Recognizing Your Sense of Place

The catalogs have started coming in the mail, shaking me out of those feelings of frozen isolation. They remind me that, indeed, spring is coming. It may not be here as soon as I want it to be, but the soil I like to run through my fingers is sleeping and preparing itself for me. The yard that I have grown to love so deeply because it is MY yard is still there. Winter makes me feel off kilter sometimes, but when I remind myself that the place is as it should be and that it is growing and changing with me, I feel more stable. I now have those gardening catalogs to help remind me to hang on to that gardener identity and remember what is important to me during the ups and downs of the season.

I am honestly tired of looking out the windows of my home to see the evergreens holding their needles tightly and the rhododendrons curling their flat leaves into long, thin finger like protuberances. I am tired of gray and snow. I feel done with the smell of cold. (Do you too know that feeling that gets into your nose and tickles it until you swear that cold does have an odor?) On a snow day home from school two weeks ago I lit a fire in my fireplace and kept it blazing all day long, with a blanket on the recliner, a cat on my feet and computer in my lap. For once, I was glad that my MacBook tends to run hot. Hot coffee is extra appreciated when you wake up and the thermometer reads -2 degrees fahrenheit. But, it's those catalogs -- no, it's the thought of those catalogs -- that really helps me get through it all.

Last week, I bought some frost damaged plans at Home Depot. Large, beautiful plants were on sale for $5. With a pretty good green thumb, I knew that a little pruning was all that was necessary to turn them right. I brought the greenery -- beautiful symbolic greenery -- home and trimmed it up. I have kept the new plants isolated from my old for about a week now to make sure I don't have any bugs or diseases that can contaminate the rest. I was right. The plants are luscious. (Is that the right word?) I'm heading back to Home Depot for some more. This time, I hope to gather up some $5 plants to decorate my school library. My assistant suggested adding plants for a more homey feel and she's right, that's exactly what this place is missing.

I have lived in three houses in my lifetime. I have lived in two dorm rooms and four apartments. They became "home" as soon as I hung a picture on the wall and as soon as I brought a plant into the space. That's what makes me feel at home. I like homes with views of greenery. It can be a public park or a manicured yard. I like work spaces with books and art. My office must have a picture of flowers. I love flowers because they make me feel grounded. They make me feel like me. I recognize that wherever I am, whatever time of year it is, I can focus on that feeling of being connected to a space. Then, I know I am alright.

It is when I un-tether from our surroundings that I feel out of sorts. I try to bring my sense of place with me. Where are those flowers around here? Where is the art work and books? Where are the signs of nature mixing with man's hand that remind me of communities and my role? I have done so much reading, thinking and writing about sense of place that I now very consciously seek it. I recognize it wherever I go. I can find it whenever I need it. I seek to mold the idea of my surroundings to what I need it to be. Recognizing my sense of place makes me feel part of something bigger. It ties me to the history and communities to which I have dedicated my life as an archivist and information professional.

I wonder...What do you recognize as integral to your own sense of place? Do you have times that you feel detached and out of sorts? Does paying more attention to your surroundings help you shake the winter doldrums too? 

Boston Public Library Local & Family History Lecture Series

"The Boston Public Library's Local & Family History Lecture Series is in its 10th year of sharing information about the history of Boston and its neighborhoods along with tips and guides for those beginning their own genealogical research."

I am pleased to be included among the speakers at this year's BPL Local and Family History lecture series. I will be at the library on January 23rd at 6pm. The librarian emailed the following when she asked me to participate, "Your quote 'We can each have some control over the history that is remembered when we maintain and make plans for our own documentation' brings the history and the genealogy together."

Getting this message out to genealogists [and others] is important. Often caught up in the history of the past, we forget about the history of the future. By that I mean, we need to remember that the things we do today will be important to our descendants. We need to be aware as we search for answers about our ancestors that we can also leave clues about ourselves. We are not just digging for history -- or in my case saving the records of history -- we are also living history.

While in the past we did it somewhat shoddy job of recording and keeping information about how we lived, we have an opportunity moving forward. We have tools and awareness of the value of history that can help us share what we know with future generations. As a genealogist or person with an interest in local history and family stories, YOU are responsible for telling your story. How will you be remembered? What do you have to say to others? What does your life represent? And, not only is this a responsibility, it is an opportunity to think about and live your life as you want -- to evaluate who you are and how you want others to begin to think about your place in history.

You are the center of history

My life is a blip on a timeline of history, but it is ON that timeline. Each one of us is important. We have the power to help our memories survive by documenting them and thoughtfully passing them on. It is the stories of everyday life that count. It is these stories that help us better understand societies and how the "common man" functions, survives and changes. As part of larger communities, individuals help mold those communities. Whether we are aware of our impact or not, our participation in anything changes that thing. I have found that being aware of this makes the study of history more significant and allows me to better understand my role and purpose in the world.

My presentation, "The Unofficial Family Archivist" will help arm you with techniques for telling your stories. I hope to make you realize (if you don't already) how life's little moments are what make you and what makes your communities. How do you find, record, and save the stories that surround you that are worth telling? My books on archives, communy and memory provide a little more focus with worksheets to assist. [I didn't want to make this blog post a book sales pitch, but I do think the tie-in will be helpful to some.] I hope that you will join me this Wednesday if you are in the Boston area. Come tell me YOUR stories. I love hearing about what is important to other people. Not only do I like growing my personal network, but, selfishly, learning about others helps me better understand myself too. I look forward to seeing you soon!

More Finds at the Local Antique Shop: Joe Louis, Shirley Temple, and Shorthand

I have been working on the transcript of my recently found Manchester Diary. While the second entry in my Kennebunkport Diary discussed the largest train crash in Maine, the January entries of this current diary include nothing so momentous. However, the diary of Eileen Langmayd, 1935-1939, discussed the every day activities of a depression era teen, providing a good scope of life at that time.

This is a generation that we are quickly losing and I'm sure that Miss Eileen's diary came to me for this reason. Born in the early 20s, now into their 80s, the American children of the depression held memories that can make us better understand this important time. I suspect that Eileen Langmayd's diary had been part of an estate sale that entered an antique shop quietly and sat unassumingly among the non-paper based antiques in the store. But while the objects are admired mostly for their form, it is the diary that reveals the thoughts and deeds of its owner. It is the diary we should value for preserving memories and it is the diary that should be highlighted for the intimate connection it offers us to those who came before us.

