Monthly Archives: May 2007

Northwest Archivists Annual Conference 2007

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Northwest Archivists Annual Conference
Moscow, Idaho
18-19 May 2007

As always, it’s a pleasure to attend this small conference (about 75-100 attendees) and connect in person with regional colleagues. In 2008, the NWA will hold its first annual conference in Anchorage! Here’s a summary of the sessions I attended.
Friday Plenary Session: NARA (National Archives) Strategic Planning

Thomas Mills provided an overview of the National Archives collections and programs and the recent strategic planning process. Key challenges and strategies that have emerged are:

  • embed records management in business processes of federal agencies to deal more effectively with electronic records; are working on “plug in” modules that can be added to IT systems to facilitate records management
  • gain control over huge backlog of unprocessed holdings
  • de-classification and re-classification
  • preservation and security
  • electronic records archives
  • re-envisioning the nature of research services and environment; fewer researchers are doing genealogical research in NARA research rooms because many of the most frequently used records have been digitized by vendors and are now available through commercial (or non-profit) sites
  • developing public/private partnerships; affiliated archives program plus more
  • civic literacy – bringing people into the archives that are not researchers

Panel: Building a National Archival Network: Roles of National and Regional Projects and Organizations

Panel members were: Ann Lally (UW); Leigh Grinstead (CDP@BCR); Max Evans (NHPRC); and Steve McCann (Digital Projects Librarian at UMontana). The panel chair/facilitator was our own Jodi Allison-Bunnell.

Most of this discussion focused on how to move regional projects and organizations to sustainable programs. Some of the ideas from panelists:

  • strong partners that are able to “institutionalize” a project as part of daily operations
  • finding a “sugar daddy” that is not a federal agency
  • affiliating with a university or other cultural heritage organization
  • make the member organizations your customers and provide the services they need
  • partner with “for profit” organizations

Session: Regional Film Preservation Projects

This was a more traditional session with presentations about several regional projects:

Alex Merrill (WSU) described a film preservation project recently undertaken at WSU for the J. Elroy McCaw Memorial Film Collection. A subset of the Collection (55 films) was transferred to digital format and described with detailed metadata. The digital files currently reside in an “unpublished” ContentDM collection – planning to provide streaming files.

Nicolette Bromberg (UW) described the Washington Film Preservation Project, lead by UW, which preserved films from 9 institutions in Washington; offered preservation clinics; and transferred a subset of films (92 reels) to digital masters. UW and OCLC have applied for a $0.5 million grant from IMLS for a 2-year project in Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

Anne Frantilla (Seattle Municipal Archives) described her repository’s successful participation in the Washington Film Preservation Project. As a result of the project they had about 11,000 feet of film preserved (cleaned, cored, and canned) and 3-5 films transferred to digital master. Through the project they gained experience working with films; learned more about their film holdings; and are able to provide better access to films.

Session: Using Expressive Metadata Formats to Support Preservation in Digital Repositories

Presenters were Al Cornish, Greg Matthews, and Jon Scott — all from WSU Libraries. This session was way over my head. But what I did learn was the distinction between metadata used for resource “discovery” and metadata for resource “harvesting”. The presenters talked about metadata schemes that are more robust that OAI-PMH – such as mpeg21 didl and mets as well as the Object Reuse and Exchange (ORE) protocol, which supports harvesting so that an an object can be re-used, re-purposed, etc.

Saturday Plenary Session: The White Glove Treatment: Using Special Collections in the Literature Classroom

Augusta Rohrbach, a WSU English faculty member, eagerly described her use of special collections materials for a history of American literature class. She has taught a similar course at Oberlin, Brown, and WSU – and has learned that repositories at all of these places have primary source materials that are appropriate for this course which focuses on the material context for literary history. She emphasized the “situational and regional” approach to learning literature and the importance of students learning from period publications and published artifacts. For the most recent offering of the class (spring semester 2007), there were 8 students in a 300-level class; project was to prepare a display using primary materials for the special collections reading room. Their project report included not only what they chose to include (and why) but what they left out … or what they couldn’t find.

