The Importance of Archives and Artifacts: A Dystopian View

"There are people who call themselves Archivists," Ky says. "Back when the Hundred Committee made their selections, the Archivists knew the works that didn't get selected would become a commodity. So they saved some of them. The Archivists have illegal ports, ones they've built themselves, for storing things. They saved the Thomas poem I bought you." - Matched by Allie Condie
***

Matched is a Dystopian young adult novel. The false Utopia it examines compares to the worlds we find in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and Lois Lowry's The Giver. To me, what makes this novel special is the attention that it gives to artifacts and archivists, recognizing the value of items of cultural heritage. How attached are we to our personal items? What does it mean to have them?
(Please be aware that this post contains some spoilers, but I don't think what I give away is not predictable.)

"The Society" -- the higher-ups in the fictional world of Oria -- have saved 100 bits of approved information. "They created commissions to choose the hundred best of everything- Hundred Songs, Hundred Paintings, Hundred Stories, Hundred Poems." The Society controls what people eat, where they live, who they marry (i.e. the title Matched), what they do, what they remember, when they die and what happens to their bodies after they die. But the growing dissatisfaction of the main character hinges heavily on the objects and information that she is allowed and disallowed to possess.

Cassia, our heroine, first realized that not all is right with the world on the day her grandfather is scheduled for death. He asks her to bring him one of the two artifacts that she owns. It is a compact that belonged to her grandmother. He shows her a poem that is hidden within the back. It is a small piece of paper of a type that Cassia has never seen. The author spends a lot of time discussing the details of the artifacts. People in this society are exposed to very little, so anything out of the ordinary makes a big impact. The small piece of paper has the poem by Dylan Thomas with the line, "Do not go gentle into that good night." This unapproved poem smuggled by her elders soon becomes Cassia's motto as her view of society, not unexpectedly, begins to unravel.

Citizens must register artifacts passed down through family and they apparently can only have one, but this is not totally clear. Artifacts of this type in the book include a watch and a compass. There are also society approved artifacts including Silver and gold boxes that hold small, pre-determined and approved mementos accumulated during lives. Gold boxes are for girls and silver for boys. A main inanimate "character" in the story is a swatch of fabric set in glass. This item is given to female citizens by the society after "Match Day. The girls borrow dresses for the day they meet their match and then receive the artifact to remember the event. (Presumably there are conservators who spend their days setting these items into the glass.)

After a scene when she talks to her mother about her own dress artifact and love, Cassia describes a pivot point when she willingly breaks with society's expectations. Society has told them to treasure these mementos, that if the glass on the object breaks the fabric would disintegrate and "everything would be ruined."

Alone in Cassia's room she focuses on her artifact. "...My framed piece of dress in its bit of glass. I wrap my hand in one of my socks and then press down, hard. A faint snap. I lift my hand.

"It would be easy if no one watched, if no one could hear me. If these walls weren't so thin and my life weren't so transparent. I could throw the glass against the wall, smash it with a rock, destroy with abandon and noise. I think the glass would make a glittery sound when it broke; I would like to see it burst into a million pieces and shine all the way down. But instead, I have to be careful.

"Another long silvery crack runs across the surface of the glass. Underneath, the smooth ice-green cloth is undisturbed. Carefully, I pull the pieces of glass apart, lift the largest one up, and pull out the fabric."
***

Author Allie Condie makes us examine our objects and look at them a bit differently. She reminds us to appreciate our stories and information. She shows us who remembers the value of information -- the Archivists -- and how their institutions stand for posterity. She makes us twist the world we know and think about what it would be like if information, memories, and artifacts were forbidden; if what we could tangibly and intangibly keep were controlled. This is a fiction book that pronounces what we value as cultural heritage professionals and emphasizes the importance of what we do. I recommend it to those who enjoy dystopian young adult literature as a well-paced, entertaining, if not somewhat predictable story. It is also worth a read with an eye toward the message about our cultural heritage for those who are not as familiar with the genre.

More Finds at the Local Antique Shop: For the Love of Reading

You are a reader. I assume that you are a reader because you read this blog that focuses on a love of information and culture. You read for research. You read online. You may even read books for pleasure. I hope that it is safe for me to say that you even call yourself "a reader" and that you value the idea of reading.

I have some questions for you that I've been struggling with for over a year now. This image that I just purchased on Etsy is helping me turn these questions into a blog post. In fact, there are many images similar to this particular orphan image for sale. It shows the value of reading - A value that some people don't have.

Perhaps their families never had this value to pass on. Perhaps they've lost it. Perhaps society no longer conveys the importance of reading...

I have so many questions, but first...

I remember the day that this was taken. I am the little girl in red. The professional photographer, who came to our home once a year (before my Mom found Sears Portrait Studio) asked me if I had a book. I ran to our library pile. The man had set up the coffee table with a blanket for us to sit on and his background screen behind it. He sat me with my sister and posed us. Each of us had a hand on the book. Kids reading - Isn't that cute? Isn't that a traditional American value that every family must capture?

This is the 1970s. The photo I just bought is the 1940s. We have decades of valuing reading.

Than there is my third photo from 2014. I have a young friend whom I meet with my daughter at Barnes and Noble on a fairly regular basis. She is fresh out of college and she thinks that a bookstore is a spectacular place to spend her time. She made me this gift for the holidays. She knows that this is perfect for me, but this is also a sentiment that she takes to heart. And, let me re-emphasize that she MADE this. There is something about hand-made items and appreciation of the book that go hand-in-hand in my mind.