Eileen Langmayd spent her days going to school, working, practicing her transcription and shorthand (I assume she was on her way to becoming a secretary), eating popcorn and fudge as treats, sledding down hills, sewing, listening to the radio, shopping with her mom, and going to the theater. None of these activities may strike us as particularly unusual or maybe not even particularly interesting, but woven together the diary entries give us a remarkable sense of time. They tell us of life as a young woman in Manchester, NH in the 30s and tie Miss Eileen to larger communities and larger national scale events.

• "January 12, 1935. Saturday. In A.M. helped mother. In P.M. went up to Irene’s for a few minutes. Later in afternoon Mama & I went to “Shirley Temple” in “Bright Eyes” at State Theatre with Jimmie Dunn."

It turns out that Manchester, NH had many theaters where the local population was entertained. To my knowledge, one remains - The Palace Theatre on Hanover Street, where an historic feel remains palpable even when one primarily just attends summer matinee plays for children in the 21st century.

• "January 25, 1939. Wednesday. Got a letter from Joe. Went over to “Mil” G. Met a girl, Albertine Dunn. Very nice. Had cocoa and cake. Came home about ten. Listened to fight which lasted two min. Joe Louis won."

With a very quick search, I learned that it was on this date that Louis won the heavy weight title. While it seems to me that Miss Eileen would not be the kind of girl to today listen to a boxing match, in 1939 it was the thing to do. It was an important major radio event and among her short diary entries she recorded the experience.

My goal is to finish transcribing the 11 months of diary entries that cover 5 years in this girl's life. Each page has one date that includes 5 separate entries from the various years. When Eileen got the December 31st of one year, she would turn back to the beginning to record January 1st of the next year. For example:

• January 16

1935. Wednesday. We rod home from school in Lizzie.[?]

1936. Thursday. In P.M. Wayne down. Took his picture. Hope this one comes out. In Eve. “Gwen” & I went over to church. Quite a few kids there playing piano. Warren took my scarf & put it up on T. pole.

1937. Saturday. Worked all day.

1938. Sunday. Had quite a cold so didn’t go to S.S. In P.M. Gwen & Hilda came down. We took Marion’s wedding gift, a picture, down to her. In Eve, pasted in scrapbooks.

1939. Monday. Received an air mail letter from Jo Jo today. Also received two records which Wilks sent me “[?] of an Engineer” and “I Wish I Had You.”

I am getting a sense of this 5 year span that includes schooling, boys, birthdays and more. It is actually a little funny and perhaps awkward to not transcribe one year straight through, but I wanted to keep the authenticity of the diary and decided to keep the transcript using the diary's current form. I find myself wondering where in the diary I'll learn things such as exactly who Wayne is (he shows up quite a bit.) I find myself growing closer to Eileen, wishing for her that Wayne is a steady-beau, that he's not heading off to war, that the depression doesn't affect her too much.

• 1936. Friday. In A.M. Hilda and I went down to WPA Administration building. We got an application to fill out. Later we went to drugstore to get pictures. Wayne’s came out. Hilda down to study in P.M.

And life went on...and my life goes on with hers in it...I live her past in my present. 

Young Adults, Sense of Place and Archives

ArchivesInfo has always promoted the idea that archives provide a foundation for building a sense of community. Using information as a resource for social connections and understanding can be applied in any environment. My school experience is a reflection of this in action.

I spent much of the first term as the new information specialist at a local high school, building a sense of place. Sense of place does not always come naturally. Sometimes it needs to be molded and focused, and cultivated to reflect this idea. To begin to create that feeling in our library, I've re-arranged the room a bit; I've hung posters and created exhibits aiming to get students to think about our library as the heart of our community; And, of course, I've started a school Archives.

There is A LOT going on in this very busy environment at the physical center of the school. We are building tech opportunities as well as focusing on the "traditional." But my focus here is on building a sense of place -- with a goal to make the physical center the metaphorical heart of our education.We aim to create a comfortable, enriching environment. This, I believe, adds to a feeling of community and certainly to the sense of place. In addition to trying to provide educational opportunities in diverse forms all around our room, we fill our display cases each month with exhibits focused on building community.  (Let me know if anyone is interested in the "educational opportunities" aspect and I can talk more about that specifically in a future post.)

• In September our first exhibit involved using mind-mapping to envision the library as a community space. 
• In October, we built an exhibit about Archives Month that introduced the idea of school archives. 
• In November, we focused on food traditions and encouraged students to dig up their own food memories and recipes. 
• In December we introduced a pen pal project with the Teen Center in Botswana where we will be connecting our community with one in Africa to explore a different culture and get to know people from across the world. 
• We are now focused on our favorite books. In December we encouraged teachers and students to create a holiday chain that listed their favorites. I've made a list of them, have ordered ones we don't have here, and made an exhibit with the help of my staff. With the help of this current project, and through surveys and collection development, we have added materials for all levels of library users. We are aiming for diverse educational resources to tap the needs, and spark the interests, of as many students as possible.

We aim to reflect the soul of our community and that's where the archives really shine. An archives committee, currently made up of just a couple of students and staff, is working to build a collection that focuses on our building. The building was constructed in 1965, so we are preparing for a 50th anniversary celebration. We are collaborating with the local historical society and have visited their collections to get a sense of where we, as a school community, fit in our larger town community. I'm trying to have students think of our school as just one ring among all the communities in which they participate. An alum contacted me about a blogging project his graduating class is building. We will be reaching out to them. We plan to conduct oral histories and ask the people in the town about their memories of the school and to see if they have materials related to the high school's place in the community. I hope that the project will spread to other schools as well and I will meet regularly with other school librarians to tie our respective educational communities together on an informational resource / sense of place level.

