Digital Commons Network^™

Information Resources For University Of Kentucky Dei Plan, Ruth E. Bryan

Library Presentations

In this presentation, University Archivist Ruth E. Bryan discusses the various information resources available in the University of Kentucky archives and online for researching University of Kentucky, its land grant beginnings and land purchases, the laborers who constructed and maintained university buildings, and the university's growth in relation to its surrounding neighborhoods.

Beyond "Viuda De": Practical Approaches To Promoting Mexican Books Printed At Women-Owned Businesses, Taylor Leigh, Colleen Barrett

Library Presentations

Women print shop owners have existed for much longer than most people realize; the first examples in Mexico date to the seventeenth century. Unfortunately, these texts are not always clearly described in a way that is findable beyond searching “viuda de.” Though many title-pages describe their businesses in terms of being a widow of their husband, these business owners deserve credit for their entrepreneurial efforts and should be findable in their own right. This poster would highlight the strategies and steps taken by a Hispanic Studies Librarian and a Rare Books Librarian to better promote these types of works held …

Business Models For Post-Crisis Information Ecosystems, Antje Mays

Library Presentations

Since early 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted activity across business, education, research, and communities. Public health safety precautions have forced drastic reductions in economic and educational activity, resulting in widespread economic uncertainty and sizeable budget cuts. With library budgets already declining since the 2001-2002 recession following the dotcom crash and more steeply since the 2007-2009 Great Recession spawned by the financial crash, the pandemic has accelerated trends that were already underway. Libraries’ reduced purchasing power places the information ecosystem at risk of contraction in the race to contain costs.

While economic contexts and publishing forms have changed considerably. …

Legacy Missions In Times Of Change: Defining And Shaping Collections In The 21st Century, Antje Mays, Oya Y. Rieger

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Despite the rapidly changing information and technology landscape, collections remain at the heart of academic libraries, signifying their enduring importance in providing access to our cultural heritage. Given broader trends in research and the current information ecology of an increasingly networked, distributed, and licensed environment, building collections and developing collection polices is increasingly ambiguous. These trends impact librarians in form of ever-expanding portfolios, diffusion of effort, weakened sense of focus, and a rising sense of persistent yet unmet needs for developing new skills. This paper outlines current research on collection trends and summarizes the interactive exchanges from the 2019 Charleston …

Teaching Undergraduates With Primary Sources 2020 Research Study Report, Jay-Marie Bravent, Deirdre Scaggs, Matthew Strandmark, Danielle Gabbard

Library Reports and White Papers

This report presents the findings of an exploratory examination of the pedagogical practices of social sciences and humanities instructors who teach undergraduates with primary sources at the University of Kentucky (UK). Conducted in December 2019 and January 2020 by a research team from the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center, the study reveals areas of success within existing programs and services, the benefits and drawbacks of teaching with digitized primary sources, as well as inherent pedagogical challenges to overcome. A list of recommendations based on the findings seeks to address these challenges and concludes the report. As part …

Return To Work Planning: Covid-19 Re-Opening And The Uncertain "New Normal", Jay-Marie Bravent

Library Presentations

Jay-Marie Bravent discusses the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center's plans for fall instruction and public services.

Legacy Missions In Times Of Change: Defining And Shaping Collections In The 21st Century, Antje Mays, Oya Y. Rieger

Library Presentations

Despite the rapidly changing information and technology landscape, collections remain at the heart of academic libraries, signifying their enduring importance in providing access to our cultural heritage. Given broader trends in research and the current information ecology of an increasingly networked, distributed, and licensed environment, building collections and developing collection polices is increasingly ambiguous. These trends impact librarians in form of ever-expanding portfolios, diffusion of effort, weakened sense of focus, and a rising sense of persistent yet unmet needs for developing new skills. This paper outlines current research on collection trends and summarizes the interactive exchanges from the 2019 Charleston …

Aliados De La Historia: Ayudando A Proteger Su Pasado: Recursos Sobre La Gestión De Archivos Y Registros Para Organizaciones Comunitarias, Ruth E. Bryan, Sarah Dorpinghaus, Matthew Strandmark, Laura M. Cuevas Meléndez

Library Presentations

Desde 2015, University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center (UK SCRC) ha ofrecido talleres sobre básicos de archivos para organizaciones comunitarias en el centro del estado de Kentucky. Estos talleres, titulados "Aliados de la historia: ayudando a proteger su pasado," son gratuitos y abiertos al público y, a menudo, se organizan en colaboración con las bibliotecas públicas del área. Los asistentes han sido de iglesias afroamericanas, organizaciones LGBTQIA, grupos genealógicos, museos y más. Los temas incluyen el valor histórico de los registros de la organización, la selección de registros para la retención permanente, el inventario y el almacenamiento de …

History Allies: Helping Protect Your Past: Resources On Managing Archives & Records For Community-Based Organizations, Ruth E. Bryan, Sarah Dorpinghaus, Matthew Strandmark