So here are my questions...I hope that you have some ideas for me:

• Do people read as much as they once did?
• Do we still value reading?
• How do we keep a society that values reading or how do we re-capture it if we've lost it? (Have we lost it?)
• Does online activity keep us from "reading" or do we consider what we do online "reading"? 
• Should we consider browsing the Internet "reading"?
• Does it matter if we read a linear book versus non-linear Internet pages. And on that note, does it matter if we read a Kindle versus a paper book.

I am not the first to ask any of these questions. Yet, seeing posed images of people reading provides a slightly different angle. We value(d) reading enough to very consciously pose with books. Will these types of images soon be gone?

More Finds at the Local Antique Shop - Fiction Story Based on Orphan Photos

I just read an interesting fiction book called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. For me, it was an entertaining light read. Aimed at a young adult market, the book is a fantasy that mixes supernatural and mystery. It focus on the relationship between a boy and his grandfather, who was full of fanciful stories from his past that left his family wondering about their veracity. Despite the fiction genre, the story prompted me to think about how family legends grow from untested stories and we are left to pick out the truth among the tall tales.

The aspect of the book that I found most interesting was a use of "authentic, vintage found photographs." The author seems to have used real, unusual pictures to mold his characters. Fitting in with my "More Finds at the Local Antique Shop" theme, the book is a perfect demonstration of how imagination can be stirred by abandoned orphan photos.

Author Ransom Riggs thanks those private collectors who contributed images for him to complete his first novel. He writes about the images at the end of the book, "They were lent from the personal archives of ten collectors, people who have spent years and countless hours hunting through giant bins of unsorted snapshots at flea markets and antiques malls and yard sales to find a transcendent few, rescuing images of historical significance and arresting beauty from obscurity - and most likely, the dump. Their work is an unglamorous labor of love and I think they are the unsung heroes of the photography world."

I look forward to Mr. Riggs next book and hope that he sticks with this writing method. Here is another Cultural Heritage Collaborator to add to our list. A fiction writer steeped in a love of primary sources can be a great friend to archivists. Such a person can sing the praises of cultural heritage resources and help the world realize their beauty and value.

Introduction to the Unofficial Family Archivist

The Role of This Book

Fourteen years ago, my husband and I bought and moved into our first house as a couple. I began unpacking personal papers and heirlooms that had been boxed in apartments for years. They would have taken up too much space in cramped quarters for me to permit their release from confinement, but our new home afforded us the room to settle in and unpack the things that represented our family memories. As I worked, I took time out to flip through long-neglected albums and began noticing problems with them. All of the causes for concern were common preservation issues I confront every day as an archivist: The images of my childhood in the 1970s were beginning to discolor. The glue on the “magnetic” pages on which the pictures were stuck, not intending to budge, was browning. I found that I needed my professional skills in my personal life. Up until that time, I primarily thought of applying my archives background to collections within institutions. After this experience, I began thinking of all archives (records with long-term value) and personal memorabilia within anyone’s possession as mini “collections,” requiring similar care to those materials housed in professional repositories.

Within every home is a treasure trove of information. Unfortunately, many irreplaceable documents that help tell individual stories, and the stories of our communities, are deteriorating among our personal belongings. Photographs are turning yellow and fading. Papers are growing brittle. Staples holding items together are rusting. Files are getting lost among growing digital trails. The documents and keepsakes we have gathered over the course of our lives are often not given the attention they need to maintain their physical condition. Few are given organizational structure or are labeled in a way that would be understandable to people who do not have a direct connection to the items. Many memories are getting lost in piles of personal “stuff.” In my work as an archivist and consultant for the last eighteen years, I have found that most people think that their family records are important, but they do not know how to properly maintain them.

This book focuses on the care of personal papers, photographs, and memorabilia. Personal papers are created by individuals and families and are one type of archives. Archives are the recorded information that we create in any form during the course of our daily activities. They document our lives and shed light on our personalities, actions, and values. They tell about how we function in society. They include information about our communities and the culture that surrounds us. Our photographs help illustrate these moments. In addition to creating this information during our lifetimes, we also collect “memorabilia” that is meaningful to us and helps describe our activities. Memorabilia makes it easier to celebrate the events and special occasions we cherish. Ribbons picked up at state fairs, postcards from trips, and buttons we wore in support of campaigns tell much about who we are and what we value.

Clients often tell me that they have been called or see themselves as “the family historian.” They develop an interest in family history that is sometimes sparked by finding old papers or photos in their home, or they are thrust into the role when they inherit a pile of old materials. Interested in the past and concerned about the neglect of the resources that shed light on it, the family historian attempts to care for these materials with little guidance. This book will give you or the person protecting personal papers the knowledge needed to begin caring for materials thoughtfully and in a competent manner. You will be capable of creating a valuable resource that you can access for family information and will learn how to safeguard your materials for the future.

The Unofficial Family Archivist: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining Family Papers, Photographs, and Memorabilia grew from a presentation focused on one aspect of safeguarding personal materials—the act of preserving them. I have addressed varied audiences on this topic in a workshop I offer titled Preserving Memories: Maintaining Family Photographs, Personal Papers, and Memorabilia. I find that attendees are often people with an immediate need. They bring in treasured personal papers and objects that they see are in danger. The materials are usually discolored, disintegrating, or moldy; items are brought in shoeboxes and manila envelopes. Simple changes in the way they are kept will promote their longevity, but there are other aspects to consider. This book addresses a wide variety of topics so that you gain a broad, encompassing perspective on your personal items and the history they represent.

