Cover image: "Boardwalk and Bathing Beach, Jones Beach State Park, Long Island, N.Y. " Courtesy of Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Community Library (Milton Price and Tomlin Art Co. Postcard Collection) accessed on New York Heritage Digital Collections website.
Long island Archives
Transcending Barriers: Opening Archives, Opening Minds
July/August 2024 Volume 31 Issue 4
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 1
Meet & Greet with Dr. Carla Hayden,14th Librarian of Congress by Nicole Menchise The inaugural Gold Coast Book Fair took place the last weekend of June in Oyster Bay, New York and really delivered on the entertainment. The event formed from a partnership between Oyster Bay Main Street Association, LIU Post, the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County and Theodore's Books owned by former Congressman Steve Israel, was packed with lectures, readings, music, kids events, and an exclusive meet and greet reception with Dr. Carla Hayden, current Librarian of Congress. The event with Dr. Hayden was promoted as a 'conversation' between her, Israel and New York Times bestselling author and presidential historian Alexis Coe (Alice+Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis, and You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George of Washington) to be held at the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Israel first introduced Molly MacDermot, Director of Special Initiatives for Girls Write Now, a not-for-profit whose mission is to break down barriers of gender, race, age and poverty to mentor and train the next generation of writers and leaders for life. Next, he introduced Coe and Dr. Hayden to the chancel where they all three sat. There have only been fourteen appointed Librarians of Congress since the position was created in 1802, and Dr. Hayden is the first woman to have the post. According to her understanding, she is also only one of three Librarians of Congress to have any experience working in a library. The three of them spoke about their affection for the library as an institution, and more specifically the Main Reading Room at the Library of Congress (LOC) in Washington, D.C. Dr. Hayden talked about the treasures in the archives at the LOC including the first draft of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. She spoke about her vision to make the "people's palace" more accessible through initiatives including digitization of historic papers and archives. When asked about the current climate of advocacy-led book bans, Dr. Hayden paraphrased a quote from the book A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel, "As dictators, slave owners and other tyrants and other illicit holders of power have always known an illiterate crowd is always the easiest to rule. And if you can not keep people from learning to read, the next best recourse is to limit the scope [of what they read], and it goes on - book burning, censorship." At the meet-and-greet reception there were many librarians from across Long Island. I caught up with Ryan Adams, Regina Feeney, Georgiana O’Neill, Lydia Wen, past LILRC Board President Frank McKenna, and Suffolk Cooperative Library System Director Kevin Verbesey. Apparently, Verbesey and Dr. Hayden are old pals from the American Library Association, and he took a moment to say a few words to her about his gratitude during this time where libraries and librarians are "under attack." "The support of people like you and the leadership, not just here in our region and our state, but around the country, makes a tremendous difference and reminds us all that the work we do is important." Dr. Hayden replied, "It is important that we all work together...All we want to do is to help, especially young people, move through life and give [them] some comfort from words and ideas and knowing they're not alone. That's all we're trying to do." In speaking to the point about books being "dangerous" (because books open minds to new ideas and ideologies), Dr. Hayden said, "The ironic part is that if you tell a kid not to read a book, they're going to want to read it. I had one author tell me 'Please ban my book because it's going to be a bestseller.'" She concluded her remarks to the eager group with the following wise words: "There is hope. Hope in history and hope in community."
Riverhead Free Library Wednesday, August 7th, 2024, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Elmont Memorial Library Tuesday, August 20th, 2024, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Upcoming Workshops - Registration open - Go to LILRC.ORG Safe Labeling and Marking of Historic Items Ideally, every object in a historic collection has a unique identifier, and that identifier is attached to the item securely, discretely, and with products that "do no harm." LILRC's Digitization and Archives Coordinator, Nicole Menchise, will lead a hands-on workshop to teach different techniques for labeling and marking objects with their identifiers. This will include objects, textiles and paper-based archives. Pros and cons will be discussed and debated. Recommended for individuals working in an archival repository and ‘lone-arrangers’. Supplies will be provided Limited to 8 people per workshop One person per organization is encouraged This will not be a hybrid workshop and will not be recorded Light refreshments will be offered NOTE: Small amounts of wheat paste will be used during portions of this program.
Previous page (L-R) Steve Israel, Alexis Coe ad Dr. Carla Hayden 'in-conversation' in the historic First Presbyterian Church, the church where President Theodore Roosevelt worshiped while living in Oyster Bay; Frank McKenna and me posing with Dr.Hayden. This page (L-R) Long Island Librarians look on as Dr. Hayden addresses their questions. Vebersey and Hayden with Israel looking on.