This was an excellent presentation and a great example of the way that primary sources can be incorporated into undergraduate instruction.

Session: Archivists in Web 2.0 World: How Can We Make Social Software Tools Work for Us?

This was an excellent session with two OSU presenters (Anne-Marie and Tiah). Anne-Marie introduced Web 2.0 by focusing on four main points:

  • web as platform
  • user focus (users interact with each other)
  • micro-content (songs vs albums as new unit of measure for music; individual images or film clips … not photographic collections or full films). This has significance for archives; we emphasize context as essential in describing materials and we have typically described materials at the collection or sub-collection level – only rarely at the individual “item”-level. Current trends are toward even less granular description. Ummm… we are working in interesting times …
  • radical openness

See Ann-Marie’s blog for links. Tiah described various Web 2.0 applications that are being used by archivists:

  • blogs and wikis
  • del.icio.us
  • flickr
  • rss feeds
  • second life (the digital archivist)

She encouraged all to explore/experiment in order to become aware/familiar with the tools our researchers (and future donors of materials) are using.

Ann Lally (UW) described the project at UW to add links in Wikipedia articles to UW digital collections; also created Wikipedia articles where there was no appropriate article Strongly suggested becoming a “registered user”.

Here is a link to her May 2007 D-Lib magazine article about the project.

Elizabeth Nielsen

Early Forestry Education in America

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Forest History Society Photograph Collection Exhibit Features OAC!

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The Forest History Society in Durham, NC, has posted a gallery of historic photos called “Early Forestry Education in America.” The photos come from the Society of American Foresters Collection, and depict forestry education activities, facilities, students and personnel at six different forestry schools from 1920-1923. In addition to OSU, other schools included are Michigan Agricultural College, Penn State, University of Washington (Seattle), New York State College of Forestry, and UC Berkeley.

The images from OAC were collected in 1923 by Col. Henry S. Graves, then Dean of the Yale School of Forestry. He intended to have them mounted in an album to be placed in the new library building at Yale. These 6 Oregon Agricultural College photos were submitted by Dean George W. Peavy on August 20, 1923. Dean Peavy wrote the following in his correspondence to Graves: “Possibly the more staid and dignified forestry students at Yale would be interested in more strictly technical matters. However, these prints seem to be the ones most readily available at the time.”

For reference assistance, please contact the Forest History Society Photographic Archivist, Elizabeth Hull. Mailing address: Archives, Forest History Society, 701 William Vickers Avenue, Durham, North Carolina, 27701. Phone: 919-682-9319. Fax: 919-682-2349.

The Archivists Join Friends & Colleagues in Moscow, Idaho

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dance.jpgIt’s that special time of year, the time for NW archivists to congregate for our spring conference. Several OSU Archivists are heading east to the greater Pullman/Moscow area for the Northwest Archivists Conference this week: “Dynamic Archives: Preserving the Past and Speaking to the Future” will take place from May 17-19, in Moscow, Idaho.

On the program are two plenary sessions by Thomas E. Mills & Augusta Rohrbach, as well as sessions that address leadership skills for archivists, coordinating national and regional projects, online tutorials, disaster planning resources, the challenges in working with ephemera, MPLP processing standards, and how archivists can flourish in a Web 2.0 world.

Our hours on Friday, May 18th will be shortened, so please contact the desk at (541) 737.2165 or archives@oregonstate.edu with questions.

Franklin Elementary School

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Franklin Elementary.jpgWelcome Adams Elementary students!

“Schoolhouses were among the first buildings erected once the settlers took care of the more pressing needs of food and shelter. The rural school site, which was often one acre, contained the schoolhouse, a wood shed, two outhouses, perhaps a horse shed, and sometimes play equipment. The schoolhouse was usually a rectangular, front-gabled building with one room. The outsides of schoolhouses ranged from crude, unpainted board, to exteriors finished with painted trim elements. Many of the first schools were of log construction, like the schoolhouse erected in 1848 on what is currently the northeast corner of Second and Jackson in Corvallis and the Gingles Schoolhouse, located in the North Albany area.”

