Minutes, October 18, 2010

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Maryland History and Culture Collaborative, MINUTES

University of Maryland, Baltimore County, October 18, 2010

Submitted by Jennie Levine Knies

Morning Presentations, 10-11:30am

"Using Images for Original Research" discussion panel, Library Gallery, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Presenters:

  • "Reading, Reflecting, and Refracting: Using Images for Research," Barbara Orbach Natanson, Prints and Photographs Division at the Library of Congress 
    * "Photography as Historical Evidence: Lewis Hine Photographs in Maryland," Tom Beck, Chief Curator, Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery at UMBC

    *  "Using Postcards for Research," Doug McElrath, Special Collections at University of Maryland, College Park

    *  "Leisure Time in Postcards," Joanne Archer, Special Collections at University of Maryland, College Park


Afternoon meeting: 1:30-3:00pm

Present (by institution):

  • Afro Newspapers: John Gartrell

  • Banneker - Douglass Museum: Sylvia Gaither Garrison Library: Lynn Waller

  • Bowie State University: Katherine Hayes

  • Columbia Archives: Jeannette Lichtenwalner, Robin Emrich

  • Enoch Pratt Free Library: Michael Scott

  • Frostburg State University: Kim Detterbeck

  • Goucher College: Melissa Straw, Tara J. Olivero

  • Jewish Museum of Maryland: Rachel Kassman

  • Johns Hopkins University: Kelly Spring

  • Library of Congress: Barbara Natanson

  • Maryland Historical Society: Jenny Ferretti, Pat Anderson, Iris Bierlein

  • Maryland Historical Society/UMCP graduate student: Jan Danek

  • Maryland Humanities Council: Amy Federman

  • Maryland State Archives: Rob Schoeberlein

  • Maryland State Law Library: Rudolf Lamy

  • National Archives, Philadelphia: Leslie Simon

  • Prince George's County Library System: Martha Ruff

  • Saint Mary's College of Maryland: Kat Ryner

  • Saint Mary's Seminary and University Associated Archives: Alison Foley, Tricia Pne

  • Sisters of Bon Secours Archives: Mary Herbert

  • Towson University: Shannon Simpson, Nadia Nasr

  • Unaffiliated: Elizabeth Schaaf

  • University of Baltimore: Rob Shindle

  • University of Maryland, Baltimore County: Susan Graham, Lindsey Loeper, Tom Beck

  • University of Maryland, College Park: Jennie Levine Knies, Doug McElrath, Anne Turkos, Jason Speck, Elizabeth Novara, John Schalow, Joanne Archer, Ann Hudak

  • University of Maryland University College: Martin Gordon

  • Washington County Free Library: Elizabeth Howe

  • Western Maryland Regional Library: Jill Craig

Introductions

  1. Larry Wilt, Director, Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery, welcomed Collaborative members to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County

-         Due to excellent attendance, the group returned to the Library Gallery to continue the meeting

  1. Introductions

MHCC Business

  1. Name Change (Jennie Levine Knies)

Overview of history of name change discussion.  Several months ago, members raised the question of whether or not the name of the group "Maryland History and Culture Collaborative" was descriptive enough to describe the group's activities.   Members also asked whether or not the group wanted to formalize in some way.  The general consensus was that members enjoyed the somewhat informal nature of this group and wanted to keep the name broad in order to encourage participation from colleagues outside the library/archives community.

  1. Wiki (Michael Scott)

Lindsey Loeper and Michael Scott briefly reviewed some of the information that is available on the MHCC Wiki, which is the primary web presence for this group: https://spaces.umbc.edu/display/mhcc/Home.  Members of the Wiki subcommittee are encouraging members to review their Repository listing entry.  If members wish to enter any changes/addition, etc. in a Word document, mem,bers of the Wiki subcommittee will be happy to update the entries on the Wiki.  Wiki subcommittee members are: Rich Behles, Susan Graham, Lindsey Loeper, Barbara O'Brien, Michael Scott, Rob Shindle

  1. Next meeting

MHCC is always happy for members to volunteer to host MHCC meetings. The next meeting should be scheduled for sometime in January/February.  People interested in hosting a meeting should contact a member of the Meeting Coordinating Committee: Jennie Levine Knies, Michael Scott, Mary Mannix, Rob Shindle, Nancy Perlman.