Think of the papers in your home as a “collection.” This grouping of materials tells the story of your life. People who influence you, important events, and topics in which you take interest should all be represented. The papers you create are the raw information (or the “primary sources”) that one would use to write your biography or examine to better understand how you lived and worked among your peers. Think about how your personal papers represent you. What aspirations and activities are evident that explain the real you? How do you want your children to remember you? What personal papers among your archives show your humanity and highlight your role in society? When we save the records of our past and work to define the context for them, we strengthen our family traditions and values. We increase our knowledge of humanity and better our communities. Understanding a personal and larger history goes hand in hand with protecting its resources.

The Unofficial Family Archivist is organized into eight sections that discuss preservation and other methods you can use that will protect your family history. Topics relate to creating and identifying materials that represent you; how to properly organize, preserve, and describe these items; and how to prepare them to pass on to future generations. This book provides information to guide you so you may enjoy your materials, easily access them, feel comfortable that they will last for a long time, and be confident that you can pass them on to future generations.

Important Things to Keep in Mind as You Read

First, please realize that it is not necessary to be perfect. For example, my home has wide temperature fluctuations from one end to the next. Though changes in temperature increase the possibility of materials disintegrating, I do not have much choice. Most of my materials are stored in the room that is hottest in the summer. This is not ideal, but that is where they fit, so I make do. Rather than focusing on achieving all of the suggestions in this book, focus on those that you can most easily achieve first and work to improve things over time. Do not get frustrated if you cannot afford all of the supplies that I recommend, do not have perfect storage conditions, need to keep certain things separated throughout your house for space reasons, or cannot identify all of the people in your photos. Changing just a few things about the way you care for your personal papers can greatly increase their longevity and informational value.

Second, consider your personal papers as a whole. Take account of your old and new records. Think of all the materials that represent your life. The concern that you have for the letters your mom passed on to you should be given the same care as the emails you send to your daughter in college. “Personal papers” can take a variety of forms. The information that we collect and create is becoming more complex over time, but the basic strategy for viewing your materials as a whole “collection” representing you remains the same. The basic archival methods described here—preservation, arrangement, description—apply on a general level regardless of the medium of your personal papers.

The Unofficial Family Archivist: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining Family Papers, Photographs, and Memorabilia explains the basics of managing personal papers in a way that is understandable to nonarchivists, while retaining accuracy about archival methods. Some of the information is quite in-depth for those who wish to fully control their personal papers. The chapters on arrangement and description primarily are those that go into more detail than many users may want or require. Adapt and abridge the field standards for your individual needs and do not see them as a set prescriptive to which you must adhere.

This book highlights a selection of the personal collections for which I have cared that are held by small repositories in New England. These samples demonstrate how individuals and families living their “normal” lives can prove extraordinary to future generations. Some of these stories make up the most respected parts of the American psyche from major events such as the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the suffrage movement. They include the struggle of immigrants and working professionals. They reveal common people with big dreams that often take them to great places. They should serve as models for caring for your own materials and demonstrate the value of each life story to a larger history. In the appendix, I outline these and other collections from repositories with which I have no professional affiliation that are also mentioned in the book.

The end of each chapter includes short exercises to help you with the care of your family records. A glossary at the end of the book may clarify unfamiliar words. Though I would like to avoid jargon, I think it is important for readers to get a handle on the most common words that archivists use when they think about collections and caring for cultural heritage resources. The words are intended to inform and to spur interest. I do not want them to be a source of frustration. The technical names for things do not matter—the concepts behind them do.

The Chapters

Family heritage keepers need to consider whether they are passing on a well-rounded collection of experiences through their written pieces of lifetime evidence or whether they are just passing on bits that leave more questions than answers. The first chapters of this book explore how to ensure that you are keeping the important things. I teach you how to eliminate clutter to highlight important resources. Removing unimportant papers from your files tightens your remaining items into a core collection of valuable informational resources for your family. Chapter One helps you begin thinking about the important elements and stories of your life. Chapter Two assists you in identifying which records best reflect your narrative to help you form a strong informational source.

Then, whether preparing your records for your own personal use or for future generations of relatives or community, this book assists you in making your family information accessible. After reading this book, you will be able to put in place an organizational system for family papers that highlights your life and values. Chapters Three and Four introduce established arrangement systems and accepted, easy techniques for preparing collection indices or lists of documentation. They explain how recording the subject matter found among your materials and creating an inventory of file names provides additional assurance that your organized collections are also comprehensible. For those interested in more thorough tools for “indexing” collections and ways to make information more accessible, I introduce a few professional concepts for describing collections. Among these are describing the scope of the collection, including essential biographical information related to the creator(s) of the materials, and other elements that provide a more complete overview of one’s personal papers.

These chapters are particularly important because many people have told me that they are concerned that family materials are not valued, and that once they no longer personally care for them, the items may be discarded. This book will eliminate anxiety concerning the future security of your family’s history. The value one can inject into a family collection through proper boxing and description methods makes the need to properly maintain the materials obvious to anyone who takes over archiving responsibilities after you. Your preparations will secure materials as a noteworthy family asset.

In Chapter Five, we explore preservation problems and techniques that keep items safe to ensure their longevity. This section explains the basic elements that cause deterioration so that you can avoid common problems. I provide information about storage supplies and what to look for in a safe storage space. I make you aware of issues for which you should seek expert help and where to get that help, while providing tricks for smaller pesky problems, such as eliminating a musty smell from materials. My goal is to show you that a few simple measures can make a tremendous difference. I offer advice about disaster preparedness to ensure that you are ready in the face of a threat such as a flood.