I have a sign on my office door that says, "Libraries are in the curiosity business." I hope that when one enters a space encouraging exploration that also reflects ties to the past -- a place that shows its roots AND a forward movement -- that one feels energized. I leave little "sparks" around the library with the hope that I can ignite students' interests, whatever they might be. I aim show them that no matter the subject in which they have an interest, there are learning opportunities to grasp. I want students to remember this place as one where they felt safe and free to learn beyond the classroom and that their experiences here will help them build an enriching life where they recognize opportunities for lifelong learning. The long-range plan is coming and this will continually be a work in progress.

My Year in Review

This year brought a lot of new changes both personally and professionally. Putting some medical issues behind me, I altered my career path a bit and took on the role of Information specialist / librarian at Goffstown High School in New Hampshire. In this position, I have had the opportunity to imagine the perfect library and the perfect way to share knowledge of information with young people. I have also had the opportunity on my own to do a lot of public speaking, some one-on-one consulting with institutions, and networking with new colleagues around the world.

School

At Goffstown I've introduced a school archives. We are preparing for the 50th anniversary celebration of our school building in 2015. We have established a cooperative relationship with other local school libraries, the historical society, and the public library to most effectively bring information services and materials to our students. We have established a pen pal program with teens in Botswana. We have developed an internal school blog and information network to share ideas.We are introducing independent study classes so students can delve into aspects of information science that most interest them. I am working with the freshman class teachers to establish a standard for introducing research and information to their classes. We are preparing a long-range plan to establish the library as a "learning lab." There is so much going on and so much enthusiasm from our school community that I feel greatly energized, uplifted, and motivated. Looking at the information professions with a "Holistic" approach enables me to show young people that sharing information is more than randomly tweeting to one's friends. Information can be a very powerful tool.

Speaking

This year I have had the opportunity to do more speaking at public libraries and historical societies. I also worked with a colleague to talk about our tips on social media with the New England Museum Association. The New England Archivists featured an interview with me in their recent newsletter and I led a panel at their last conference to address the topic of alternate career paths for archivists. I have also "discovered" online interviews. I was interviewed by Chick History for a podcast about Ida Annah Ryan, a hero of mine whom I discovered in the Waltham Public Library's archives when I worked as a young archivist. Most recently, I was interviewed at Fieldstone Common's Blog Radio program about caring for personal papers and documenting personal stories.

Social Media

Social media is no longer in the early adopter phase. Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the rest are intricately entwined in our professional lives. I have met more colleagues overseas. I am meeting new colleagues in the education field where I am exploring ideas of how information specialists can supplement and support the school curriculum.  Archivists, museum professionals and librarians continue to have an important and unique role to play in information. I plan to assist my colleagues around the world with understanding where information can take us and to excite young people about the opportunities proper use of information can afford us.

Consulting

I continue to consult in my off time (whenever that is). I wound up three projects before beginning at school. I have a new book in the works (in my head and getting bantered about on long walks) with a professor of education at St. Anselm's University. We plan to write about how my field and experiences can influence hers. Very exciting stuff (for me anyway)!

But that's enough seriousness. Librarian in Black has inspired me to write about other aspects of my year:

Book - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
New Craze - Steampunk
Show - Dr. Who 2012 Christmas special
Movie - My Fair Lady (Audrey Hepburn always and forever)
Favorite event - Watch City Festival 
Personal accomplishment - singing Karaoke in a bar
Professional accomplishment - beat boxing in front of a room full of high school students
Alter Ego - Steampunk librarian

Peace out all! Happy New Year!

ArchivesInfo Top Ten Stories of 2012

Welcome to the 3rd annual ArchivesInfo Top Ten Stories of the Year. Our list includes the stories that have impacted the cultural heritage professions -- more specifically archives, libraries, and museums - the most over the past year. These stories were greatly discussed, contributed to a change in our profession, and / or are on our radar as potential changers of the heritage we keep. They were garnered from the ArchivesInfo Twitter archives. I have evaluated my tweets based on my own personal outlook and welcome differing opinions. The list is admittedly biased toward the United States. 

This year, the list has shifted again. We still have stories about how the economy influences our professions, but I think that the outlook is a little brighter. I am also enthusiastic about the forward looking direction we all seem to be taking, with new ideas about how best to reach our public. Just missing the cut this year is the story about the woman who aimed to "conserve" a Spanish fresco and botched it http://t.co/2ur8UeM0 ; the story of librarians versus publishers of ebooks (I want to wait and see how this plays out); the ongoing Boston College IRA tape story; Crowdsourcing (which seems to be becoming so commonplace that it is old news); The Alamo "victory of death" letter; and the release of RFK's papers.

So once again, without further ado, here is the ArchivesInfo top ten of 2012.

10. Highlighting our holdings
One of the most wonderful things about cultural heritage institutions are the collections themselves. [DUH?!] This year, it seems that we are pulling more of our materials out of the dark and showcasing them for all to see. New found discoveries related to timely topics seem to rise to the top and highlight why our materials are so wonderful, why what we do is important, and generate an excitement in the field for the possibilities of uncovering what still remains hidden among our collections.

2012-09-23 02:00:20

archivesinfo: More info. on possible Emily Dickinson #photo

http://t.co/7ipoFopm

 2012-09-06 01:20:09

archivesinfo: RT @RAINbyte: Possible Emily Dickinson Daguerreotype at

Amherst College - GalleyCat http://t.co/joxamg25

2012-12-06 18:01:00

archivesinfo: World's oldest dinosaur discovered hanging out in London

museum http://t.co/8QHSXLhS [never know what you'll discover in a museum]

2012-11-16 17:56:34

archivesinfo: RT @ddaruth: Reading -> Newly Discovered Letters about Mary

Lincoln’s Desperation & Debt http://t.co/6zR90XNu #history #genealogy 

2012-08-02 18:13:46

archivesinfo: Abraham Lincoln Scrawled This Astonishing Note to Save a

Soldier’s Life http://t.co/Ea0EYYRT via @BrowBeat

2012-06-05 21:07:36

archivesinfo: RT @RAINbyte: Report of first doctor to reach shot Lincoln

found - Times Union http://t.co/eEjfuGI6

archivesinfo: Vivaldi's lost masterpiece is found in library archives -

Democratic Underground http://t.co/Av8SO29K

9. Google

Google remains on my list for their innovative role in handling primary source material and for the controversy that surrounds some of their methods. It will be interesting to see how their hand in our field plays out -- if they will be strong partners or will be seen as adversaries in the end.