Advocacy and Outreach

1.     {*}Maryland Historical Society Update (*Jenny Ferretti, Pat Anderson, Iris Bierlein)

  • At the time of the last MHCC meeting in June 2010, the Maryland Historical Society had only two part-time people and one full-time in Special Collections. Now there are five people staffing the library/special collections, Tuesday - Friday.   Some of the projects in the works are exhibitions to commemorate the anniversaries of the War of 1812 and the Civil War.   The Maryland Historical Society is also working on a new website that will include new digital images.  They are in the midst of a project to digitize the Boyd Family Civil War photograph collection (approximately 970 images).   The Maryland State Archives has provided some assistance to the Maryland Historical Society in the form of preservation supplies.

  • The Maryland Historical Society would be happy to host a future MHCC meeting

  • Maryland Historical Magazine, future.  Pat Anderson reported that we are currently in year 105 of the publication of the journal.  The budget is in good shape and the Maryland Historical Society is working to continue to publish quarterly. In addition, some people are hoping to return the print version of the magazine to a benefit of basic membership of the society. Currently, all 105 years, with the exception of the most recent five years, are available freely online via the Maryland Historical Society's website (digitized images are located on Maryland State Archive servers). http://mdhs.mdsa.net/mhm/index.cfm.  Publications Committee will soon be publishing Ross Kelbaugh's book (Photographic history of Maryland and the Civil War). 

2.     Baltimore City Archives (Rob Schoeberlein)

The Baltimore City Archives has moved to 2615 Mathews Street, Baltimore.  It is a 1950s-era building with a good roof.  The Maryland State Archives will be administering the Baltimore City Archives for the next three years. They have received a NHPRC grant to create a searchable database at the folder level of the holdings. Since July there has been a team of volunteers inputting data in the Baltimore City record group of the "Guide to Government Records" at the Maryland State Archives.  http://guide.mdsa.net/combined.cfm?action=viewSeriesList&letter=B&orderBy=ContainerOrigin

There is a Zeutschel scanner at the Baltimore City Archives that can handle book digitization.  There is now a city records manager who is trying to get city departments to send records to the archives.    To generate income, the Baltimore City Archives is charging for nonpermanent storage.  The building is also housing  Baltimore-related land records that have already been digitized by the Maryland State Archives.

The reading room is staffed Monday through Friday, 10-3.  Since July, approximately 15 different researchers, topics including housing, civil defense, etc.  The Baltimore City Archives is looking into grant funding to update the HVAC system. The city is paying $90,000 towards maintenance. The web site is:  http://baltimorecityhistory.net/

Rob reports that "Sadly we will not allow researchers to take original materials from the building anymore." 

The Baltimore City Archives is always looking for volunteers! 

3.     Maryland State Historic Records Advisory Board (SHRAB)

http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/26excom/html/26nat.html

This group will be having a fall meeting at the Baltimore City Archives. They hope to draft a five year strategic plan based upon questionnaires/feedback asking "what are the needs of the library/archival community?"   They plan to hold Regional Disaster Recovery Workshops across the state next year.

4.     Civil War Sesquicentennial, War of 1812, other anniversaries

A discussion of various "notable" anniversaries in Maryland history and how Collaborative members can work together in order to make researchers, and each other, aware of what is available across the state. Note that there has been an early attempt to list subject guides on the MHCC Wiki (https://spaces.umbc.edu/display/mhcc/Subject+Guides) and perhaps this might be a place to tie this information together.

Updates included:

  • University of Maryland, College Park - Civil War in Maryland exhibit, Fall 2011.  Have already digitized a large portion of Civil War-era and slavery-related manuscripts, as well as approximately 75 rare books on the topic (reported by Jennie Levine Knies)

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County - Working with a historian to put together an exhibit of approximately 75 Civil War-era photographs in late 2011, early 2012  (reported by Tom Beck)

  • Greater Baltimore History Alliance.  Planning several events for the upcoming anniversaries (reported by Jan Danek)

  • Ft. McHenry is planning several event in conjunction with the anniversary of theWar of 1812. The new visitor center will open in December and feature new exhibits about the bombardment and writing of the Star Spangled Banner. There will also be joint exhibits between Hampton Mansion and Ft. McHenry during the Civil War.  Hampton Mansion is planning exhibits and programs and will continue the annual slavery symposium, which will connect with the Civil War in the next few years. The National Park Service obviously will be carrying out numerous events at Civil War battlefields across the country. (Reported by Julia Lehnert)