Chapter Six encourages you to also think about what aspects of your life are not recorded. We explore projects for recording previously undocumented information. Oral history, journaling, crafting, and more are considered and examined for appropriateness in documenting personal history. Readers are encouraged to try to capture a sense of place in their written records. I explain how different formats are valuable for conveying different information and also to suit different personality types.

Chapter Seven discusses digital information. Thinking about electronic documents as a standard part of modern personal archives, I describe their unique preservation and management needs and explore how to deal with common personal digital files. I note places where we leave our digital footprint, how to organize our electronic personal information, the role this information plays in telling a life story, and the challenges ahead for maintaining information in a quickly changing digital environment.

The final chapter of this book encourages individuals to consider donating materials to local repositories to add pieces to a puzzle of a community history. The addition of personal papers to established collections helps ensure the protection of a larger cultural heritage. This chapter discusses how to approach local professionals to donate papers, how to provide information about your family’s historical role in the community, and what to consider when offering your papers to an institution.

Cultural Heritage Collaborators

This book relates to the concepts presented in my previous book, Cultural Heritage Collaborators: A Manual for Community Documentation, which aimed to encourage partnerships among cultural heritage repositories and communities. The Unofficial Family Archivist further explains the role of families to ensure the complete documentation of historic events in our times. These two books may be used together to encourage communities to take better care of their historical resources.

I promote the idea that, beyond their family connection, our personal papers tell what it is, or what it was, like to live in a particular place at a particular time. Within cultural heritage institutions around the world are the personal papers—diaries, correspondence, photographs, and other documentation—of common citizens like you and me. Our stories are important for understanding what it means to be of a certain race, sex, or ethnicity. All of our historical documents, whether kept in professional repositories or in private homes, have value to the human story. We must all work together to make sure our heritage is secure and that the documentation that tells this story is inclusive and comprehensive.

This book unlocks the world of professional archivists so that you are aware of how your personal materials relate to those held by cultural heritage repositories. It introduces you to archivists’ methods and how to get in touch with an archivist when you need additional assistance. It provides information about fields related to archives management, such as museum studies and library science. Our personal papers are a valuable resource that forms the backbone of history, but materials hidden in homes and unknown to cultural heritage experts often hold as much historical value as materials found in professional repositories. I encourage you to seek partnerships with professionals who can help you better understand your personal and community history. I encourage you to play a part in working with professionals to create a plan for effectively documenting your community and your contributions to your community.

Use this book to start thinking about your collection and your place in history. Treasure your personal papers and recognize that they are a valuable cultural asset. You can choose to highlight your place in civilization through the records’ care or inhibit your legacy with their neglect. Recognize that the role you play as an individual can assist cultural heritage institutions formed with the purpose of preserving wide-ranging heritage. Your role as an “unofficial archivist” is vital for capturing personal experiences that illuminate larger trends. By maintaining your papers and supporting the care and safekeeping of diverse historical resources, you help guarantee the long-term memory of civilization. Know from where we came so that we can better plan where we are going. 

The Value of Cultural Knowledge

On this blog in the past I have written about the value of archives to society, but to treasure archives we must first recognize the importance historical knowledge in general. We must also understand how accurate historical knowledge is upheld by cultural heritage repositories. Why are our cultural heritage repositories continually under attack for funding? What can we do about it? Part of the problem is a lack of appreciation for our heritage, which can cause a casual, but often highly charged, denial of the fundamental value of understanding our past.

A few weeks ago I read an editorial in a local paper. I wish that I saved it so that I can quote it, but I have seen the sentiment in other places so I think I can paraphrase. There is a particular view that cultural repositories are "fluff." (I was going to write that "museums, libraries, and archives are fluff," but I think that many of these writers do not know what "archives" are. How can they possibly value them?) During difficult economic times, those who hold this point of view think that museums and libraries (and possibly archives) are the first that should be denied funding. These things are nice to have, but we don't need them to function as a society. However, this view is sadly misinformed. These institutions ARE necessary for us to properly function as a society, because they hold the truths that make us a "society" in the first place.

I am currently reading "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" by E.D. Hirsch Jr. This book, originally published in the 1980s, argues that kids "are not mentally prepared to continue the society because they basically do not understand the society well enough to value it." We have reached a critical point where these children of the 1980s are the adults making decisions today and they are misunderstanding the value of cultural institutions and heritage resources because they do not understand history. According to "Cultural Literacy, "Only by accumulating shared symbols, and the shared information that the symbols represent, can we learn to communicate effectively with one another in our national community." In other words, American citizens are not all on the same page. Some of us know our history. Some of us do not. Some know some of our history and others know other  parts of our history.  Many cannot identify the historical knowledge they do have as valuable because they do not understand the full context of that history in terms of how it influences our behaviors and decisions today. They do not recognize that repositories support our understanding of history and without them, truth and fiction are muddled.

I am reading another book with my young daughter. It is a children's book called "The Raucous Royals" and discusses historical rumors, exploring how rumors get started and if particular rumors that have pervaded historical knowledge have any basis in fact. The book begins, "Dear Reader, Once rumor is born, it never truly dies." I have used our reading together as a way to develop my daughter's critical thinking skills. One of the group of rumors examined relates to Richard III of England., It discusses how he is suspected of killing his nephews to get to the thrown. It also discusses how over time, Richard was portrayed as a hunchback with a withered arm. My daughter learned that Shakespeare wrote about Richard and based his writing on a biography by Thomas More, which was written after Richard's death. I asked my daughter if these writings were accurately portraying Richard. I asked if they were even trying to accurately portray Richard. Later in the book we learned about Henry VIII's eating habits. We learned that the king would often eat 4,500-5,000 calories for dinner. A menu of the foods he would serve for the meal was included for illustration. I asked my daughter if this was more accurate than the Richard III info. She said yes and I asked why. What is that menu? Where would they get that information? A small smile lit her face and she said, ARCHIVES!"