2012-10-12 01:24:32

archivesinfo: A Google Book Deal Is Good for Everyone—Except Maybe Amazon

http://t.co/VQMBt0qW via @BW

2012-10-12 01:08:20

archivesinfo: Court rules #book scanning is fair use, suggesting #Google

Books victory http://t.co/llmXMPR3

2012-10-12 01:06:22

archivesinfo: Google launches online 'cultural institute' | The Australian:

http://t.co/5jvWH2Q6

2012-08-07 11:19:55

archivesinfo: RT @Riparchivist: Authors Guild Seeks $2 Billion From Google

for Book Scanning  http://t.co/jKjMF4Ez  http://t.co/93TeFYIa #books

#copyright

archivesinfo: Google’s #Art Project grows larger with 151 museums online

across 40 countries http://t.co/u6T6xDd6

8. The Obama Library

Presidential libraries are always in the news. Talk swirls about the Obama library and where it will be erected. In  a presidential election year, this topic rises to our top ten.

2012-12-11 12:49:51

archivesinfo: Obama presidential library campaign begins - Jennifer Epstein

- http://t.co/Xm3tfAPn: http://t.co/HZHY34K7 via @POLITICO #archives

2012-07-03 18:00:10

archivesinfo: How About Obama’s Presidential Library?

http://t.co/DlXurKRR U. Chicago considered

7. Anniversaries - National Archives 150th, JFK 50th and more

Last year, all anniversary attention seemed focused on the 150th of the Civil War. This year, many many institutions are focusing on anniversaries of their existence and special events (including the high school where I now work, which is preparing for the 50th anniversary of the construction of our building in 1965).

2012-12-11 12:47:52

archivesinfo: National Archives to Launch 150th Anniversary Celebration

http://t.co/kj8xt2Co #NARA #archives

2012-11-08 15:01:03

archivesinfo: Boston's JFK museum readies for 50th anniversary of

assassination http://t.co/Y4fnfMEN

2012-09-27 21:14:06

archivesinfo: Elementary School in MD Celebrates 150 years

http://t.co/pLstPJDA #schoolarchives

2012-09-24 01:37:35

archivesinfo: The Jetsons Turns Fifty: How the Future Looked in 1962

http://t.co/tnClWaJ8 via @Techland

2012-09-09 23:16:29

archivesinfo: Scotland. A host of grateful writers and artists will help

the Women’s Library to celebrate its 20th birthday http://t.co/ecIuB6Cm

2012-09-03 00:54:28

archivesinfo: Chemists celebrating 100 years - one of the oldest companies

in the UK. http://t.co/pPBYKhDr #archives

2012-08-27 19:02:11

archivesinfo: Student Contest - 150th anniversary of Emancipation

Proclamation. NEH http://t.co/ntkv3gXR

2012-08-13 00:38:37

archivesinfo: Hoover Presidential Library and Museum Celebrates 50th

Anniversary http://t.co/VYdv4IOF

2012-04-19 13:33:20

archivesinfo: 100 year anniversary of Fenway Park in pictures - Griffin

#Museum of #Photography, Winchester, MA http://t.co/6e9RS1uy #baseball

2012-04-10 18:12:19

archivesinfo: RT @nypl: 100 years ago today, the Titanic departed

Southampton embarking on its maiden voyage. Rediscover the journey

http://t.co/BP57HJ7t

6. Disaster Preparedness

From natural disasters to neglect, to the ravaging effects of war on artifacts, 2012 once again shined a light on the need to better plan for the care of our collections. Hurricane Sandy in the United States really opened the eyes of some laypeople for the urgency of this kind of preparedness.

2012-11-03 23:36:04

archivesinfo: The Subways & Buses Are Back, and So Is the Transit #Museum

http://t.co/vamY41Ba via @newyorkobserver #NY #sandy

2012-10-30 12:18:03

archivesinfo: RT @ActiveHist: New post by @DagomarDegroot "Hurricane Sandy:

A Teachable Moment" http://t.co/ZK2Bi6h8  #envhist #Sandy

2012-09-29 15:09:01

archivesinfo: [Disheartening cultural news] Fire Sweeps Through Ancient

Souk of Aleppo, City’s Soul http://t.co/8MhNSmpq #heritage

2012-08-30 02:18:50

archivesinfo: Section of 200-year-old wall turns into rubble at panoramic

site near Rome's Piazza del Popolo http://t.co/yUt8t0vo

2012-08-30 02:13:17

archivesinfo: Protecting Cultural Treasures: Lessons From the Syrian

Conflict http://t.co/pzKvjQ7s via @HuffPostWorld

2012-07-30 02:17:41

archivesinfo: RT @Cinevoice: Newspaper Uses Photoshop To Make Syria Look

Even Worse Somehow http://t.co/AHn96AZN [problem w/ information in 21st c.]

2012-07-30 02:06:02

archivesinfo: Museum director warns of Syrian cultural losses - The Local

http://t.co/IPYGpe6b via @TheLocalGermany

2012-05-09 12:25:17

archivesinfo: Mali: Timbuktu. Uncertainty As Rebels Move in.  protection of

ancient manuscripts "significantly imperilled" http://t.co/Dnf8iXHs

#archives

archivesinfo: U.N.: Cultural Treasures At Risk in Mali, Syria Conflicts

http://t.co/G41stp5z

archivesinfo: Destroy this memory; #Digitization part of disaster plan |

http://t.co/ujahWpIK http://t.co/cg00GncE [#Sandy created gaps in #art

history]

5. Underdocumented / Hidden Collections

Related to #10 on our list, #4 shows how archivists and historians are working to uncover hidden stories. But we don't just seek articles about the famous, we are finding out more and more about hidden populations. Our collections have the ability to help showcase previously untold stories and can help make people aware of the diversity and quiet communities around them.

2012-11-15 12:56:11

archivesinfo: RT @paige_roberts Hidden Collections Report

http://t.co/bAPUpKM5. #archives #libraries [is there a similar U.S.

report?]