  • Center for Liberal Arts at Johns Hopkins is sponsoring special lecture series.  These series include one on the Underground Railroad, and one on the Civil War (focusing on new authors and new approaches).   The War of 1812 Consortium, which is based in Baltimore is also planning events. The Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development's Office of Tourism Development has one person working on War of 1812 anniversary commemorations, Katherine D. "Kate" Marks at kmarks@visitmaryland.org.  The website of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission is here: http://starspangled200.org/Pages/Home.aspx. The question arose as to whether members of the Collaborative could gather information to provide to sites such as these, in order to alert the public about the wealth of archival resources in the area.  (Reported by Martin Gordon)

  • Prince George's County - defeat at Bladensburg.  Bicentennial of Battle of Bladensburg Committee.  Note: there is also a Washington, DC, War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission: http://www.washingtondcwarof1812bicentennialcommission.org/home.html. Emancipation of Maryland Slaves in 1864.  Only happened this way in Maryland (Emancipation Proclamation - did not apply to Maryland slaves).  State Highway Administration has been working on archeological projects (Reported by Doug McElrath)

  • National Archives, Philadelphia - has a wealth of data relating to the Civil War, including recruitment, discharge records.  Maryland and Delaware were treated as one unit within the Provost General's office.  Also Maryland Court Records.  Early Civil Rights series of cases.  Civil Rights law passed in 1875 and only lasted a short period of time.  Happy to partner with people to tell more complete story (Reported by Leslie Simon)

  • Civil War Battleflag website (Maryland State Archives).  Looking for student to offer their services for website design (Reported by Rob Schoeberlein)

  • Other "anniversaries" were mentioned, WWI, connection between Baltimore and Panama Canal.  Will there be oversaturation of anniversaries?  Suggestion was made to create an "anniversaries" resource guide on the Wiki, in order to gather information and make it easily accessible.  Other suggestions involved connecting with MPT and the Office of Tourism to create different sorts of visibility.    

  • The National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) is looking for archival repositories to help them identify collections relating to the Civil War.  For more information, please see http://dvarchivists.org/archival-arranger/ (Fall 2010) and http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/ (NUCMC Annual Report). (Reported by Leslie Simon)

  • Action item: The Collaborative will form a subcommittee of interested parties in order to coordinate activities/put together some sort of Collaborative-wide guide that could be useful to the various commissions, and other anniversary websites and activities.  Contact Jennie Levine Knies at levjen@umd.edu if you are interested.

5.     ALA Preservation Week, April 24-30, 2011

Discussion about possible Collaborative activities to coincide with ALA's Preservation Week, April 24-30, 2011.  http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alcts/confevents/preswk/index.cfm

Suggestion include:

  • The Maryland State Archives plans to publicize their disaster workshops

  • Smithsonian is holding an open-day for preservation  -  it was recommended we contact them to understand the mechanics of how that works.  http://www.aaa.si.edu/news/archives_month.cfm.  It was recommended via email that we contact Nora Lockshin for more info.  She recently did a fun post called "what's in my bag?" for the archives and libraries blog: http://si-siris.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-in-my-bag-conservation-style.html

  • Contact representative from the local Guild of Bookworkers about joint-sponsorship of an event.

  • White glove gang preservation sweep. Have people send out requests for help.

  • Leslie Simon will check with group at NARA who helps with writing disaster planning

  • The Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in Calvert County, along with 11 partner organizations, received an IMLS grant to assist in improving the disaster plans for museum, archival, art, historical society, and library communities across the state of Maryland.  Perhaps we can talk to this group (contact - Nicole Doub) about an activity to raise awareness.

  • Perhaps members of the Collaborative could host an "Antiques Roadshow" type of event.

6.     Announcements

  • Maryland Humanities Council - featuring a Museums on Main Street program. Designed to accompany the traveling Smithsonian exhibition "Between the Fences," each host institution contribute local components.  http://www.mdhc.org (Reported by Amy Federman)

  • Banneker-Douglass Museum, Sylvia Gaither Garrison Library -  My Mother's Journey film screening, Saturday, November 6.  10:30-12:30. Also, beginning October 31, 2011, and continuing through April 2, 2011, exhibit: Shaping History Through Service: The Walter Mills Story.  http://www.bdmuseum.com/

  • For additional updates, please see the Fall 2010 Newsletter at https://spaces.umbc.edu/download/attachments/14685046/MHCC+F2010.pdf?version=1\\

Thanks were given to Lindsey Loeper, Susan Graham, and Tom Beck of UMBC for organizing such a successful and informative day. Yeah!  Kudos also to Rob Shindle for creation of the beautiful MHCC Newsletter. Meeting adjourned at 3:00pm.