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 2
Commack Public Library Tuesday, August 27th, 2024, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Hampton Library Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 4
National History Day Gets Its Moment In The Sun The Sunday, June 30th broadcast of the CBS Sunday Morning television program recognized National History Day with a brief segment. Long Island History Day (the regional competition leading up to state and nationals) is supported by the Long Island Library Resources Council. Per the introduction, "At a time when educators may face restrictions on what they can teach, a contest sponsored by the non-profit organization National History Day offers students in grades 6-12 the opportunity to explore significant topics of history. Correspondent Faith Salie talks with some of the young people using writing, performance art and documentary filmmaking to tell stories of the past that resonate today, proving that history never gets old." Watch at CBS news: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/national-history-days-historical-contest/?ftag=CNI-11-10aaa3i
"Greetings from Long Island, New York" courtesy of Northport-East Northport [Public Library] Postcard Collection (nyheritage.org)
Save the Date!
29th Annual Long Island Archives Conference Connecting to Your Community Monday, October 21, 2024 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM SUNY Old Westbury Campus - Student Union Building Registration open now!
Ask An Archivist.... Do you have any idea how to remove mold from old photographs? Unfortunately, there isn't a way to completely remove mold, it can only be stabilized (mostly with tight environmental controls). You could consult with a photograph conservator about possibly lightening up the stains or 'foxing' left from mold or imperfections in the paper - those are the brown freckles you see on the image. I would definitely remove it from the frame and put it in an acid free folder. If possible, I would sandwich it between a couple of sheets of unbuffered tissue paper to help with mitigating environmental 'swings' in temperature and relative humidity. Store it in a cool, dry and dark environment and check on it in a week to see if there are any new developments. I wouldn't expect things to worsen, but you do want to be sure the problem has stabilized. Learn more about foxing from The Museums of History New South Wales: https://mhnsw.au/guides/conservation-qanda-foxing-explained/ If you have questions, feel free to contact Nicole Menchise, Digitization and Archives Coordinator at nmenchise@lilrc.org or call 631-675-1570 x2004. You can also use the ESLN Ask The Archivist service. Go to www.esln.org/ask-the-archivist.
Recently, the Pan Am Museum Foundation (PAMF) joined LILRC as a member. I visited their collection which is stored in a warehouse adjacent to the Cradle of Aviaition Museum where PAMF has a location dedicated to display rotating artifacts and displays memorializing the amazing history behind the Pan American World Airways. If you thought their greatest influence on American history was in the polished service, luxurious decor, and uncompromising devotion to excellence, think again! This summer, two volunteers will be working on cataloging the numerous uniforms of Pan Am flight attendants, pilots and employees that have been donated largely by the individuals (or families of individuals) that wore them. In the early years, uniforms were created not in factories, but by tailors who were approved to cut and sew each uniform to the new hire's exact measurements. In the mid 20th century, fashion designers were contracted to design skirts, pants, jackets, and accessories for the world-famous airline. Director of the museum, George Fleckenstein, introduced me to the archives on my initial site visit. When he told me that the student volunteers would be arriving in less than a week, I made room on my calendar to come back and meet them. Julia Ford is about to enter her senior year at the University of Delaware where she is a double major in Art Conservation and Art History. Maria Higson is in her senior year at Oklahoma State University. She is a history major focusing on twentieth-century American history. After some initial discussion we got right down to work creating a game plan for cataloging the textile collection. We talked about taking the time to look over the uniform pieces, noting everything from size, color, weak areas, loose fasteners, and names on the labels. We photographed the pieces and created padded hangers to properly support the delicate jackets as well as the heavy overcoats. And then there were the hats...a real dream collection, so vibrant and iconic. It was a great pleasure to guide the students and help them through the process. From the Cradle of Aviation Museum website: The Pan Am Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity, registered in the State of New York. The sole mission of the Pan Am Museum Foundation is to develop a Pan Am Museum, furthering the legacy of Pan American World Airways and its importance in aviation history. The Foundation seeks to reunite all former employees and affiliates of Pan American World Airways and those interested in aviation, as well as to serve future generations by promoting an appreciation of all aspects of the aviation industry. Students, teachers, researchers and the community-at-large will find enrichment through the Museum’s educational programs. The Pan Am Museum will preserve and exhibit Pan Am artifacts commemorating the company's history, contributions to aviation, and the extraordinary people of Pan Am. For more information, please visit their website http://thepanammuseum.org/
Tight quarters meant improvising a work station and backdrop for photographing the textiles in the collection. Far left, Julia Ford measures the length of an A-line skirt in "Pan Am blue." Far right, Maria Higson types in the description of the textiles in real time as we call out the specifics. Above, Julia and Maria create padded hangers using polyester fill, stockinette, and cotton twill tape to secure.