Her Story project -

2012-12-01 21:18:00

archivesinfo: Do you know about the #Herstory project? It was a lot of fun

to talk with @chickhistory abt a #suffragette I admire

https://t.co/ZqHtfToY

2012-12-01 21:16:14

archivesinfo: RT @chickhistory: Learn about One of America's First Female

Architects, buried in her family papers! #HerStory 40 by @archivesinfo >

2012-11-03 23:21:06

archivesinfo: Radio Tanzania: A Disappearing History On Tape

http://t.co/QsAtxTrb #archives

2012-10-30 02:24:51

archivesinfo: Archivist tracks down Rocky Mountain fur trade’s untold

story http://t.co/rmhgdYn3

2012-10-14 04:09:56

archivesinfo: Stanford Scholars Search For Documents About Chinese Railroad

Workers - Palo Alto, CA Patch http://t.co/XOpH9ihi #archives #history

2012-08-25 01:29:54

archivesinfo: Archivist tracks down the 'lost babies' of Cyprus' Jewish

refugee camps Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper http://t.co/frErW0HL

2012-08-16 02:34:58

archivesinfo: New York Raids its Attic and Finds US History | Long Island

Press http://t.co/AymIqbic #archives

2012-08-04 13:01:14

archivesinfo: UGA libraries receive oldest known film reels in state

http://t.co/UzMYhAc2 #archives #film #georgia #familyhistory

2012-07-26 11:27:45

archivesinfo: ISU archivist always on the hunt for history:

http://t.co/Pc4y03Yv

2012-07-20 21:58:29

archivesinfo: RT @AASLH: Rare 16th century map found between pages of 19th

century book http://t.co/7SwZqV3H #hiddencollectionsstoriesrock

2012-07-16 09:29:47

archivesinfo: MT @genesreunited: long lost family momento discovered in

antiques... Have you come across any hidden treasures? http://t.co/ovzd7asx

2012-07-16 09:28:10

2012-07-09 01:50:31

archivesinfo: Photo Exhibit Documents History of ‘Workers at Play’ |

UConn Today: http://t.co/D3rmd2aX via @UConn

2012-05-10 12:51:24

archivesinfo: New Holocaust tome reveals previously undocumented atrocities

http://t.co/dnNAg3Il #archives

2012-05-08 11:52:05

archivesinfo: [Documenting the underdocumented] The Visual South, Part I:

Unseen Scenes Of Guantanamo http://t.co/9XzPMkkU

2012-05-03 12:42:10

archivesinfo: Project seeks segregation-era documents http://t.co/L4jhqEcv

#archives #oralhistory

4. Save Archives, libraries and museums 

Much controversy has swirled over cutbacks in our professions once again. We are carefully watching Georgia, which tried to eliminate state Archives services.We are also watching deep cuts in Canada that mimic those we saw in Britain a year ago. Cuts continue around the globe, but Canada's stand out this year. Proposed renovations to the NYPL in the United States have caused quite a controversy in the United States and are included here.

2012-10-26 02:52:44

archivesinfo: After uproar, Georgia officials back off #archives plan |

Online Athens http://t.co/3YJ2UVhW

2012-10-21 00:30:58

archivesinfo: After uproar, #Georgia officials rework archive budget

http://t.co/7Rb1SFSQ #archives #savearchives

2012-10-05 23:34:04

archivesinfo: Advocates fight to keep archives open to public

http://t.co/Q0KW4PFJ

2012-09-15 10:22:50

archivesinfo: Georgia closes archives. Only state in nation to cut historic

service. http://t.co/P5TbXARu #archives

2012-09-14 17:23:11

archivesinfo: RT @ArchivalBiz: RT @archivists_org The State Archives crisis

in Georgia http://t.co/CpLFPf8g

2012-08-02 02:30:13

archivesinfo: Imperilled #archive seeks new fearless champion. U.K. Women's

#Library http://t.co/ibsPzX4T via @timeshighered 

archivesinfo: Halifax Central #Library to be demolished - Local - Halifax

Courier: http://t.co/oKAoynu7 #savelibraries

2012-11-12 19:06:47

archivesinfo: RT @RAINbyte: Freedom of information? B.C. government

accountability moot with no written records http://t.co/bu9VoIio

2012-08-28 09:41:16 [GREAT BRITAIN]

archivesinfo: BBC News - Museums Sheffield: After the cuts

http://t.co/TC5wk46r #savemuseums

2012-08-11 14:11:54

archivesinfo: Closing doors on Canada’s history http://t.co/aKFgSBoU

#archives #savelibraries

2012-08-07 14:02:34

archivesinfo: Library hours cut to balance books http://t.co/dEh5uy5h…

South Tyneside #savelibraries [BRITAIN]

2012-08-07 11:23:10

archivesinfo: MT @ShirleyBurnham: Library prepares to be community run

http://t.co/Shs7YeTW #save libraries

2012-08-04 12:58:02

archivesinfo: Massachusetts. BridgewaterTown Council rejects library

contract http://t.co/LUsGdenp #savelibraries

2012-07-26 19:36:28

archivesinfo: BBC News - Elmbridge Museum disposes of 3,500 objects. UK

museum earmarked for closure http://t.co/GClDkP8L

2012-07-26 11:00:02

archivesinfo: RT @UKpling: Communities set to lose libraries - Wakefield

Express http://t.co/FjEfzNNG #savelibraries

2012-07-20 18:00:26

archivesinfo: Save Libraries Pinterest board - libraries in trouble & what

people are doing to save them http://t.co/9PxaxHLF

2012-07-07 15:37:14

archivesinfo: The memory-keeper's dilemma. The state of #archives in Canada

& implications for #localhistory http://t.co/DbkqbcIC

2012-06-30 03:12:46

archivesinfo: Save the New York Public Library         http://t.co/lkjiZcgE 

#savelibraries

2012-06-28 03:00:28

archivesinfo: U.K. Surrey library volunteer plans 'will not save money'

http://t.co/ChXjQZik

2012-06-25 01:17:19

archivesinfo: Canada: Budget squeeze on libraries impairs national memory

http://t.co/XR5UE3y 

2012-06-07 11:42:29

archivesinfo: The Wrecking of Canada's Library & Archives

http://t.co/7zXiuCHk [shameful. Once cutting edge, what will happen to

Canadian heritage?]