Today, it often seems to me that rumor is taken as fact without examining its context. Much of the information we believe and the growing amount of misinformation we see spread by media and politicians is not given an historical context. "I heard it so it must be true" is not good enough. Our cultural institutions, including the knowledge they hold and have the capacity to share, can level the playing field and give all of our citizens a common foundation of knowledge, cementing a national identity based in reality. Whether or not we agree on all issues is less vituperative when we know that we all have a common understanding of fact and hence of common cultural values. Cultural institutions hold the shared symbols to which E.D. Hirsch refers.They are part of the foundation that helps our citizens understand our society well enough to value it. Without the institutions, our sense of self is perverted and the glue that holds us together as a nation with a common identity falls apart.

The Archives Year in Review

I recently read that it must somehow be ingrained in us to make top ten lists. So, along those lines, I have culled the ArchivesInfo tweets for the year and come up with the top news stories / trends for the year. (I have provided links to articles I cited in case you want to learn more about each top ten topic.) What didn't quite make the list?-  "Digital Dark Age," citizen archivists, crowdsourcing, digital curation, net neutrality, social media for cultural heritage institutions, human rights archives, and battles over the rights to personal papers such as the Kafka archives. (These didn't make it primarily because I've got a feeling that these stories will grow in the next year and may make it to the 2011 list)  Smaller stories of note, that also did not make it to the list include reports of the opening up of the Vatican's Archives, the finding of Rembrandts and other cultural heritage items in unusual places, Mark Twain's autobiography, the comeback of my beloved bookmobile, and the popularization of history through new programs such as "Pawn Stars," "American Pickers," and "Who Do You Think You Are?"...   With a nod to David Lettermen, here's the ArchivesInfo top ten of 2010.

Top ArchivesInfo identified news stories of 2010 (via ArchivesInfo on Twitter):

#10 Preparations for 150th anniversary of Civil War
2011 will bring the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and there has been a flurry of activity as cultural institutions (especially in the south) prepare to mark the historic event. A business with REALLY bad timing  joins the anniversary news.
Commemorating 150th ann. of Am. Civil War in TN. "Every Tennessean has a story. Share yours." http://bit.ly/dBXSUF
Archives exhibit explores little-known aspects of Civil War, marks 150th anniversary, legacy and strife live on  http://bit.ly/aEn85e
Groups gear up for state's 150th - Kansas get ready for sesquicentennial on a shoestring w Internet  http://bit.ly/aeZP5H
National Trust for Historic Preservation Have something to say about Walmart http://bit.ly/8ZPPnq
Residents share Civil War history. Local war items, documents recorded by state for 150th anniversary project http://bit.ly/aZanUg
How we teach lessons about the #CivilWar - 150th anniversary shows us looking at history through a new lens http://bit.ly/ahoZpB
Archivists want records of Civil War relics: Experts will photograph items for state exhibit http://bit.ly/boo5AO
NYT - Celebrating Secession Without the Slaveshttp://nyti.ms/heYA34
Tennessee's Civil War 150 commemoration marches on despite little funding http://bit.ly/ewkubB

#9 World War II and Holocaust
Always an active topic, there seemed to be an exceptional flurry in archives / cultural heritage related WWII news this year. New documents were found or were made accessible, and battles over ownership of Nazi-looted materials made headlines. 

Holocaust Archives Go Online http://bit.ly/7Mt0qU

Documents from WWII digitized, provide info on fate of those rescued from camps. http://bit.ly/8w9nuC

recordings representing the earliest known oral histories of the Holocaust http://bit.ly/5CTTO6

Did Germany help Eichmann escape to Argentina? - court set to decide on release of docs. http://bit.ly/bR6S65

Museums are morally obligated to return Nazi-looted art, says expert http://bit.ly/cHY1ZT

Vatican puts historical documents, including some from WWII, online http://bit.ly/bdggID

Holocaust Survivor's Story Preserved Forever - oral histories of survivors through University of South Florida http://bit.ly/902q8k

Horrors of WWII captured in found photos http://bit.ly/cuXcHX

Devastation of War. Archival Discovery Revealsa Ruined Berlin  http://bit.ly/b1U31S

Vatican secret #archives for World War II will open within 6 years: Cardinal Kasper  http://bit.ly/cdbZy4

Archive project will digitize WWII Enigma messages http://bit.ly/bW8SZe 

U.S. Holocaust Museum: Auschwitz photos open window into Nazi psyche  http://bit.ly/cwOVZp

43 countries agree to return Jewish property taken by Nazis http://bit.ly/bBL69B

New documents surface on Hitler's jail time http://bit.ly/bNwtK9

Hitler's Prison Memoirs Up for Auction http://bit.ly/aErakd

Getty receives grant money for digital German art initiative. Archiving auction catalogs from Nazi regime http://bit.ly/dmZvdc

Could WWII have bn avoided? Memoirs uncover Irishman who saved Hitler from being kicked 2 death by mob http://bit.ly/cSGSHM

Huntington Library to transfer Germany's original Nuremberg Laws to National Archives http://bit.ly/b6ipJw

German WWII plan to invade Britain revealed in MI5 file http://bbc.in/9srpvB 

History throws us an interesting tidbit - info re Army counterintelligence officer who found original Nuremberg Laws http://bit.ly/c91UxM

