to this year’s theme, New Jersey and award experienced competitors, the building one of the “Innovation in History: certificates for “Best Use and a student panel. A most majestic in Lower Impact and Change.” of Primary Sources” to representative from the Manhattan. National History Day is a students in each contest National Archives at New The National Archives, nationwide competition (www.archives.gov). York City was on hand the nation’s record- for students in grades 6-12 to discuss incorporating keeper, was established to share their knowledge New Jersey History Day: primary sources into one’s seventy-five years ago to of a historical topic. NARA Doing History Conference project and provide project maintain and preserve the provides “Getting Ready This innovative one- feedback to participating permanent records of the for National History Day” day conference, held this students in a think tank U.S. federal government. workshops to educate year at William Paterson with other historical At its open house, visitors advisors and participants University in Wayne, NJ, professionals (http://nj.nhd. were privy to a brief about researching archival was designed to prepare org). history of the archives, an records in person and students and teachers examination of significant online, the importance of for this year’s National originals from NARA’s primary source use, and History Day competition. holdings, and a tour of its finding materials from the
Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 39 News Around the Table the WordPress CMS. Archival material must match official transcripts, and sound recordings (much of it and narrators are allowed Accessing transferred from PastPerfect) can also to edit the transcripts of be exhibited using Omeka, an open- their interviews. This brings Oral Histories source, collections-based, web-based up questions both about publishing platform. transcript accuracy and the Andrew Taylor The BHS Oral History Program’s ability of researchers to use digital material has doubled annually oral narratives in their work. Accessing Oral Histories, NYART’s since 2006 and growth is expected She also discussed U.S. Senate November workshop, explored the to continue, so server space is Historian Donald A. Ritchie’s ways in which oral history narratives always a consideration. In addition view that all oral narratives can be made interesting, relevant, to generating new projects, BHS should be public domain, and and available to audiences in today’s is digitizing all of its oral history explained creative-commons Web 2.0 world. Instructor Sady projects dating back to 1973: the licenses, which allow creators Sullivan, coordinator of the Brooklyn archival material is being transferred to specify which legal rights Historical Society’s Oral History from cassette tape to computer via they claim or waive for a Program, discussed the various a conventional cassette deck and a particular work. approaches and tools used by BHS mixing board. Damaged materials Sullivan moved on to explore and other organizations to make are sent to the Safe Sound Archive the differences between audio collections accessible. in Philadelphia for processing. interviews, video interviews, Sullivan began her presentation Having worked in radio, Sullivan has and transcripts. She described by showing a Flash-based audio experience with audio-editing, and audio interviews as being slideshow of Brooklyn mime-dancer BHS does all audio editing in house. more intimate than video Shock-a-lock (available on the BHS She uses Pro Tools audio-editing and providing a more comfortable website, brooklynhistory.org), which software and noted that Audacity environment because they do not was created for Folk Feet, an ongoing software program was another require narrators to think about their collaboration between BHS and popular choice. appearance or hold the same position the Brooklyn Arts Council, which Creating metadata is an important during interviews. In transcripts of documents the work of the borough’s outgrowth of all of Sullivan’s projects. oral narratives, she observed, one traditional dancers. The professional She works closely with archival may lose voice inflection, tone, photographs accompanying the audio catalogers to provide them with emphasis, and audible emotional interview added a great deal to the the information they need to create reactions and details, such as humor experience; while an obvious addition records for interviews and other and sarcasm. for a grant-funded dance project, the materials. PastPerfect exports easily Outreach is an important part of photos seemed a natural fit for any to Omeka, and this allows BHS to the BHS Oral History Program, both web-based audio. match the information available in terms of developing relationships Sullivan then got down to the meat online with their internal catalog with contributors as well as of the workshop: an exploration of metadata. connecting with target audiences. In the tools used at BHS and elsewhere BHS is keeping pace with Web 2.0 collaborative programs with Brooklyn to provide access to collections. Like technology. In addition to her blog, elementary and high schools, most non-profits, BHS looks for the Sullivan also publishes new audio students work with Sullivan to learn most cost-effective solutions when material as podcasts. BHS also has about preserving oral history, and get choosing software to use; WordPress, both Twitter and Facebook accounts, hands-on experience conducting and Omeka, and Vimeo (a YouTube and the Emma archival catalog has an giving interviews. As primary source equivalent) are all open-source and RSS feed for new additions. documents, oral narratives are of free. Internally, the oral-history, The workshop also dealt with particular interest to social studies photography, and fine-arts materials oral-history copyright issues, with teachers. at BHS are managed in their archival Sullivan taking the position that Building community awareness OPAC “Emma” using PastPerfect an oral narrative is a joint work of about Brooklyn history with projects museum software. Sullivan regularly the interviewer and the narrator like these is a central mission of BHS, posts new material (including images (interviewee). At BHS for instance, and the access the society provides and Flash audio) via a blog hosted by quotations taken from interviews continued on next page Page 40 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Join the ART Mentoring Program