2012-06-04 13:28:12

archivesinfo: More on cuts to Canadian Archives and what this means to the

average person http://t.co/HKRFCNMO #canada #archives

2012-06-02 15:18:56

archivesinfo: Canada. MP Hiebert defends cuts to archive program

http://t.co/DgfJ2jRA #savelibraries

2012-06-02 15:18:54

archivesinfo: Canada. Conservatives Must Stop Gutting Local Libraries.

"hurting local libraries in 3 major ways." http://t.co/Z5U6oU0A

#savelibraries

2012-06-02 15:18:52

archivesinfo: Canada. Nanaimo archives in crisis after feds cut grants

http://t.co/1O3hWxMF

2012-05-31 15:42:10

archivesinfo: Ireland threatening collective memory? 'Bureaucrat

Barbarians' at the gates? http://t.co/X0B59ghm via @IrishTimes #archives

#savelibraries

2012-05-31 15:34:13

archivesinfo: The Smokescreen of ‘Modernization’ at Library and

Archives Canada http://t.co/ifyPFW6W #lac #savelibraries

2012-05-29 18:00:56

archivesinfo: Our country's history is at risk. Canadian government slowly

doing away with Canada's ability to access own history.

http://t.co/H8hbnkEZ

2012-05-29 15:27:41

archivesinfo: 150 attend "funeral" for archival funding cuts:

http://t.co/zm4gMW1J

2012-05-29 15:05:15

archivesinfo: Canada. Academic freedom could be limited by cuts to Library

and Archives http://t.co/hVziVhC7 #archives

2012-05-29 14:52:59

archivesinfo: RT @ONLibraryAssoc: Archivists protest in Ottawa over cuts.

Mock funeral for Canada's archival heritage. http://t.co/Ayee6A3M #archives

2012-05-28 17:38:31

archivesinfo: London. Despite funding cuts, library usage increasing

http://t.co/0my9v1pC #savelibraries

2012-05-25 18:01:01

archivesinfo: Ireland. Merging of cultural institutions criticised

http://t.co/AZ0YK3S9

2012-05-18 23:45:20

archivesinfo: RT @LibraryofCT: Is the New York Public Library Seizing the

Future or Renouncing Its Past? http://t.co/mtTJBnrN (via @nytimes)

2012-05-16 21:04:37

archivesinfo: ‘Cultural vandalism’ claims as church breaks up archive

http://t.co/WQDrOwp6

2012-05-12 14:12:05

archivesinfo: Are Harvard’s Realignment Throes Unique—or a Cautionary

Tale? http://t.co/0NbL8Bsl #libraries

2012-05-09 18:09:16

archivesinfo: New Brunswick Archives Funding Cuts via @ArchivistsTrek:

http://t.co/JMcin7l6

2012-05-03 13:15:09

archivesinfo: RT @redgirl13: More bad news out of Library & Archives CaA:

ILL service shutting down...Could be mortal wound to resource sharing in

Canada 

2012-05-03 13:02:03

archivesinfo: Canada. Government librarians vow to get loud over federal

budget cuts. http://t.co/JjTdmXMH #savelibraries

2012-05-02 18:01:18

archivesinfo: A room of one's own: why the Women's #Library should not be

made history http://t.co/h2zSPkhw

2012-05-02 13:01:14

archivesinfo: Canada. Federal libraries, archives shutting down

http://t.co/UIkuBw1q #savelibraries

2012-05-02 12:17:26

archivesinfo: RT @sue_oz: RT @DalLibraries: "We are stunned." Dal Archives

blogs on drastic federal cuts to #archives funding http://t.co/GYXruUNC

#canada

2012-04-18 12:36:41

archivesinfo: Italian museum burns artworks in protest at cuts

http://t.co/GRWNdTLZ #art #italy #budget

2012-04-10 16:08:36

archivesinfo: Campaign to Save Women's Library in London

http://t.co/4iwxdsKH #savelibraries

3. Theft and vandalism

Perhaps it's a sign of the times, but stories of theft and vandalism in cultural heritage seemed to rise this year. On a good note, repatriation of stolen items from our past also continues.

2012-11-16 00:30:28

archivesinfo: Man who stole from NY archives loses #museum job

http://t.co/DMS4dbFz

2012-11-14 02:37:06

archivesinfo: Stolen Letters From George Washington, Napoleon, Coming Back

To Connecticut http://t.co/udlJluH6 #archives #theft

2012-11-12 19:01:39

archivesinfo: Felon who stole from NY State #Archives gets second chance at

state military museum - Times Union http://t.co/uqpBM9Ex via @TimesUnion

2012-11-08 04:00:34

archivesinfo: Poster Collection Seized By Nazis To Be Sold

http://t.co/4ahBmq3R #WWII #archives

2012-10-31 01:27:40

archivesinfo: Museum needs help...SF: Gay history museum, home of one of

largest LGBT #archives in US, vandalised  http://t.co/ZS5V0TOS

2012-10-29 12:36:56

archivesinfo: RT @RAINbyte: Theft At The National Archives: How Relic

Raiders Are Pilfering America’s Past http://t.co/euctiSV9

2012-10-17 17:26:45

archivesinfo: Picasso, Matisse, Monet works stolen from Dutch museum

http://t.co/u90MRboX #art

2012-09-29 19:01:12

archivesinfo: Flea market Renoir was stolen from Baltimore Museum of Art,

auction canceled http://t.co/yykwTuhU #arttheft #culturalheritage

2012-08-20 04:00:27

archivesinfo: The difficulty of insider #book theft. wholesale looting of

Girolamini #Library in Naples, Italy, by director http://t.co/xHbN33Kc

2012-08-07 20:53:06

archivesinfo: RT @AASLH: Looted Afghan artefacts returned to Kabul

http://t.co/nyJFKTkP #repatriation

2012-07-27 18:00:06

archivesinfo: Massachusetts How the State House’s cultural treasures have

vanished, piece by piece - Museum And Gallery: http://t.co/laBlr8ZY

2012-07-11 13:36:30

archivesinfo: RT @lynnemthomas: Stolen Codex Calixtinus recovered, arrests

made: http://t.co/vJ8nUDsG

2012-07-07 23:27:37

archivesinfo: RT @cortsims: Police seize Buddhist sculptures worth millions

of dollars in Pakistan

#archaeology http://t.co/qkc2Jp6k

2012-07-05 01:40:06

archivesinfo: Canadian facing jail for 'breathtaking' theft of U.S.

