Week 6: Overview and Updates

Overview:

This week went very well. An ironic thing happened Thursday while I was working at the Circulation Desk. I noticed a young lady, perched on the staircase, preparing to take photographs. I had previously been told to interrupt photographers and inform them to request permission from Mary Ann in order to continue. Following this policy, I approached the woman and stated the rules. She was fairly upset with the policy because the photographs were to be used for an article to be published in the Courier!! To me, this was hilariously ironic. There I was, hindering a photographer for the Courier, while I spend time every week building the archive photopraphs for the Courier!

The whole incident got me thinking about how it would be wonderful if the Courier did an article on the Shatford Archives. I bet there would be some interest there! The last two issues of the Courier have had articles about the library - the latest was about the noise in the Library. Should we contact the journalism department and see if they would like to do an article on the Archives?


Courier Project Update:

I am happy to report that the Courier Proof Sheets are all in chronological order and ready to begin the transfer into folders (once they arrive). It took some time going through all of the boxes of envelopes with proof sheets. I have a feeling that some folders will be able to fit only one semester, and others up to three. The amount of proof sheets per semester is not consistent.

The Negatives are in order also and ready to be put in boxes. I am thinking that the grey archive boxes will be the best.

If the folders do not come tomorrow then I will begin to sort out all of the other publications like Airplay, Focus, etc. There is a fair amount of material there.

Campus Archives Project (CAP):

Dean Douglass from the Natural Sciences department has invited us over his archives Tuesday, April 1st. I am very excited! Dean Robert Miller (Academic Support) emailed me to let me know that he has no archival material to speak of.

I read in the most recent Courier that Dean Ellen Ligons (Career & Technical Education)was in a car accident, so I don't expect we can visit her for a fair amount of time. I did not hear back from Dean Don Paxton (Business and Computer Technology) or Dean Alex Kritselis (Visual Arts and Media Studies).

I will continue to email Deans throughout the week to set up a meeting for April 22nd.

Policy/Procedure and Finding List Folders:

I had the chance to organize these folders a little more. I hope to start updating some of the text of the Policy/Procedure Folder just to make it up to date. Next week I intend to make copies of the finding lists that Mane has created (hanging on the shelves) to put in the Finding List Folder.

Glass Case for Celebration:

Mane is really coming up with some great ideas for the Glass case display. We talked about how to convey the current age's use of computers and the Internet in the display. She found a beautiful picture on the cover of a Psychology textbook that I think will work wonderfully! I like the idea of having a tiny computer with something on the screen like ProQuest's home search page.

Mane and I talked about the idea of collages also. I would love to help with this project as the time gets closer! I love making collages.

Research Project: Mabel B. Peirson

The highlight of the week was being taught by Mane how to search for information in the Archives. A patron asked Mary Ann if the archives has any information about Mabel B. Peirson, a past chairperson of the Biological Science division. So, Mane took the request of the patron and showed me how to search for pictures and other information regarding past faculty. I had a wonderful time finding pictures in past year books, catalogs, and I even poked around the past Chairman Reports to the President. The whole project was a great success and I can't wait to get the materials I made copies of to the patron.

Next Week:

Goals for next week:

1) Meet with Dean Douglass.

2) Organize more of the Courier materials and possibly the other publications.

3) Set up meetings with the Deans I have emailed and and send more meeting requests.

4) Work on the Cabinet.

5) Continue updating Policy/Procedure and Finding List folders.Work on the Cabinet project.

6) Send the materials about Mabel Peirson to the inquiring patron.