Overview Program matches The Role of Mentors and career path. The ART Mentoring participants on an on- * Suggest coursework, * Request that your Program is open to going basis. When a conferences, or workshops mentor review your all ART members match is made, the to help your mentee resume, cover letters, or and is designed to Mentoring Program will achieve his or her career other relevant documents. nurture students notify the mentor and goals. * Explore and exchange as they begin their mentee, and provide * Host your mentee at thoughts on current trends careers in archives. contact information, your institution. Guide in the archives profession. ART’s Mentoring guidelines, and suggested him or her on a tour and Program brings activities. Together, the make introductions to your How to Apply together members participants will determine professional colleagues. You can join the Mentoring with professional their expectations and * Provide resources such Program by emailing expertise and how best to structure as publications, sample mentoring@nycarchivists. practical experience their relationship. ART finding aids, policies, and org. Please make sure and student members requires participants to resumes for your mentee to indicate your name, who want to build stay involved for at least to reference. institutional affiliation, their knowledge. one year and to meet at professional interests, and least twice. Certainly, The Role of Mentees if you are registering as a How It Works this relationship can be * Ask questions about mentor or mentee. News Around the Table Around News The ART Mentoring extended as desired. your mentor’s education
Book Review: Chinatowns of Managing Archives Accessing Oral Histories New York continued from page 36 continued from previous page placing all their stories on continued from page 31 structures, on- and offsite is as important as any an interactive map of New archival photographs storage, strategies for technological tools. York City. Adding a timeline capture an alluring portrait successful job hunts, Sullivan rounded out her feature to the map might of Chinatowns in New decision-making regarding workshop with an online have provided an even York City. Though the cutbacks in service, tour of offerings from other clearer context. The most descriptions accompanying and predictions about institutions that provide intriguing aspect of the some images could have the possible succession digital access to their oral site is that it allows visitors dug further below the scenarios for lone-arranger history collections, among to post their own stories surface to offer analysis archives in the environment them cityofmemory. with visitor-published connecting past to present, of layoffs and hiring org, produced by City stories represented on the the book serves as an freezes. engrossing introduction Lore. A thorny issue for map with orange dots and to the neighborhoods Acknowledgments historical websites is how City-Lore–produced stories of Chinese America in The Archivists Round to record and publish time marked with blue dots. New York City for those Table thanks the panelists and location information Thanks to Sady Sullivan unfamiliar with the for their participation in about a digital object. for sharing her professional communities and their this valuable event and When and where did the experience and ideas with histories. Ira Galtman for serving as events described in the the ART community: she chair; Phil Yockey, New York oral narrative occur? When left her workshop audience Eunice Liu is an archivist for Public Library’s manager was the narrative itself with much to think about The Winthrop Group Inc. in of Public Programs, for recorded? How is that and use in their own work. New York City. She received making the event possible; information presented her MSLIS from Pratt and William in the context of the Andrew Taylor is the Institute and is a Certified Stingone, New York other stories available Database Manager for Archivist. Public Library’s assistant through the website? FIT’s Digital Image Library director for Archives and City Lore has addressed and a member of the ART Manuscripts. the location question by Education Committee.
Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 41 News Around the Table Meeting Roundup: Fall 2009
of oral histories. September Green-Wood The first autumn meeting historian, Desiree Leary, the for 2009 was hosted by the Jeff Richman, senior archivist Green-Wood Cemetery and displays one of coordinator for its historian, Jeff Richman. the cemetery’s Story Corps and Ben Anthony Cucchiara, earliest ledgers Alexander, Head of Director of Archives and dating back to Special Collections Special Collections at incorporation and Archives and in 1838. Brooklyn College, was also Assistant Professor Photograph by at Queens College, in attendance. Professor Shirin Khaki. Cucchiara is collaborating were the guest with Mr. Richman in panelists. Ms. Leary the capacity of archival discussed the growth consultant. The event Attending members viewed David Seymour, and Henri and evolution of began in the cemetery’s the cemetery’s archival Cartier-Bresson, Magnum the Story Corps Historic Chapel built in the collections, which are Photos was conceived as a archive. Professor 19th century based on the housed in two separate cooperative owned by its Alexander based plans of the architecture locations on the cemetery’s member photographers. his discussion on his firm Warren and Wetmore. grounds. The archival The archive was created paper, “From Capture Incorporated in 1838, the holdings consist of the to provide photographs to History: The cemetery, Mr. Richman cemetery’s institutional for publication and is Personal Audio Recordings explained, the cemetery archives, dating from its comprised of prints, of Louis Armstrong.” His was a popular 19th-century incorporation, and some negatives, contact sheets, presentation focused tourist attraction and the outside collections, as and digital files. Magnum’s focus on his study of how final resting place for New the archives has become archivist, Matthew Murphy, these tapes survived York’s rich, famous, and a collecting repository led the tour at its New years of neglect following notorious. As the cemetery under Mr. Richman’s York location in a modest Armstrong’s death and approaches its maximum guidance. Guests were space on 25th Street in consider their transition number of internments given the opportunity Manhattan. Mr. Murphy into the Archive and and consequential loss to view the ledgers that led the group through the specifically how their of revenue, Mr. Richman document plot sales, the various departments: the preservation, various described his efforts to display of mausoleum contact sheet and negative migrations and description revitalize the grounds and keys, and a soda-fountain archives, the digitization have shaped both access to archival collections as a machine invented by “The lab, and traditional this collection. We would tourist destination and Soda Fountain King,” darkroom as well as the like to say a special thank resource for historians John Matthews, one of licensing department. you the Museum of the City and researchers. His Green-Wood’s illustrious During the tour, Mr. of New York for hosting this efforts include the ongoing deceased. Murphy explained how event. Civil War Project and the the archives and digital fundraising initiative, October lab collaborate to fulfill December “Saved in Time: The In conjunction with licensing requests and build The Center for Jewish Gottschalk Project,” to Archives Week, NYART the archives. History was the generous replace the lost sculpture organized a tour of the host for the 2009 annual that once graced the iconic photography co- November holiday party. We would grave of the famous 19th- operative and licensing In conjunction with the like to say a special thank century composer, Louis house, Magnum Photos. oral history workshop you to the Center’s Michael Gottschalk. Founded in 1947 by the on November 19th, the Glickman and Melissa photographers Robert monthly meeting focused Minaya for helping us Capa, George Rodger, on two different types organize this event. Page 42 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