historical artifacts http://t.co/ERzSMKfF #archives #accomplice

2012-06-28 01:41:17

archivesinfo: Landau had his tailor stitch deep pockets into a trench coat

and blazer so he could more easily steal documents: http://t.co/gEqxey0E

2012-06-28 01:21:43

archivesinfo: Barry Landau, collector of historical documents, gets 7-year

term for thefts http://t.co/zuVGUrf3  #archives

2012-06-03 21:21:43

archivesinfo: Photo albums related to Nazi art theft unveiled:

http://t.co/X2iNpbRt #archives

2012-06-02 23:45:17

archivesinfo: no words for this! wRT @publichistorian: Terrible news. All

the fish @DetroitAquarium killed with bleach. http://t.co/KcwAf9TL

2012-06-01 20:30:32

archivesinfo: Museums seen as soft target. There has been a significant

increase in number of thefts this year http://t.co/FWEQFSOv

2012-05-22 11:35:33

archivesinfo: Historic ads stolen from U of Illinois library

http://t.co/97eZPhny #archives #exhibit #security

2012-05-21 18:00:21

archivesinfo: Will ‘Whitey’ Bulger’s testify about $500 million

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist?

Read more: http://t.co/ofJBX930 #art

2012-05-19 14:41:4

2012-05-04 12:55:42

archivesinfo: NARA Former Archivist Convicted In Recording Thefts

http://t.co/UzZ5kXQc #archives

2012-04-26 15:29:12

archivesinfo: RT @RAINbyte: Israel Police probing possible theft of Kafka

papers - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News http://t.co/ZsPqoaGR

2. Social Media

Cultural heritage professionals are jumping on board with social media as a way to garner a larger and stronger audiences. We are experimenting with sites such as Facebook and Pinterest to highlight collections, communicate basic information and seek feedback from patrons. This is a subject close to my heart and one that I think is vital to the continuation of our important work. However, in addition to helping us, social media presents both a preservation nightmare and requires us to reevaluate our purpose and methods of collecting and outreach.

2012-11-16 00:06:24

archivesinfo: RT @suddenlyjamie #Pinterest Launches Business Pages to Get

Cozy With Brands | Digital - Advertising Age http://t.co/aIBTWDYD

2012-11-15 12:44:07

archivesinfo: RT @mia_out: It's your data 'but it belongs to Facebook now,

and there's not much you can do about how they remix and reuse it' http://t

2012-09-30 10:10:05

archivesinfo: RT How Twitter is Reinventing Collaboration Among Educators

[librarians & archivists too!] http://t.co/DLcMAMzW  #sm

2012-09-29 16:15:46

archivesinfo: RT @IArtLibraries: A whole Pinterest board of digital

collections?! YES! Thank you @janineveazue ! http://t.co/nIrh8RaS 

2012-09-27 21:15:07

archivesinfo: Social media is an archivist’s nightmare;

http://t.co/NDsjqhyh via @thespec

2012-09-26 17:20:57

archivesinfo: RT @hootsuite: #Fminus: Why universities fail at teaching

social media - HootSuite CEO talks to @FortuneMagazine:

http://t.co/QQjcZSdV

2012-09-08 02:01:51

archivesinfo: RT @socialmedia2day: Culture Clash: Baby Boomers Vie with

Millennials over the Future of Social Media by @chrshorton

http://t.co/0fMXTtRY

2012-07-16 20:00:34

archivesinfo: #history #dilemma: Social media proving difficult for

archivists: http://t.co/u9FV3ZXT 

2012-07-09 23:29:28

archivesinfo: The #Museum at FIT Has Relaunched Its Online Collections

http://t.co/xLDlYKV3 #pinterest 's influence or no?

2012-07-08 13:33:58

archivesinfo: RT @margotnote: Social media bringing National Archives to

homes http://t.co/oAjFnMdP #sm #archives

2012-06-19 12:17:23

archivesinfo: The networked consultant: Using social media, Part II

http://t.co/E2lyslKm National Council on Public History blog post by M.

Mannon

2012-04-25 20:07:00

archivesinfo: A (virtual) museum visit. Online social media platforms are

changing the way #museums relate to their visitors. http://t.co/248upQck

#sm

2012-04-10 13:11:25

archivesinfo: RT @cdilly: 5 good Reasons for #Museums to get on Pinterest

Right Now: http://t.co/h3KzjQe8 (Early Adopter phase is ending!)

Museum Education & Social Media: What Can Our Audiences

Learn...http://bit.ly/Hp7apf #musesocial

2012-02-19 01:46:03

archivesinfo: RT @coachginny: 10 Reasons Pinterest Booked 10 Million

Visitors a Month So Fast - Forbes http://t.co/aYZ8NmlT

2012-02-14 20:08:28

archivesinfo: What is #Pinterest and Why should #Museums Care? - Muse21

blog http://t.co/CPl5a92f

archivesinfo: RT @LibraryofCT: 5 More Ways to Use #Pinterest in Your

#Library http://t.co/ZsLsz2ns 

1. Digitization

Repeating its #1 ranking from 2010, this year digitization was a clear choice for the most important story of the year. Most cultural heritage institutions now fully realize the importance of getting their collections online. There are large organizations such as the DPLA partners who are working hard to help smaller institutions that can't afford to go online on their own. We are fully embedded in a digital world and there is no looking back. Our professions are changing. Our responsibilities are changing. We are deeply committed to keeping up with the times and reinventing ourselves to showcase our role as keepers of our heritage and cultural knowledge. Can we do it fast enough to remain a vital part of civilization? I think that these stories show that the answer is "yes!"