“Most students walked, while some rode horses to the district schoolhouse– often a mile or more away but rarely more than five miles from home. Many schools were closed in the worst winter months because of deep mud and heavy rains. In the summer, farm work closed the schools, leaving several months in the fall and spring for classes.”

“Schoolhouses were also the social hubs of communities, because the schools sponsored many community events. Popular amusements included box socials, pie socials, and ice cream socials. Christmas, May Day, and graduation were among the most important days for school celebrations.”

From A Pictorial History of Benton County, found on the Archives Reference shelf on the 3rd floor of The Valley Library.

New Collections in the University Archives

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MooreHere is a selected list of new collections that have come into the archives in the past four months. If you would like to see the entire list of new additions to the archives please visit our New Accessions Page.

Holderman, Woody, Photographs (P 263)

  • 1956-1975
  • 0.35 cubic foot; 1 document box
  • This accession is made up of photographs taken by Woody Holderman during his work as a stream clearance foreman with the Oregon Game Commission (OGC). Documenting OGC’s program of wood clearance from streams and rivers in Oregon coastal basin forests, these images depict active removal of wood debris by crews under Holderman’s supervision, the areas before and after the clearance projects, manmade features on the streams such as fish ladders, and river flooding. Consisting of 943 images in total (772 prints and negatives, 171 slides) the photographs are attached to and sleeved into pages arranged into a numerical order. Inventories listing the location, subject matter, and date of the images in order by page number can be found in the folders with the photographs. Among the rivers and tributaries represented in these images include the Siuslaw, Siletz, Coquille, the South Santiam, Lobster Creek, the Rogue, and Alsea.

Andresen, Paul, Photograph Collection (P 262)

  • 1998-1999
  • 0.02 cubic foot; 1 file folder
  • Andresen graduated in 1968 with a degree in engineering.
    This accession is made up of 41 slides taken by alumnus Paul Andresen depicting the construction of Goss Stadium and two baseball games. The two contests documented in these images consist of the first game to be played in Goss Stadium and a tournament game in Peoria, Arizona, in 1999.

Holland, Jacquelin F., Papers (MSS)

  • 1945-1951
  • 0.25 cubic foot; 1 16×20 oversize box
  • Born in Marshfield, Oregon, Holland graduated with a degree in secretarial science from the School of Business and Technology in 1951. She died in 2006.
  • This accession is made up of materials generated and collected by alumna Jacquelin Holland and includes commencement programs, a diploma, a game program, a copy of the Daily Barometer, a photograph, registration cards, and a scrapbook. Containing photographs, correspondence, flyers, ticket stubs, event programs, dance cards, receipts, and publications, the scrapbook documents Holland’s residence at the Winston and Linden Cooperative Houses and social life on campus. Also included in this transfer is a report prepared by Holland for the Secretarial Science Department that contains letters of recommendation, work history data, list of coursework taken, and a table rating Holland on personal characteristics such as patience, determination, sense of humor, and correct of telephone.

Moore, James A., Papers (MSS)

  • 1970-1999
  • 0.55 cubic foot; 1 archives box
  • Especializing in the study of animal waste management and water quality issues connected with livestock grazing, James A. Moore came to OSU in 1979 to work as an Associate Professor and Extension Agricultural Engineer. Later serving as head of the Bioresource Engineering Department from 1996 to 2002, Moore became professor emeritus in 2002.
  • This accession is made up of article reprints, conference papers, Extension circulars, and book chapters documenting the research of Bioresource Engineering Professor James A. Moore.