for arrangement, Participants broke into September Workshop: description, preservation, small groups to review Implementing and benchmarks. the cases, which had been Recommendations submitted in advance. Each “More Product, Less Process” follow the principle of case-study group assessed Eunice Liu “the golden minimum”: stages of planning, Table of Metropolitan the least archivists can level of processing According to New York co-sponsored do to get the job done in using Greene-Meissner research by Mark A. its second workshop with a way that is adequate recommendations, staffing Greene and Dennis the Society of American to user needs, present models, timeframe to Meissner (“More Archivists on the subject and future, with the complete processing, Product, Less of implementing MPLP. goal of providing an products (finding aids, Process: Revamping The workshop, held at the acceptable level of access. MARC and EAD records), Traditional Archival American Numismatic It is important to note, and future steps. This Processing,” The Society, was led by Daniel said Santamaria, that portion of the workshop American Archivist, Santamaria, Assistant their recommendations provided participants with Fall/Winter 2005), University Archivist for should be tailored to a tangible grasp of how traditional processing Technical Services at each archives’ individual this emerging and evolving is not sufficient the Seeley G. Mudd staffing model, reference method can achieve to deal with the Manuscript Library of and collecting policies, physical and intellectual size and scope of Princeton University. It was and collections types. control over large backlogs modern collections. an enlightening daylong Santamaria also covered in modern collections. News Around the Table Around News How can archivists session for all the archivists MPLP’s application to MPLP asks archivists use their “more in attendance, whether descriptive standards, to embrace change and product, less process” they were new to this digitization, project to look at the big picture. (MPLP) method to practice or already familiar supervision, and Among the workshop’s gain control over with it. Santamaria began management. takeaways: MPLP requires large unprocessed the workshop with an The second half of the that archivists let go of backlogs and provide examination of the Greene- workshop was spent on fear and anxiety; make collections access to Meissner study, giving an three case studies of difficult decisions (and researchers? overview of the problem, MPLP implementation stick to them); and rethink On October 13, the research findings, and from the Princeton traditional archiving the Archivists Round their recommendations University Archives. practices. Catherine Tyler Brody, 1927-2009
The Archivists Round Table METRO region. of Metropolitan New York is saddened to note In addition to her archives career, Catherine was the passing of Catherine Tyler Brody, 81, on deeply interested in the history of printing and was September 4, 2009. Ms. Brody, a long-time New a President and Founding Member of the American York resident, was an archivist and author, active Printing History Association; member of the Grolier in several clubs and associations, and a beloved Club; author of several books on the subject; and for member of her many professional networks. several years Treasurer of the Typophiles. Catherine was for thirty years Professor and Well-loved and esteemed by her colleagues, Administrator with the City University of New Catherine is described as a supportive and caring York as Chief Librarian and College Archivist workmate. Janet Linde, a former METRO colleague, of NYC Technical College, and was chair and says of Catherine: “She was a wonderful person and later co-chair of the METRO Historical Records professional, and I feel honored to have known her.” & Archives Advisory, which guided the State She will be missed. Archives’ Documentary Heritage Program in the Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 43
Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street News Around the Table June Reich Publishing Archivist, Sesame Workshop seen photographs as well as scripts, and themes, constructed original sheet music, cel animation, with more Sesame Street In collaboration with the Brooklyn and show props. Extensive photo Muppets, show props, and Public Library, The Jim Henson research for a special fortieth- photographs. Additionally, the Legacy, and The Jim Henson anniversary book on Sesame Street international reach of Sesame Company, Sesame Workshop is has led to the creation of a photo Street is highlighted through celebrating the fortieth season archives at Sesame Workshop. The photographs and books from of Sesame Street with a major foyer cases also showcase a special around the world. exhibition at the Brooklyn Public collection of Sesame Street Muppets, For more information Library. built by The Jim Henson Company about the Sesame Street The Grand Lobby exhibit features over the show’s forty years. exhibit at the Brooklyn Public original Sesame Street book art from The Youth Wing exhibit offers Library, please visit www. the Sesame Workshop Publishing children and adults a close-up look brooklynpubliclibrary.org. Archive. Illustrations by more than at a variety of Sesame Street stories 25 artists working in a range of styles from watercolor and Luma dyes to digital illustration are included. The Publishing Archive was created three years ago when a cache of original book art was found in the Western Publishing Company warehouse. Western, the publishers of Little Golden Books, was one of the first publishers of Sesame Street books. The contents of the foyer cases 1970s Sesame tell the story of Sesame Street from Street cast. its inception to the present, looking Copyright ahead to the future. Inside are many 2009 Sesame newly discovered and never before Workshop.