Library Presentations

Since 2015, the UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center (UK SCRC) has offered “archives basics” workshops for community-based organizations in central Kentucky. These workshops, titled “History Allies: Helping Protect Your Past,” are free and open to the public and often hosted in partnership with area public libraries. Attendees have been from African American churches, LGBTQIA organizations, genealogical groups, museums, and more. Topics include the historical value of organizational records, selecting records for permanent retention, inventorying and storing physical and digital records, providing access to researchers, managing volunteers and volunteer projects, digitization methods and standards, and outreach and exhibits. The workshops …

Appraisal Frameworks Used To Deaccession Part Of A University Faculty Personal Papers Collection: The Case Of The Artist's Scrapbooks, Ruth E. Bryan

Library Presentations

This presentation reflects on an archival deaccessioning situation where the son of a living donor, a member of the faculty at the University of Kentucky, requested the return of the family scrapbooks included in his father's collection. The presentation comprises the story of the deaccession, a definition of "appraisal" in this American archives context, and then an unpacking of the appraisal decision frameworks operating in this case study.

“Come Hell And High Water”: The Role Of Archivists, Historical Myths, And Activism In Communities Facing Repeated Extreme Flooding Events, Jay-Marie Bravent, Kari A. Greenwalt, Shawn Gladden

Library Presentations

While the names Harvey, Sandy, and Katrina ring loudly in the ears of many today – can we still learn valuable lessons in the archives from Diane, Camille, and Agnes? Climate change increasingly contributes to not only more frequent and more violent tropical cyclogenesis, but repeated extreme flooding events caused by unnamed weather systems, supercells, dam failures, and surges from rising oceans. These events have opened questions of survival for communities across the United States, and recent examples show that some communities indeed face pressure to abandon their long-standing ground and forego rebuilding.

In a 2013 article titled “Come Hell …

Breaking Out Of The Box: Transforming Archival Collections And Workflows Through Collaborative Description Projects, Cindy Cline, Libby Hertenstein, Lindy Smith, Rachel Howard, Rebecca Pattillo, Ruth E. Bryan

Library Presentations

Archivists and archival collections can often be siloed into the “special” corner of their parent library: under described, underutilized, and often even unknown. Finding a path out of isolation may require taking a new look at collection management needs and considering new partners in the work. Collaboration with colleagues can result in positive ripple effects that extend beyond the initial project goals. This session will highlight three innovative description projects where archivists partnered with non-archivists to improve access to targeted collections and will detail how their collaborations transformed their archival collections, work structures and relationships, and, ultimately, their users. After …

Creating The Notable Kentucky African Americans Database Nkaa, Reinette F. Jones, Robert A. Aken

Library Presentations

Learn how this project began by its creators from the University of Kentucky, Special Collections, and how it continues to add submissions from you, the public.

We Work: The Employment Journey, Reinette F. Jones

Library Presentations

A presentation on the Notable Kentucky African Americans Database.

Strategies For Investigating The Modern Era At Uk Archives, Ruth E. Bryan

Library Presentations

No abstract provided.

African Americans In Madison County, Kentucky, Reinette F. Jones

Library Presentations

Reinette Jones, Special Collections Librarian at the University of Kentucky Libraries, speak about notable Madison County African Americans.

Goodbye Presentation, Zhihui Zhang

Library Presentations

In this capstone presentation, visiting Chinese doctoral student Zhihui Zhang explains how she came to study at the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center; the archival projects she worked on, the individual people she met with, and the cultural heritage organization tours she went on; the differences and similarities between American and Chinese archival theory and practice; and how this experience will inform her Ph.D. program and her dissertation.

Gotta’ Go! African American Migration And Community Outside Kentucky, Reinette F. Jones

Library Presentations

Reinette Jones from the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center shares what she has learned about the fascinating and hidden story of the "out-migration" of African Americans from Kentucky while developing the Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (NKAA).

Please, Remember Me: African Americans From Scott County, Ky, Reinette F. Jones

Library Presentations

Reinette Jones, who created the Notable Kentucky African Americans (NKAA) Database, explains how to use this award-winning library tool while introducing us to some lesser-known Scott Countians. They include Sgt. Harrison Bradford, who led the San Pedro Springs Mutiny (TX) in 1867, in the fight for fair treatment of African American soldiers, and Lillian Nareen White, the first African American woman to play basketball at UK.

Future And Value: The Library As Strategic Partner, Antje Mays

Library Presentations

Broader economic trends spawn budget pressures for education and libraries, prompting a plethora of studies on the value and relevance of libraries. Numerous reports on economic decline in libraries and studies with mixed pronouncements on the value of libraries have led to a negative self-image within the library profession. Yet libraries' leadership in connecting learners to knowledge is at the heart of producing many of the key skills sorely needed in robust societies and economies. Librarianship has many untapped opportunities for positioning itself as a prominent strategic partner. This paper outlines current research on the economic and societal context for …

Appraisal Of Faculty Personal Papers In American Public University Archives: The Public Records Retention Schedule Versus Cultural And Historical Selection Criteria And The Role Of The Archives In The University, Ruth E. Bryan

Library Presentations

In the United States, university archives are part of the university organizational structure. The archives can be formed strictly of permanent university records or can also include the personal papers of individuals related to the university, most often faculty, but also administrators and students/alumni. In addition, by law, the records produced by American public universities--including many of the personal papers acquired by public university archives--are also public records, which must be appraised using their specific state-mandated records retention schedule.