Crookham, George, Papers (MSS)

  • 1930-2006
  • 0.25 cubic foot; 1 12×17 oversize box
  • Studying botany at Oregon State from 1927 to 1932, George Crookham took over his father’s seed business in Idaho and went on to introduce the first hybrid sweet corn in that state. In addition to his business activities, Crookham was also involved in Idaho politics serving as mayor of Caldwell, a state legislator (1955-1962), and first Chairman of the Idaho Water Resources Board. As a politician, Crookham was instrumental in the introduction of the sales tax to Idaho. He died in 1999. A scholarship for OSU students interested in plant breeding research in honor was established in 2001 in honor of Crookham by his daughter, Judith Krueger.
  • This accession consists of materials pertaining to alumnus George Crookham and includes a pennant, a belt buckle featuring the words “Oregon State”, class notes, dried plant specimens, a historical essay, a laboratory notebook, newspaper clippings, photographs, publications, speeches/testimony, and two caps. The publications and clippings relate to Crookham’s seed business and race for governor of Idaho. Crookham’s family history and their involvement in introducing hybrid sweet corn to Idaho is the subject of the essay. Crookham’s speeches and testimony pertain to Idaho irrigation and hydropower projects. In addition to portrait shots, the photos include an image of Crookham and wife Bernice underneath the Trysting tree and photocopies from an album depicting Crookham’s life as a student.

Faudskar, John, Papers (MSS)

  • 1942-1985
  • 0.35 cubic foot; 1 document box
  • After earning BS and MS degrees from the OSU Department of Fisheries of Wildlife, John Faudskar began working for the Extension Service as a Marine Extension Agent in 1972. Based in the Tillamook County Extension office, Faudskar also worked for the Sea Grant program. Faudskar became emeritus in 2003
  • This accession is made up of materials collected and generated by OSU Marine Extension Agent John Faudskar that pertain to the use of the pesticides Sevin and Carbaryl in the control of sand and mud shrimp for the cultivation of oysters in Tillamook Bay. Primarily documenting two major rounds of tests in 1962-63 and 1980-83, this transfer includes correspondence, legal records, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, publications, and reports. In addition to letters from Faudskar, there is also correspondence from Tillamook County Extension Agent William Wick, the Shrimp-Oyster Technical Committee, and chemical industry representatives. The legal documentation relates to challenges brought by the Oregon Audubon Society and other organizations to the use of Sevin and other pesticides in Tillamook Bay. The photographs consist of 28 slides depicting the results of an experimental application of Sevin to eradicate ghost shrimp in Grays Harbor, Washington.

Cone, Joe, Papers (MSS)

  • 1952-1994
  • 3.5 cubic feet; 3 archives boxes and 2 9×13 tape storage boxes
  • Currently serving as Assistant Director and communications leader for Oregon Sea Grant, Joe Cone has been at OSU since 1983. In addition to his work as writer and editor of books, Cone has also shot and edited films for Sea Grant. His other books include: “Fire Under the Sea” and the “Northwest Salmon Crisis.” “A Common Fate”, exploring the history and sociology of salmon depletion in the Pacific Northwest, was published by OSU Press in 1996.
  • This accession is made up of materials collected and generated by OSU Sea Grant Assistant Director Joe Cone in the process of writing the book “A Common Fate: Endangered Salmon and the People of the Pacific Northwest.” In addition to correspondence, notes, and chapter drafts, this transfer also contains reference materials gathered during research such as legislative bill statements, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, news releases, publications, reports, speeches, statistical data, and transcripts/notes of oral interviews and meetings. Sound recordings documenting oral interviews and meetings on cassette tapes (52 in all) were also found in this accession. A CD-ROM containing files copied from Cone’s computer pertaining to “A Common Fate” was also included in this accession.