Share Some Space with ART Special Collections and University Archives at Stony Brook University Kristen J. Nyitray, Head, Special Collections and University Archives
Stony Brook University’s York State Archives present Special Collections and this award annually to an University Archives has organization in the state. been selected to receive The department was also a ART’s programs all require space. If you have a the 2009 Archives Award recipient of the Connecting room or auditorium that you could offer for a monthly for Program Excellence to Collections Bookshelf meeting, workshop, or discussion group, please e-mail in a Historical Records grant from the Institute [email protected]. We need your help! Repository. The Board of Museum and Library of Regents and the New Services. Page 44 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Social Security Records Lecture Irwin Gordon-YaShad, M.L.S. Records Management & Archives, Putnam Lake, New York
Although most report. Irwin Gordon-YaShad (B.A., panel at the 9th annual Researching genealogists are familiar with Judaic Studies, Brooklyn College, New York Conference: Perspectives SSA-5 Application Forms June 1989; M.S., Information & on Empire State History, held at and accompanying online Library Science, Pratt Institute, May the University of Albany–SUNY on Social Security Death Index 1993) recently presented a lecture on November 15, 2007. (SSDI), few know about the this topic entitled “I Want My Daddy’s He is also a lifetime member of existence of an arguably (and Mommy’s) Work Records!: the library science honor society, more valuable source Social Security Detailed (Itemized) Beta Phi Mu, and served a three- inextricably connected to Employment Earnings Statements,” year term on its Theta Chapter’s them, namely Itemized at the International Association Executive Board of Directors (2005- Earnings Statements. They of Jewish Genealogical Societies’ 2008). Among YaShad’s avocations serve as both a necessary twenty-ninth annual conference, held are Hebrew calligraphy, local history, companion and extension in Philadelphia on August 6, 2009. poetry readings and voice-overs. of SSA-5s, and often remain YaShad first presented this same Beginning on August 1, 1997, he has the only surviving files lecture topic at the IAJGS Silver frequently performed as an amateur left available in order to Anniversary Conference, held in Las stand-up comedian at the New York accurately construct a unified Vegas on July 14, 2005, as well as part Comedy Club, including other venues News Around the Table Around News record of an individual’s of an independent scholar history throughout New York City. complete work history The Metropolitan Museum of Art Archives Opens
Melissa Bowling Recently Processed Collection Assistant Archivist, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Archives
The Metropolitan institutions. He was also files/archives/Richard_F._ publications, office files of Museum of Art Archives is a member and leader Bach_records_b1704956. select staff, architectural pleased to announce that of a number of arts and pdf drawings, press clippings, the recently processed education organizations The objective of the and ephemera. Museum Richard F. Bach Records are as well as a prolific writer Metropolitan Museum staff and qualified scholarly open for scholarly research. and lecturer. The collection of Art Archives is to researchers at the graduate During his tenure at the includes correspondence, collect, organize, and level and above may Metropolitan Museum of meeting minutes, and preserve in perpetuity the request access via e-mail, Art, Richard F. Bach served pamphlets related to corporate records and including a brief summary as Associate in Industrial Bach’s activities at the official correspondence of the research project, Arts, Director of Industrial Museum. The majority of the Museum, to an outline of sources Relations, Dean of of the correspondence make the collection already consulted, and a Education and Extension, is professional in nature accessible, provide curriculum vitae or resume. and Consultant in Industrial and concerns Bach’s role research support, and to Access is granted at the Arts. Bach championed the as liaison between the further an informed and discretion of Archives staff, collaboration of museums Museum and industrial enduring understanding and certain materials may and the industrial arts, designers, manufacturers, of the Museum’s history. be restricted. Website: working extensively with educators, and arts Holdings include Board http://libmma.org/portal/ manufacturers, industrial organizations. Finding aid: of Trustees records, legal museum-archives/ designers, and educational http://libmma.org/digital_ documents, Museum Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 45
Assessing the Legacy of the News Around the Table Feminist Art Movement Fernanda Perrone Exhibitions Coordinator, Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries
This Fall Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers— New Brunswick is hosting a major exhibition, “Bridging Generations: Women Artists and Organizations from the Rutgers Collections.” “Bridging Generations” focuses on the critical and much-debated women’s art of the 1970s. It draws on Rutgers’ rich archival collections documenting women artists, including the papers of Faith Invitation, 4th Annual Open Walls Art Exhibit, Artemisia Gallery, Ringgold, Ora Lerman, and Judith June 20, 1980. Image courtesy of the Women’s Art Registry Brodsky, as well as the organizational Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers records of the Women’s Art Registry, University Libraries. the Heresies Collective, the Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA), and the New keynote lecture by Hilary Robinson, gave a lecture on the history of this York Feminist Art Institute (NYFAI). Dean of the College of Fine Arts at important organization for women “Bridging Generations” features the Carnegie Mellon University and the artists and art professionals. first ever exhibition of approximately editor of Feminism-Art-Theory: An Rutgers received a grant of $3,000 thirty-five visual diaries, artists’ Anthology, 1968-2000. The next from the New Jersey Council for the books created in consciousness- event was an intergenerational panel Humanities to support exhibition raising workshops taught by sculptor discussion assessing the impact of programming. The exhibition will and NYFAI board member Nancy NYFAI. In the final event, Judith K. be on display in the first floor and Azara. These diaries will travel to the Brodsky, celebrated printmaker, lower level galleries of the Alexander Maurice N. Flecker Gallery at Suffolk professor emerita of visual arts at Library in New Brunswick until County Community College in May. Rutgers, and one of the founders January 30, 2010. The exhibition opened with a and early presidents of the WCA, ART’s Discussion Listserv Has Its One-Year Anniversary! The ART listserv facilitates communication among ART members regarding topics related to the professional archives field. This communication may include announcements of archives-related events and educational opportunities not sponsored by ART, questions concerning archival practices and procedures, discussion of issues affecting the archives community, notification of relevant exhibits, and postings of open archives positions in the New York metropolitan area. Unsolicited advertising by vendors or subscribers to promote goods or services, directly or indirectly, is prohibited.
While subscription to this list is available to members only, you are not automatically subscribed. If you would like to be added to the discussion list, please email our list administrator, Lesley Espenship, at [email protected]. Page 46 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 New Book on the History of Jersey City Cynthia T. Harris Manager, New Jersey Room, Jersey City Free Public Library
Lusciously illustrated with Jersey’s Liberty State Park framing through a city exhibit; walk through 350 images and accompanying the Hudson River. It explores the the rooms of a home; walk across text, Changing Jersey City: beauty and history of some of the a college campus. See how people A History in Photographs, city’s most incredible architecture in worked and played when life was very by Cynthia Harris and Leon a chapter devoted to several iconic different from the way it is today. Yost (Schiffer Publishing, buildings. Previously unpublished Learn about the historians who have 2009), presents New Jersey’s archival photographs printed from kept meticulous accounts of city life oldest and second largest the original 4” x 5” negatives are since the mid-nineteenth century— city in all its magical quirks juxtaposed with contemporary without them our knowledge would and secrets. It starts with photographs in order to document be severely limited. Join the journey sequential photographs that the evolution of this vibrant city. through Changing Jersey City. document the changing Changing Jersey City also looks into Interview with authors: skyline and the transformation the heart of Jersey City–its people. http://www.nj.com/hudson/index. of decaying, abandoned Meet not only mayors and movers ssf/2009/08/authors_yost_and_ railroad terminals and old and shakers but also everyday people harris_answer.html tenements to development who have left their imprint on the along the waterfront, fit with city. See what charmed and excited News Around the Table Around News skyscrapers looming and New its people over the last century. Walk
The College of New Rochelle Receives Gift of Leland Castle Related Materials Martha Counihan Archivist/Special Collections Librarian The College of New Rochelle
In 2008, the Coordinator plus items include bills of General Services at The by the carpenter, Peter College of New Rochelle J. Shearwood, of New and local history buff Rochelle (and first fire Amy Hagerty found an chief of New Rochelle), interesting lot of papers and Andrew J. Garvey, for sale on eBay. The who was known as the items were contracts “Prince of Plasterers.” and papers related to the These archival materials construction of Leland are a fine addition to the Castle (http://puka. history of Leland Castle. Queens County Hounds and The New Rochelle Coach, “Talley- cs.waikato.ac.nz/cgi-bin/ Leland Castle was placed Ho” at Castle Inn, New Rochelle. October 1881. Courtesy of the cic/library?a=d&d=p396) on the National Register Archives, Gill Library, The College of New Rochelle. dating from the mid-1850s. of Historic Buildings in After purchasing the lot, 1976 and is presently the Gill Memorial Library pieces from the collection. she generously donated Administrative center Systems Librarian, Susan The exhibit can be found at: these rare papers to The of the College as well as Acampora, has recently http://www2.cnr.edu/home/ College of New Rochelle the location of the Castle completed an online exhibit library/Exhibits_Archive. Archives. The forty-five- Gallery and faculty offices. highlighting interesting htm. Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 47