AOTUS blog - Nuremberg Laws at National Archives http://blogs.archives.gov/aotus/?p=1618 

Hatikvah Holocaust Education Center at Springfield (MA) Jewish Community Center to close http://bit.ly/aWp6ck

Struggle in Poland over Jewish war diaries http://bit.ly/akr2fJ

Getty traces ownership of Nazi-era looted art http://bit.ly/blb3ZF

Mussolini’s secret diaries http://bit.ly/cKXcAi

Check out exhibit on NH's favorite monkey http://ow.ly/3v8V9 [H.A. Rey archives used 2 interpret authors' WWII experience]

Millions of Jewish Holocaust victims named http://bit.ly/dPdI0U

Kimura's photos of Hiroshima after bombing kept by Hiroshima Prefectural Archives and Library http://bit.ly/ejSC5y

Log documenting Pearl Harbor attack given to Hawaii museum http://bit.ly/dXEmKA

Dutch museum searching for relatives of Southport soldier killed in WWII http://bit.ly/fRKICC

Records detail use of Nazis http://j.mp/h5CBBR

The letter from Hitler that may have saved a woman from the Gestapo http://bit.ly/gUyIUU

Art believed destroyed by Nazis is found in Berlin: http://yhoo.it/bOnZtT

British archives make previously classified acct of Hitler provided by19-year-old Austrian public:http://bit.ly/adoy7X

#8 Say goodbye to the book as we know it?

Amazon.com has just announced that the Kindle has replaced "Harry Potter" as their number one seller. In 2010 we have seen a big jump away from "traditional" books and have had great debates about the future of reading and the future role of libraries.

Picture Books aren't in trouble just because NYT says so http://bit.ly/bqQiIu

Picture Books No Longer a Staple 4 Children http://nyti.ms/9SC0eT 

No more judging a book by its cover? what will happen to covers in a digital world? http://bit.ly/aUO3yB

 Libraries: stop doing it by the book - transformation from fusty institutes to hi-tech hubs creates schism in libraries http://bit.ly/bkvQsJ

The death of the library book - Cambridge has gleaming new building, but something's missing http://bit.ly/cIAvK0
Is your ebook/kindle lacking that fresh new book smell - here's the solution! http://bit.ly/aJ4d1F

THIS BOOK IS OVERDUE! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All http://bit.ly/cmKaXn

Why are you for Killing bookstores? http://www.idealog.com/blog/why-are-you-for-killing-bookstores

"Will the book survive?...Inquiring minds tend to use whatever means they can to get what they want." http://bit.ly/5Dmy51

Libraries: Not abt Books http://bit.ly/6LP79o 

Library Journal: New Plan Seeks a 'Big Tent' 4 National Digital Library http://bit.ly/eLAywk 

#7 The BP Oil Spill
Reeking havoc on the Gulf Coast of the United States, the BP Oil spill has been called the largest accidental marine petroleum disaster in history. The affair raised obvious concerns about caring for the environment and just as obvious questions about a company's legal responsibilities in the event of such disaster, but it also brought up issues about documenting historical events, disseminating information about news in real time, and caring for documents that may provide insight into culpability.
BPs Photo Blockade of the Gulf Oil Spill http://bit.ly/b8l7Ku
BP’s protective ordr: reasonably refrain & resist from changing, alteration &/or destruction of documents http://bit.ly/cg4XBr
'79 Gulf Oil Spill Leaves Sobering Lessons for BP http://bit.ly/9zBtOE
Documents: BP cut corners in days before blowout http://bit.ly/cOCMav
Museum sends solemn message: http://bit.ly/9uuBiI

#6 International Repatriation of Cultural Objects

Countries and cultural heritage institutions are seeking ways to "remedy" the removal of items from their original homes. War, treasure hunting, and other circumstances lead to the taking of items from the places where they were created. The cultures that identify with the materials are asking for them back with differing degrees of success.
Venezuela Demands Germany to Return Sacred Stone; more scuffling over cultural heritage resources http://bit.ly/5ozk1E
Iran cuts ties with British Museum in antiquity row http://bit.ly/9D3khR
Korea Asks France to Return Looted Ancient Books http://bit.ly/dj2I9v
Getty ordered to return priceless Greek bronze to Italy http://bit.ly/cFS8X5
Should Britain return Africa’s stolen treasures? http://bit.ly/cqBxR7
Antiques Roadshow highlights stolen artifacts. http://bit.ly/bTx1xR
More repatriated artifacts as US returns 'cultural treasures' to Iraq.  http://bit.ly/9F1XtT
Returning archives to their rightful owners - the Descartes lettre http://bit.ly/9SMIqQ
Iran’s Cultural Heritage Under Threat http://bit.ly/bAf8pw
Debate on repatriation of cultural heritage. NYT: Who draws the borders of culture? http://nyti.ms/dog6D6
Iraq-US begin talks to reclaim Jewish archive http://bit.ly/asqH0Y
'Bring Back the Act': Historian, archivist fight to reclaim one of Canada's founding documents from British archive http://bit.ly/dsuoVF
Iraq loses sleep after Torah finds its way into Israel http://bit.ly/dsJ0U
MFA returns stolen artwork to Italy http://j.mp/fNfXDv
Africa Urges Western Countries to Return Looted Treasuries http://bit.ly/f3m7vr
 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Returns Historical Documents To Russian Federation http://bit.ly/gzoJOF
South Korea's lost treasure. Officials trying to bring back plundered items around world. http://lat.ms/hC061L
Yale set to return 4,000 Inca treasures to Peru http://ind.pn/d74bfm
Repatriated records: Missing parish records from England found in New Zealand http://bit.ly/9T4sg2