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 5
Cataloging the Uniform Collection at the Pan Am Museum Foundation By Nicole Menchise
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 6
November 15 deadline - IMLS Museums For America The Museums for America program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. November 15 deadline - IMLS Museums Grants for African American History and Culture The Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) program is designed to build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums. The AAHC program supports projects that nurture museum professionals, build institutional capacity, and increase access to museum and archival collections at African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). November 15 deadline - IMLS Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program The Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (NANH) grant program is designed to support Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining indigenous heritage, culture, and knowledge. The program supports projects such as exhibitions, educational services and programming, workforce professional development, organizational capacity building, and collections stewardship. November 15 deadline - IMLS Inspire! Grants for Small Museums Inspire! Grants for Small Museums is a special initiative of the Museums for America program. It is designed to support small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, policy development and institutional planning, technology enhancements, professional development, community outreach, audience development, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation.
Find Your Funding through the Institute of Museum and Library Services
(L-R) Freeport High School Athletic Wall of Fame (Freeport Memorial Library); Sea Cliff Photograph Collection (Sea Cliff Village Museum); Duryea Family Photographs (Montauk Library); Aerial Photos of Brentwood, commissioned by Gordon Taylor (Brentwood Public Library). Click on image to take you to the collection!
Recent Digital Collections... Check These Out!
At left, Before and after images of the sorting, scanning and rehousing done on the vertical files and archives of the Half Hollow Hills Community Library. At right, the collection storage, display and research room for the Mineola Historical Society.
Hello gentlefolk of LILRC, Since my last newsletter I have wrapped up two projects; one with the Half Hollow Hills Community Library (HHHCL) and the other was with the Mineola Historical Society (MHS). For HHHCL, I reorganized and rehoused a vertical file cabinet and digitized a scrapbook depicting the library’s history. As I sorted through folders, I kept an eye on material that would make a good addition to New York Heritage. I digitized the library’s scrapbook and created a container list of the new archival boxes that the newly organized vertical file would live in once the project was completed. The collection I created for New York Heritage that includes the scrapbook can be seen here: Half Hollow Hills Scrapbooks, Booklets, and Programs | New York Heritage (nyheritage.org). Starting in May, I worked with the MHS and completed their project two weeks ago. MHS has plenty in their collection of Mineola history that had not been previously accessible outside of the historical society. My task was to change that. In doing so, I created five collections on New York Heritage using already digitized material along with the photos, programs, films, and videos that I digitized during the course of the project. The collections are: Mineola Film and Video Collection | New York Heritage (nyheritage.org) Mineola Photograph Collection | New York Heritage (nyheritage.org) Mineola Postcard Collection | New York Heritage (nyheritage.org) Mineola Programs, Booklets, and Brochures | New York Heritage (nyheritage.org) Mineola High School Yearbooks | New York Heritage (nyheritage.org) I recently began working for the Long Beach Historical Society on an oral history collection and videotape collection. Stay tuned for an update on that project in my next newsletter column.
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 7
LATEST FROM THE ACCESSING ARCHIVES PROGRAM By Robert Anen
Long Island Archives - May/June 2024 - p. 8
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Welcome the new LILRC's GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE page. Sharing online portals and forums for government agency and publication information. New resources every newsletter. ABOUT FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK From the website... Mission Federal News Network is the key source of breaking news, information and analysis for the people who support the missions of federal agencies. FNN addresses federal agency managers, policy makers and contractors. Our mission is to help federal managers meet their mission. Our news coverage is non-partisan, non-political and designed to help executives more clearly understand and make better decisions about issues affecting their agencies and their companies. Federal News Network broadcasts on 1500 AM throughout the Greater Metropolitan Washington area. FederalNewsNetwork.com distributes government-to-government and business-to-government news and information worldwide. Federal News Network features the talents of some of the most respected federal journalists in the community. The Federal Drive with Tom Temin airs weekdays from 6-10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. Our reporters, Jason Miller, Jared Serbu, Jory Heckman, Justin Doubleday, Drew Friedman and Anastasia Obis make Federal News Network an up-to-the-minute source of news and information. History of Federal News Network During the late 1990’s, Washington’s all-news station, WTOP 103.5 FM, (then broadcasting on 1500 AM) noticed a tremendous amount of correspondence coming from addresses with .gov and .mil extensions. Many of these emails requested that WTOP cover more federally-focused content. At the same time, the number of companies advertising on WTOP in order to reach federal decision makers was increasing rapidly. On February 22, 2000, Federal News Network (then called WTOP2), the world’s first, Internet-only, all-news radio station was created. Our focus was, and still is, the federal community. Hubbard Radio owns Federal News Network. In 2004, Federal News Network moved onto the radio airwaves on 1050 AM. It moved again to a clear channel1 50,000 watt station on 1500 AM in 2008. In addition to broadcasting on 1500 AM, listeners can hear our radio signal live online. Federal News Network became the official name of the news organization in 2018. Check out this great aggregate resource at https://federalnewsnetwork.com/
Want to join? Go to LILRC.org/government-information-committee
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 - p. 9
Long Island Archives - July/August 2024 Editor: Nicole Menchise, Digitization and Archives Coordinator LILRC - 627 N. Sunrise Service Rd., Bellport, NY 11713, www.lilrc.org.