La Guardia and Wagner Archives News Around the Table Douglas Di Carlo, Archivist, La Guardia and Wagner Archives
The La Guardia and Wagner and photograph prints Archives is collaborating with the NYC into archival sleeves. Department of Records/Municipal While La Guardia is Archives in selecting images from the absorbing the labor Mayor Edward I. Koch Photograph cost to select and Collection (1978-1989) housed at the preserve the images, Municipal Archives for La Guardia’s the Municipal Archives own Koch Collection and for use in its is covering the expense various outreach publications at La of the archival sleeves. Guardia Community College/CUNY. The Municipal Archives As of September 2009, more has and will continue to Mayor Ed Koch crossing the Williamsburg Bridge during the 1980 transit strike. Papers of Mayor than 450 photographs have been invest managerial and Koch. Courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives. selected and scanned out of a pool staff time to oversee of about 35,000 images. Eventually, and coordinate this project and its use, requiring a demonstrable a projected selection of about associated materials. La Guardia level of long-term cooperation 4,000 images will be posted on the plans to enhance public exposure and between the two institutions. La Guardia and Wagner Archives’ use of these images through joint This project illustrates website. This selection is made from press releases with the Municipal ways to share resources photographs that were processed by Archives. Future La Guardia research and collections in this tough the Municipal Archives. La Guardia requests for reproductions of one of economic climate. It is hoped is utilizing a descriptive database the selected images will be referred that other archives institutions provided by the Municipal Archives to Municipal to obtain publication will be inspired to engage and placing all the negative strips quality images and permission for in similar collection-sharing activities. Columbia Medical Center Opens New Collection Jennifer McGillan Archivist, Archives & Special Collections, Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library, Columbia University Medical Center
The Archives and Special theatrical career was the Administration of used to describe a broad Collections at Columbia halted by tuberculosis. In the Disabled Persons spectrum of disabilities University Medical Center 1949, following several (Employment) Act.” and redefined the national is pleased to announce that years of recovery, she was As Director of Rehab and international medical the papers of Maya Rivière awarded one of the first Codes Inc., Rivière community’s concept of Ward have been processed Fulbright Scholarships, coordinated the groups the purpose and impact of and are open to the public. which enabled her to that produced the rehabilitation. Mary Richey (Maya) study at Oxford University Rehabilitation Codes, Some highlights of the Rivière Ward (1908-1989) under G.D.H. Cole, conducted extensive collection are disability was an important mid- a notable economic research that shaped and rehabilitation-related 20th-century American historian, detective the final text of the code ephemera from both expert in the rehabilitation novelist, and member itself, and also served Britain and the United of the disabled. Her path of the Fabian Society. as the administrator States dating from 1949- to that career was an She earned a D.Phil. in of Rehab Codes Inc. 1970 and personal diaries unusual one; she received 1954 for her dissertation, The Rehabilitation documenting Ward’s trials a BA from Agnes Scott “Rehabilitation of Codes standardized and and tribulations as a New College in 1928, and later the Disabled, with codified the language York City landlord in the studied at Julliard. Her Special Reference to 1960s and ’70s. Page 48 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Archives of the Amex Moves to NYSE Euronext Janet Linde, NYSE Archivist Deborah Shea, Senior Consultant, The Winthrop Group
As NYSE Euronext smaller, and/or innovative companies completed its acquisition of and weathered the elements while the American Stock Exchange trading outdoors year round. A (the Amex) in October 2008, vigorous effort by its leaders brought NYSE Archivists were already regulation, a 1921 move indoors, and working on plans to identify improved credibility for what had and review the important become the New York Curb Market. archival documentation of Through bull and bear markets, the the Amex. Their plans, carried Curb Market’s influence grew and out with the assistance of in 1953 its members adopted the the Winthrop Group, Inc., American Stock Exchange name. helped to ensure that the The NYSE Archivists are lively history and the archival proceeding with integration of the Curb broker signaling to office clerk. records of the American Amex documentation into their Photo Courtesy of NYSE Archives, NYSE Stock Exchange are preserved Archives, and the work of arranging Euronext. for ongoing business and and describing an estimated 140 scholarly purposes. cubic feet of historical records, Securities and Exchange Commission News Around the Table Around News The Amex was known photographs, printed materials, testimony, the introduction of options during the nineteenth century and publications commenced in and derivatives, and late twentieth- as the “curbstone brokers.” Its the summer. From early twentieth- century images of the trading floor— reputation was built on the fact that century photographs of the the papers reveal the evolution and its members took on the challenges curbstone brokers, ticker notices, and progress of the marketplace. of trading securities of unseasoned, published constitutions and rules, to