#5 Battle to Save Haiti's Cultural Heritage:
The year began with a major earthquake striking Haiti. The fight to save lives began immediately and the fight to ensure the security of their cultural heritage was not far behind. News revealed that international efforts to try to secure Haiti's heritage resources was swift and has been ongoing throughout the year with the country continuing to live in a state of emergency due to catastrophic damage. 
Experts to assess damage in Haiti museums http://bit.ly/aEmhXf
UNESCO urges ban on trading Haitian artifacts http://bit.ly/9oXGXZ
Quake's toll on Haitian art, heritage and income http://bit.ly/arrenD
UNESCO fears Haiti cultural heritage might be pillaged http://bit.ly/9ZGiCy
Academics to begin search for Haiti's archives http://bit.ly/cBos7X
Workers struggle to save Haiti history buried in rubble of tax office http://bit.ly/bZTZC
Save Don't Bulldoze Haiti's Heritage http://bit.ly/dAUDE6
Gang members in Haiti return to streets after stealing guns & destroying all records of crimes. http://ow.ly/ZlBw
Haiti’s Founding Document Found in London - NYTimes.com http://nyti.ms/doh1nw
Rescuing Art From the Rubble of the Quake: http://url4.eu/3J3g6
Smithsonian Develops Haitian Cultural Recovery Project http://bit.ly/c0AyNd
Smithsonian leads recovery of Haiti's art, culture http://bit.ly/aAoV7C
Conservator from Maryland State Archives helps salvage Haiti's cultural material  http://bit.ly/9QC1dR
A paper conservator’s trip to Haiti: University of Texas conservator and lecturer's experience representing AIC http://bit.ly/bn6SYP

#4 Google, Copyright, Orphaned Works and more:

Google is shaking up the world with innovation and controversy. This year has brought new means of organizing information and questionable practices for making information accessible via the Internet. Internationally, we are striving to sort out who "owns" information and who has the right to do what with it. 

Google, copyright, and our future http://bit.ly/c3SHR2

Stanford signs Google Book Search agreement,endorses court settlement http://bit.ly/dvlc8f

US Anti-Trust Reviewers Still Objecting To Google Books Deal http://lisnews.org/node/35853

Google book scanning: Cultural theft or freedom of information? http://bit.ly/dyCRAo

Google Fights Back Against Book Settlement Critics - Digits - WSJ http://bit.ly/dl9LZI

'Copyright deal is a cultural disaster' http://bit.ly/bFbYf7

China Counters Google Move by Partly Blocking Hong Kong Site http://nyti.ms/ceSp70

Development on copyright legislation for orphan works,will have implications for museums http://bit.ly/cteC9g

Digital economy bill rushed thru late nite session in U.K. http://bit.ly/a7PyEe

Court Says It's Okay to Remove Content From The Public Domain & Put It Back Under Copyright http://trunc.it/92xha

Canadian Archivist raises questions about copyright - weighs

in & discusses "orphan works" in Google agreement http://bit.ly/bA6AU1

Boston Globe quotes NEH’s director, office of digital humanities on new Google/Harvard text-mining study http://bit.ly/g983vD

Google Editions Really Coming Soon http://bit.ly/gGjlz0

Google seeks digital rights to Miramax films - reporthttp://reut.rs/9aTxgo

Google to put Dead Sea Scrolls online http://bit.ly/di36Ku

 #3 A new leader at the U.S. National Archives brings change, faces challenges:
With a mission to bring NARA into the 21st century, the new Archivist of the U.S. takes up issues of digitization, morale, government records management, and valuing archives.

Ferriero takes on NARA's culture, modernization challenges http://bit.ly/8u1C85

More potential victims of identity theft notified of hard-drive loss, NARA notifies affected individuals http://bit.ly/4X8v2Q

NPR Interview with US Archivist Ferriero http://bit.ly/4O2Wqp

U.S. Archivist Wants You to Have Access - awed by encounters with history  http://bit.ly/717xiP 

National Archives Releases New Datasets on Data.gov and Invites Public Comment on Open Government Plan http://bit.ly/b2oYpS

Archivist details challenges of massive declassification job http://bit.ly/cP8QMb

Federal Office Offers $50,000 Reward for Missing External Drive http://bit.ly/c54Cx9

Report criticizes archives on security of hard drive w info abt Clinton employees. allegedly mishandled by NARA http://bit.ly/bhQ636

The Archivist of the U.S. David S. Ferriero is Now a Blogger http://bit.ly/bs8EAe

Many [government] agencies earn failing grade for e-recordkeeping http://bit.ly/bzmDht

NARA hosts 1st social media scavenger hunt http://j.mp/9NBoak

National Archives Hunts Lost Documents on Facebook - WSJ http://bit.ly/aIS5Re

National Declassification Center Issues First Report http://bit.ly/dxjg0z

U.S. Archivist acknowledges morale problems at his agency http://bit.ly/8YtQ9L

Archivist David Ferriero works to improve employee morale after bad poll results http://bit.ly/aZQ4eX

#2 "Poor economy" resulted in layoffs, closures and the selling off of collections: 

Cultural heritage institutions are fighting for their lives in a difficult economy, forcing many changes in the cultural heritage scene and in the way many of us need to run our programs. 2011 should be a turn-around point, allowing us to better see which institutions will survive. We have had a couple of years to work on changed strategies where warranted. Those of us left standing can view this economic crisis as a chance to revisit our missions and procedures for operation, perhaps making us stronger in the long run.