Bruce G. Marcot Spotted Owl Collection (MSS)

  • 1951-1993
  • 8 cubic feet; 8 archives boxes
  • Earning a doctorate in fisheries and wildlife from OSU in 1985, Bruce G. Marcot works as a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in Portland, Oregon. Marcot specialized in the study of habitat relationships of birds and young-growth Douglas fir in California.
  • This accession consists of materials collected and generated by research wildlife biologist Bruce G. Marcot that pertain to the study of the spotted owl, the management of its habitat, and preservation as a endangered species. The bulk of this transfer is made up of publications, reports, and studies created by a number of different agencies and organizations including: the U.S. Forest Service, OSU Fisheries and Wildlife Department, U.S. Department of the Interior, the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, and the Interagency Spotted Owl Scientific Committee. There is also correspondence between Marcot and others involved in the spotted owl research and management as well as student theses in this accession. Geographically, the focus of these materials include studies of the spotted owl in California and Mexico in addition to the Pacific Northwest.

Duerst, Elvin A., Papers (MSS)

  • 1929-1993
  • 80 cubic feet; 78 archives boxes; 1 16×20 oversize box; and 3 map folders
  • Graduating with a degree in agricultural economics from Oregon State College in 1937, Elvin Albert Duerst worked for a number of governmental agencies (International Cooperation Agency; Agency for International Development) and consulting firms as an economic consultant on agricultural and transportation infrastructure projects. Working primarily outside the U.S. in various locales including: Saudi Arabia, Brazil, El Salvador, the Philippines, and China, Duerst also worked for the Montana Extension Service as a county agent. He died in 2006.
  • This accession consists of materials generated and collected by alumnus Elvin Duerst that include correspondence, curriculum vitae, flowcharts, maps, newspaper clippings, notes, personal calendars, photographs, photograph albums, postcards, publications, reports, research data, sound recordings, student papers, and a scrapbook. Primarily reflecting Duerst’s career as an economic consultant for the federal government, the Montana Extension Service, and several private consulting firms, these materials also document his student work at Oregon State College and participation in the Future Farmers of America as a teen in Yamhill County, Oregon. Duerst’s interest in collecting art is also reflected in these papers.The photographs and photo albums, numbering 400 prints and 14 volumes in total, document work projects in China, Latin America, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and Montana. The maps mostly depict sections of Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Bolivia, and other regions of South and Central America. The sound recordings are made up of 8 cassette tapes of presentations at a conference.

Hogg, Ronald V. and John G., Papers (MSS)

  • 1918-1922
  • 0.20 cubic foot; 2 document boxes
  • Both graduates of the School of Agriculture (1922 and 1923 respectively), John and Ronald Hogg were sons of a farmer in Salem who bred prize-winning pigs.
  • This accession is made up of class notebooks and photographs generated by alumni Ronald Valentine and John Glenn Hogg. Among the courses documented in these notebooks include agricultural economics, library practice, public speaking, English, farm accounts, horticulture, American government, and comparative anatomy. Highlights in the notes include recipes from a camp cooking class and references to (an event contemporary to the class) World War I from a “war aims” military science course. The photographs consist of nitrate negatives (54 in all) depicting the Hogg family farm, their award-winning pigs, campus buildings, a vacation to the coast, and an exhibit of Oregon agricultural products at an unidentified event. Also found in this transfer are certificates for the Hoggs’ membership in the Alpha Zeta fraternity, two campus directories, and a letter from the college announcing registration information.

New Additions to Existing Collections

Van Vliet, Tony, Papers (MSS)

  • 1951-2004
  • 6 cubic feet; 5 archives boxes; 2 9×13 tape storage boxes; 1 16×20 oversize box; 1 23×31 oversize box; and 1 map folder
  • This addition to the Tony Van Vliet Papers is made up of buttons, certificates, correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, plaques, posters, precinct maps, publications, sound recordings, speeches, stickers, videotapes, and a chart of campaign volunteers. Largely documenting Van Vliet’s career as a Oregon State representative for Benton County, these materials also pertain to Van Vliet’s participation on advisory bodies appointed by the governor and involvement in Benton County bond and fiscal measures after retiring from elective service in 1993. In addition to chronologically arranged files documenting legislative sessions and election campaigns, there are also materials in this transfer relating to particular bills and measures. Among the topics reflected in these files include: state employee retirement benefits, the Oregon Health Plan, a sales tax proposal, and statewide wrestling/boxing regulation. The photographs depict Van Vliet at work in the capitol as a representative, giving speeches, with his family, and receiving honors from the Oregon Governor and others. The sound recordings document senate sessions, campaign ads, speeches, and interviews. Wooden poles used as a prop in demonstrating the Oregon’s lack of a “three-legged” tax structure were also part of this transfer.