Davids Island to Live On in Virtual Exhibit Patty Dohrenwend Director, Westchester County Archives & Records Center
Davids Island may no the online exhibit include included in the web site local history collection. longer have any physical selected historic and are a sample of the digital This project was a structures, but memories contemporary records, records collected and collaborative effort of of the historic Army post photographs, maps, and created by the U.S. Army the U.S. Army Corps of and the role it played other materials. This Corps of Engineers, New Engineers, its contractor, in New York’s military section focuses on the story York District, as well as Tetra Tech EC, Inc., the history will live on in a new of Fort Slocum’s military an extensive collection of Westchester County online exhibit, which was mission not only through archival materials gathered Archives and Records launched on Veterans Day. images and plans of now- by the Fort Slocum Alumni Center, the Westchester Now part of Westchester demolished buildings and Association and the New County Historical Society, County’s Virtual Archives other historical traces on Rochelle Public Library. New Rochelle’s city section, http://davidsisland. the island, but also through Additional materials will historian, the New Rochelle westchesterarchives. the shared testimony of be accessible through Public Library and the Fort com commemorates the men and women who the Davids Island Digital Slocum Alumni & Friends history of Davids Island. served, lived, and worked Repository of the New organization. Documents presented in at the post. The materials Rochelle Public Library’s Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1 Page 49
what can be achieved with News Around the Table AudioVisual Preservation Solutions their support. The first entry is a profile of Seeks Your Archives Success Story “The Jazz Loft Project”(www. Kevin O’Neill avpreserve.com/yada/the-jazz- AudioVisual Preservation Solutions preservation success stories on a daily basis. Those successes are built loft-project/), a story which is an excellent example of In conjunction with activities on sustained long-term efforts and how a person or organization celebrating UNESCO World Day for collaboration with other internal and convinced of the cultural value Audiovisual Heritage, AudioVisual external stakeholders. Celebration of of previously inaccessible Preservation Solutions (AVPS) these successes can lead to the kind audiovisual content is making launched an archives advocacy of funding support all archives need in unique materials accessible campaign entitled “Your Archive reaching their goals. AVPS is asking and preserving them for Deserves Advocacy! (YADA!)” and archivists for their favorite audiovisual posterity. requests your participation in an preservation experience. These Because all archives effort designed to garner support stories will provide encouragement to deserve advocacy, your story for audiovisual archive preservation other archivists by showing what can deserves to be told. Contact planning and project implementation be achieved in similar circumstances. AudioVisual Preservation from influencers, policy makers, and These stories will be published on Solutions at www.avpreserve. funding organizations. the AVPS website. Some will be used com/you or As consultants and advocates in a further effort to inform private [email protected] to working with audiovisual archives, and public funding decision makers, leave contact information. AVPS contributes to and witnesses both of what is being achieved, and
BHS and Partners Receive Major Federal Grants for Brooklyn Abolitionism Project Allison Auldridge Development & Communications Associate, Brooklyn Historical Society
Brooklyn Historical awarded BHS $936,000 and Colored Citizens, to Arms! A Civil War-era recruitment Society (BHS) has been the National Endowment poster, circa 1863. Printed by Francis & Loutrel, selected, along with its for the Humanities (NEH) Stationers & Steam Printers. (M1975.387.1) Image partner institutions, the has awarded $400,000 courtesy of the Brooklyn Historical Society. Weeksville Heritage Center toward the program. and Irondale Ensemble Designed and an educational curriculum America. Brooklyn leaders Project, to receive two implemented by the that will be distributed and activists, black and major federal grants to three organizations, In nationally, and a scholarly white, were vital to the fund In Pursuit of Freedom, Pursuit of Freedom will symposium. national movement. a multi-faceted program provide new resources “The history of abolition Their untold stories need that memorializes the for understanding is complex and powerful,” to be understood. With history of abolitionism and Brooklyn’s leading said Deborah Schwartz, this project we hope to the Underground Railroad role in the abolitionist President, Brooklyn invigorate civic discourse in Brooklyn. The U.S. movement through Historical Society. “The about the relationship of Department of Education exhibitions, a website, struggle for freedom was this pivotal history to our Office of Postsecondary historic markers, walking not only fought on battle present lives.” Education, Underground tours, a commissioned fields, but also in churches, For more information Railroad Educational and outdoor public art work, schools, newspapers, on this project please visit Cultural (URR) Program an original theater piece, and communities all over www.brooklynhistory.org Page 49 Metropolitan Archivist, Vol. 16, No. 1
Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. Management Financial Reports (990-EZ Basis) for FY July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010 6 months through December 31, 2009
PROFIT/LOSS STATEMENT Current Year Prior Year
REVENUE 2009-10 2008-09
Contributions, gifts, grants, & similar amounts: General donations 81.00 70.00 Calendar donations 0.00 0.00 Family History Fair revenue 0.00 0.00 Grants 1,000.00 6,000.00 Total contributions, gifts, grants, & similar amounts 1,081.00 6,070.00
Program service revenue: Program meetings 12.00 320.00 Holiday party 975.00 630.00 Workshops 1,752.50 1,475.00 Newsletter ads 150.00 200.00 Total program service revenue 2,889.50 2,625.00 Membership dues 6,000.00 5,925.00
Interest on Bank Accounts 25.96 102.77
Other revenue 56.41 0.00
TOTAL REVENUE 10,052.87 14,722.77
EXPENSES Grants paid by ART 0.00 0.00 Benefits paid to or for members 0.00 0.00 Employee compensation & benefits 0.00 0.00 Professional fees & other payments to independent contractors 850.00 50.00 Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance 0.00 0.00 Printing, publications, postage, shipping 15.51 231.92 Other expenses: Program expenses, insurance, website, bank fees 8,723.22 11,810.38 TOTAL EXPENSES 9,588.73 12,092.30
News Around the Table Around News Excess or (deficit) year to date 464.14 2,630.47 Beginning of period net assets (at 6/30 of prior year) 21,563.27 22,016.09 Other changes in net assets 0.00 0.00 Net Assets at December 31, 2009 (must equal below*) 22,027.41 24,646.56
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (BALANCE SHEET)
ASSETS Dec. 2009 Dec. 2008 Money Market Account 11,507.72 20,912.17 Savings Account 9,588.80 2,106.74 Checking Account 730.89 1,427.65 Cash on Hand 200.00 200.00 Other Assets 0.00 0.00 TOTAL ASSETS 22,027.41 24,646.56 TOTAL LIABILITIES 0.00 0.00 TOTAL NET ASSETS at 12/31/09 (must equal above *) 22,027.41 24,646.56
Unrestricted net assets 22,027.41 24,646.56 Temporarily restricted net assets 0.00 0.00 Permanently restricted net assets 0.00 0.00
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM SERVICES & EXPENSES
Archives Week public events, including awards event recognizing key contributions in archival practice 5,653.11 4,311.81 Communication of archival issues, collections, and other related matters via newsletters, website, calendar, and directory 0.00 92.44
Program meetings (4 events attracting approximately 183 total attendees) open to public, concerning practical & professional archival issues, archival collections, or the relation of current events to the profession. (Includes Holiday Party) 1,590.47 6,295.40 Workshops (1 events attracting 24 total attendees) concerning practical archival topics 1,765.00 1,296.25 Outreach Programs (4 events attracting 191 total attendees) 251.52 0.00 Total program service expenses 9,260.10 11,995.90
Total general administration expenses 328.63 96.40 Total expenses 9,588.73 12,092.30
Secretary’s Report Secretarial duties for the past year have included taking minutes at board meetings, tracking and responding to RSVPs for the monthly meetings, and collecting board-member materials for deposit to the NYART archives. Thanks to former secretary Mary Manning, I have received ART board materials from 2002–2007, which fill a gap in the NYART archives.—Leilani Dawson Membership Form
Please send this completed form with your payment to the address below. Membership year runs from July 1 through June 30.
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Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donors receive no goods or services in return for their donation. A copy of ART’s latest annual report may be obtained, upon request, from the organization or from the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, Attn: FOIL Officer, 120 Broadway, New York, New York 10271.
Make check or money order payable to the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (ART) and mail to the address below: Membership Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York P.O. Box 151 New York, NY 10274-0151 Archivists Round Table of New York PO Box 151 New York, NY 10274-0151
The ART Board would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our members who volunteer their time working on our committees. ART activities would not be possible without you! Awards Committee Ellen Mehling Mary Ann Quinn Heather Ball Lea Osborne Madeline Rogers Carey Stumm Nick Pavlik Joy Weiner Marcos Suiero Ball Scott Sharon Jeanne Swadosh Web Committee Education Committee Valerie Wingfield Brian Stevens (Webmaster) Eunice Liu Susan Woodland Gretchen Opie Andrew Taylor Shannon Yule Discussion Groups New York Archives Wendy Scheir (Co-Chair) Mentoring Program Conference Planning Maria Lacalle (Co-Chair) Keara Duggan Group Dan Michelson Peter Asch Listserv Flora Rodriguez Martha Horan Lesley Espenship Anne Petrimoulx (Administrator) Membership Committee Tamar Zeffren Maurita Baldock Newsletter Mitch Brodsky Community Outreach Casey Babcock Ryan Donaldson Group Amanda Brown Leonora Gidlund Janet Bunde (Chair) Holly Deakyne Laura Baldwin Celia Hartmann Programming Committee Kerri Anne Burke Shirin Khaki Jeanne Swadosh Winnie Feng Ellen Mehling Susan Woodland Megan Hibbitts Kristen Nyitray