Should (art) museums sell objects in hard times...? http://bit.ly/8aI1hy [NY Times]

Will US Museums succeed in reinventing themselves? http://is.gd/66QJM 

Arts funding cuts proposed by Conservatives in U.K. http://bit.ly/51bfi2 

Greece shuts more than 40 museums to save money: http://bit.ly/7CpkSG

New survey shows U.S. public libraries in financial jeopardy http://ow.ly/WQMI

University museums among greatest in UK, yet their core funding is threatened: http://bit.ly/7g83ba

ash in the attic: Cash strapped governments consider selling art http://bit.ly/alTCuy

Canterbury's Roman Museum could fall victim to the credit crunch - Museum closures British cost cutting trend? http://bit.ly/99dvtT

Nation’s Libraries Get More Use, Less Funding http://bit.ly/cEsP0I

Good news -- and bad -- about museum [and archives] hiring - economy skews good prospects http://bit.ly/ciB4d0

Cut all librarians before any cop?: http://bit.ly/bQ7zKd

History at risk in PA http://bit.ly/9kVz2f

History has value beyond nostalgia - funding for historical society's in Oregon http://bit.ly/ckowDa

Western Reserve Historical Society Sells Its History to Save Institution http://bit.ly/du0ruP

Another consequence of a museum closing, unhappy donors. Ansel Adams' Son Sues Museum for Prints: http://bit.ly/blwmqM

Valuable lessons from Western Reserve Historical Society mess http://bit.ly/akGe5Y 

Cleveland historical society defends sale of items http://bit.ly/b5klmA

Why libraries are a good investment in any economy on "Word of Mouth" radio http://bit.ly/bJgODI

cultural institutions generate nearly 2x their budgets in local spending annually..." http://bit.ly/9DiB9g... http://bit.ly/cuVOwF

Museum professionals march on Washington today - lobbying for cultural heritage http://bit.ly/cvXIfG

Almost half of poor Americans go to the #library for Internet says report by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation http://bit.ly/bVqxZv

State history museum reopens in Massachusetts - some of earliest and most famous US docs housed there http://bit.ly/bIvbZA

AZ Historical Society & residents taking steps to secure historic sites closed by state budget crisis http://n.pr/9a6WQf

On the Posterity Project: This little piggy had none: Libraries and archives considered "pork" by CAGW

http://bit.ly/9kY2dR

Librarians Protest Budget Cuts, Crowding Hollywood Intersection During Rush Hour;  library makes up 2% of city budget http://bit.ly/ceyzEv

California Budget Drought Threatens Water Archive http://bit.ly/9oewjw

11 Most Endangered Historic Places (in U.S.) http://bit.ly/aD1R1D

Queens Library is facing a potential funding cut of $16.9 million this year http://bit.ly/9CVpAJ

What Happened to Public Libraries During the Great Depression? an interesting look from MA Library Commissioners http://bit.ly/3chc0P

Devaluing America's culture: Gov Sanford cuts funding to South Carolina Dept of Archives and History http://bit.ly/aQN9o2

Sanford's veto overkill http://bit.ly/cFalKp 

Library closings temporarily averted in Boston  http://bit.ly/94swO2

Closing libraries "a terrible, terrible mistake" akin to "stealing from the future" according to a top children's author http://bit.ly/dvEBIb

Decline of Britain’s museums http://bit.ly/9U3FSJ

Can Historic Preservation Help Lead Us Out of the Recession? http://bit.ly/b4qHAf

Local Culture Cuts Are Biggest Threat To The Big Society Says MLA...  http://bit.ly/bRbO1j

Cultural impoverishment in the UK?! Hunt proposes closure of Museum, Libraries & Archives Council http://gu.com/p/2tj8v/tw

"Fisk Says It Must Sell O'Keeffe Art Collection to Survive" http://bit.ly/dy4UjQ

BBC News - How history can inform spending cuts http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/11452575

NY auction of rare photos aids Eastman museum http://bit.ly/bXA1cQ

Upstate NY small town library deaccessioning draws attention and library director resignation.http://nyti.ms/g01UqB

A Crumbling Heritage: Italy france24.com/en/node/5127867 

Manchester museums could face cash crisis http://bit.ly/9ZwEQE

Historic Teamster trucks could soon be homeless. Volunteers heartbroken as money woes threaten Vancouver area museum http://bit.ly/hVrpdp

National library of Wales set to 'lose £1m' after draft budget http://bbc.in/aqhq6z

Pompeii collapse forces Italy into heritage debate http://bit.ly/g9nHFa

Help Zombies Shuffle Over Brooklyn Bridge, Save Libraries http://bit.ly/d0bS0d

As budget cuts across Europe put heritage under pressure, some say should spur better mgmnt http://bit.ly/fN7jzC

Note that YouCut is currently taking votes on cuts in funding for NHPRC & IMLS: http://bit.ly/a2ejWT

Congress to put words like "games" "culture" "media" & "museums" on a federal funding watch list:http://bit.ly/dX2RcC

As more and more communities are cutting library funding, these wonderful web sites have come to my attention:...http://fb.me/upcmdKty

U.K. - Urgent warning over cuts threat to libraries in unprecedented joint initiative http://bit.ly/aalJfw

#1 Digital Projects (collaborative and otherwise):

As the world gains momentum in placing information about its cultural heritage resources online, news came out regularly about newly available access to materials. Our accomplishments in this area will be long-lasting, inviting this news to take our number one slot and edging out the hopefully relatively short-lived economic woes. Kudos to my colleagues for embracing the digital revolution and striving to improve access to materials despite the rough economy. The links to your achievements are too numerous to include here.