Courtney, E. Wayne, Papers (MSS)

  • 1960-2006
  • 0.70 cubic foot; 1 archives box
  • This addition to the Wayne Courtney Papers is made up of publications and reports that document Courtney’s career as instructor and consultant as well as his ventures into prose writing. Primarily reflecting Courtney’s teaching work before he came to OSU in 1972 and after gaining emeritus status in 1993, this accession includes textbooks relating to performance-based testing modules, reports of testing and evaluation projects in conjunction with Kasetsart University in Thailand, and yearbooks from two schools where Courtney taught before arriving at OSU. The literary materials consist of a novel, essays about Yaquina Bay shorebirds and Native Americans, and a short story about an “Indian Girl Named Sara.” Also included in this transfer are newsletters and membership lists of the genealogical group, the Courtenay Society. In addition to articles penned by Courtney that appear in the newsletters, he is also reflected in the membership lists.

Collecting, preserving, and sharing history

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Please visit our blog and let us hear your stories, thoughts, and concerns.

Society for American Archivists
Saving Our Archives
MayDay 2007

MayDay.jpg

MayDay is a time when archivists and other cultural heritage professionals take personal and professional responsibility for doing something simple, something that would make a difference when and if an emergency occurs.

Last year, while working as an archivist at Lane Community College, I gave a class on preparing for a disaster for Lane employees, and I never thought my former boss would be using our emergency resources less than a year later. On April 18th, 2007, the Archives experienced significant water damage due to a water leak. Information, photographs, and disaster resources can be found on the Archives and Records Management web page.

This disaster serves as a reminder to us all that preparing for an emergency is more than just an exercise we go through once a year …

Mathematical Awareness Month

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In the tradition of a true mathematician, we celebrate Mathematical Awareness Month at the very last moment possible!
Joseph EmeryWhereas the words “Mathematical Awareness Month” might bring feelings of anxiety to most, here in the Archives it brings us great pride when we remember one of our university’s great math professors, Joseph Emery.

One out of seven children, Emery was born in Pennsylvania on June 2, 1833 along with his twin sister Mary Emery. He began showing his mathematical uniqueness early, since we all know the probability of being born a twin isn’t very high!

In 1867, a year after his brother-in-law, William A. Finley, became president of the school, Emery joined the faculty teaching mathematics, physics, geology, and physiology. Emery was also involved in administrative affairs with his efforts in raising the money used to purchase the Roberts farm that made up the original school campus.

During his time here Emery was known as an enthusiastic teacher who took a lot of pride in his department and his work. Emery often used hands-on methods of teaching to involve his students in their studies. In 1869 the first mechanical and chemical apparatus was purchased for the school. Emery used it to perform demonstrations, such as sending a shock through the whole student body when they joined hands in a long chain that stretched down one stairwell, outside, and back up the other stairwell. Among his many students during his years here were J.K. Weatherford, William E. Yates, and Ida Burnett Callahan.

In 1871, after the resignation of Finley, Emery was offered the position of president, which he declined. He did however agree to serve as acting president during the summer of 1871, until incoming President Arnold could arrive in September. During this time Emery wrote the biennial report of the college. Included in this report was not only a request for an increase of $10, 000 in the college appropriations, but also an appeal that the legislature “open the doors of the Oregon Agricultural College to the young ladies of Oregon”; at that time the law, if interpreted as written, the law recognized the college as accessible only to male students. Approval was given to both requests — making Emery’s role even more significant. By any calculation, Emery definitely made his mark on university history!

A photo of the 1883 faculty is available.