2012-12-03 21:27:36

archivesinfo: N.H. Historical Society works to digitize entire catalogue |

Concord Monitor http://t.co/pfIT3La3 #NH #archives

2012-12-02 21:12:02

archivesinfo: New Orleans 2 digitize 18thc papers. may give 1st accounts of

N Am.slaves & free blacks. http://t.co/zjKp9Q3l

2012-12-02 21:04:06

archivesinfo: Continue Funding Archives Digital Project -

http://t.co/0Ws9xBve #zambia via @allafrica

2012-11-12 18:39:26

archivesinfo: RT @RAINbyte: Digitising your collection blog series (PDF)

http://t.co/k1SKGCWZ

2012-11-08 03:21:28

2012-10-13 02:31:25

archivesinfo: Carnegie Hall’s #Archives Begins Digitizing

http://t.co/EVzbpxsi via @carnegiehall

2012-10-12 09:24:12

archivesinfo: RT @ddaruth: First digital resource explores 1918 flu

epidemic  http://t.co/pZIlfQwR #history #genealogy

2012-10-11 15:26:02

archivesinfo: Madison Library, NH unveiled a new digital historical

archive. http://t.co/nJiaelIw #communityarchives

2012-10-06 14:00:38

archivesinfo: WNYC's Archives & Preservation Dept is digitizing 660 hours

of recordings from NYC Municipal #Archives. See highlights

http://t.co/hRnEVdZx

2012-09-27 21:24:55

archivesinfo: PERRIS: Historians digitizing school yearbooks

http://t.co/5IAvJOou #community

2012-08-29 20:26:09

archivesinfo: Detroit Historical #Museum hopes digital collection will help

maintain public interest | Crain's Detroit Business http://t.co/zlRHo57c

2012-08-16 01:52:15

archivesinfo: Efforts under way to make #Nixon tapes accessible

http://t.co/hA23iWkV #archives

2012-07-27 01:54:34

archivesinfo: Inside the Quest to Put the World's Libraries Online - The

Atlantic http://t.co/C0ueM0gT #DPLA #archives #library

2012-07-23 01:33:37

archivesinfo: Public libraries in the #digital age http://t.co/0WPT0kHu

#DPLA #library

2012-07-20 18:01:53

archivesinfo: New Report: “America’s Digital Future: Advancing a Shared

Strategy For Digital Public Libraries” http://t.co/1m2uQQPy

2012-07-19 14:01:17

archivesinfo: Historic Arab papers to go online http://t.co/hGcqFEe1

#archives #britishlibrary

2012-07-16 09:38:30

archivesinfo: Ellensburg Library's online photo archives capture area’s

history http://t.co/HUGW1xD1 #localhistory #digitization

2012-07-02 10:33:25

archivesinfo: RT @margotnote: Port Jefferson Digital Archive Hits Another

Milestone With Over 20,000 Images http://t.co/9H7VwFbS

2012-06-22 21:30:13

archivesinfo: How the BBC can lead the way in creating #digital public

space http://t.co/xewqaWRB  [Use of #archives part of plan] #community

2012-06-06 13:06:10

archivesinfo: Detroit Historical Society To Launch Online Collection

http://t.co/wYivIOyp

2012-05-29 19:08:26

archivesinfo: BBC News - Warning over digital archive 'black hole'

http://t.co/OsX3oE0R 

2012-05-28 17:41:18

archivesinfo: Queen Victoria’s Journals Revealing Personal Details

Launched Online: http://t.co/bGeOScjE

2012-05-25 14:16:49

archivesinfo: RT @jgreen31: Librarians Helping Their Communities with

Personal Digital Archiving http://t.co/94sfrbeS #library #familyhistory

2012-05-24 15:59:02

archivesinfo: Queen Victoria's personal journals published online

http://t.co/2t9A0jzz [Henry VIII papers last year, now Victoria. happy

day!] #archives

2012-05-15 12:11:45

archivesinfo: Amon Carter #Museum receives $75,000 #digitization grant from

the National Endowment for the Humanities: http://t.co/ZxO5fOEx

2012-05-14 13:01:32

archivesinfo: Indianapolis Museum of Art to digitize Miller House & Garden

archive http://t.co/Q3MeEVB7…

2012-05-14 12:10:23

archivesinfo: Chronical of Higher Ed: Projects Aims to Build Online Hub for

Archival Materials http://t.co/0MeffCww #archives #SNAC #dpla [great

article]

2012-05-12 20:39:13

archivesinfo: RT @Arquivistica: Albert Einstein's digital #archives

http://t.co/olBcmVeT

2012-05-08 11:54:15

archivesinfo: Ghana Broadcasting Company Digitizes National #Music

#Archives http://t.co/k5mhQrO3 #Africa

2012-05-04 13:00:55

archivesinfo: #BU. Mugar on a Microchip? As libraries go digital, are books

becoming obsolete? http://t.co/LXK7FSD5

2012-05-03 16:14:54

archivesinfo: Library of Congress Plans to Digitize Pre-1978 #Copyright

Records http://t.co/2mQDv1zI

2012-05-01 15:16:19

archivesinfo: A universal digital library is within reach. #Copyright law

poses challenges http://t.co/ZwnjoAqH #dpla #google

2012-04-29 00:58:45

archivesinfo: Harvard. The Humanities, Digitized. Reconceiving the study of

culture http://t.co/2cqRlxd5 #archives

2012-04-29 00:49:49

archivesinfo: Vanderbilt digital archive recovers lost Civil Rights voices

http://t.co/FzlmAFpE

2012-04-25 14:55:09

archivesinfo: From stately bridges to grisly deaths, 870,000 New York

archival photos go online http://t.co/UhJ29AWi [most interesting story

2day

2012-04-17 15:35:40

archivesinfo: RT @WebArchivist: @archivesinfo You know we have an ongoing

project to digitize & transcribe #CivilWar diaries, right?

http://t.co/FvvbqPao

2012-04-11 07:59:03

archivesinfo: The New York Public Library digitizes thousands of early

American historic documents: http://t.co/iz88Gaby #digital #archives #NYPL

2012-04-04 07:59:05

archivesinfo: Google’s #Art Project grows larger with 151 museums online

across 40 countries http://t.co/u6T6xDd6

 2012-02-14 18:36:03

archivesinfo: #Digitized #Diaries tell first-hand of #CivilWar, #Lincoln

assassination http://t.co/Uyape0Vz via Peter K. on Pinterest. #archives

2012-02-14 15:11:07