The main goal of the schedule is to manage the current and non-current records of the organization in order to mitigate …

Sustainable Stewardship: A Collaborative Model For Engaged Oral History Pedagogy, Community Partnership, And Archival Growth, Janice W. Fernheimer, Douglas A. Boyd, Beth L. Goldstein, Sarah Dorpinghaus

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Our University of Kentucky team of professors, archivists, and oral historians have collaborated since 2013 to develop pedagogy that enables students to encounter and engage oral history, archival materials, and local community in meaningful ways. Through the impetus of the Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project and several semesters of collaboration and iterative syllabus design, we developed “sustainable stewardship” as a replicable model for course and project design to engage undergraduates in original knowledge production while simultaneously fostering archival access and growth. In this article we trace the evolving pedagogical conversations inspired by the classroom introduction of OHMS (Oral History Metadata …

A Reckless Verisimilitude: The Archive In James Ellroy’S Fiction, Bradley J. Wiles

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

The archive as both plot element and narrative presentation factors significantly into the work of James Ellroy’s novels in the L.A. Quartet and USA Underworld Trilogy series. This article examines the important role of the archive as a source of information and evidence that Ellroy’s characters utilize in their attempts at either maintaining or attacking the status quo. Through these novels, Ellroy conveys the potential power archives wield over the trajectory of history and our understanding of it by demonstrating how the historical record is often shaped in favor of the powerful. Yet even if the archive is a manifestation …

The Death Of Professor Jones: Ghosts And Memory In A Small University Archives, Erin Dix

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

The following is a true story of hauntings, literal and figurative, at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. It is the tale of Haunted Lawrence: a walking tour of the Lawrence University campus featuring historical stories of the ghostly and unexplained, designed and led by staff in the University Archives for the past ten years. Perennially popular with the campus community, the tour has grown to plague the university archivist. This essay is an attempt to exorcise her personal Haunted Lawrence demons.

Queering The Archive: Transforming The Archival Process, Lizeth Zepeda

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

The purpose of this work is to recognize the lack of queer of color lens within the archival profession that determines the appraisal, preservation, and impeding access. Queering the archive transforms the institution with possibilities of inclusivity for social justice and the rewriting of histories. Traditionally, the archival institution has reaffirmed hegemonic power structures by erasing and ignoring histories of marginalized communities. A way to disrupt this is to queer these archival institutions to confront these power dynamics and make interventions against the racist, sexist, classist and heterosexist structures that maintain them. Thus, this paper focuses on how processing through …

Images, Silences, And The Archival Record: An Interview With Michelle Caswell, Michelle Caswell, Harrison Cole, Zachary Griffith

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

Dr. Michelle Caswell is an Associate Professor of Archival Studies in the Department of Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is also an affiliated faculty member with the Department of Asian American Studies and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies. Her book, Archiving the Unspeakable: Silence, Memory, and the Photographic Record in Cambodia (2014), which explores the role of archives and records in the construction of memory about the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia through a collection of mug shots taken at Tuol Sleng prison, won the 2015 Waldo Grifford Leland award for Best Publication from …

Togetherness With The Past: Literary Pedagogy And The Digital Archive, Madeline B. Gangnes

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

Archival materials are invaluable to an understanding of the historical, cultural, and material contexts in which literary texts were published. Materiality, paratextual elements, and other key characteristics of literature cannot be discerned from recent editions. Yet original and rare versions of literary texts are difficult or impossible for most scholars, let alone their students, to access. Digital facsimiles provide opportunities to examine archival texts over the Internet, alleviating logistical and financial barriers. In Dust: The Archive and Cultural History (2001), Carolyn Steedman writes: “The Archive is a place in which people can be alone with the past” (81); archives are …

Holodomor, Taylor Diken

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

No abstract provided.

Queer Lives In Archives: Intelligibility And Forms Of Memory, Gina Watts

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

Exploring queer archives through a variety of texts and case studies, this paper seeks to understand three primary themes: the departure of traditional archival theory in queer archives, the absence of records and what they might mean for queer history, and a conception of queer time and space contributed to by archival records. Together, these suggest a specific form of intelligibility and memory available to people identifying as queer through the existence of these communal archives, one which reaffirms a history that some were determined to bury and which challenges and expands typical understandings of activism in the archival profession. …

People Of The Stacks: ‘The Archivist’ Character In Fiction, Sharon Wolff

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

Archives and archival professionals suffer from what may be termed as an “image problem” due to their general lack of exposure to the public. With their efforts being tucked away in various repositories, their fictional representatives become an important way to give people an idea of what they do. With the help of an article by Arlene Schmuland, two works of fiction, People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks from 2008 and The Archivist by Martha Cooley from 1998, are used to compare fictional archivists and the ways their differences may indicate a change in how their real-life counterparts are …