Recently Added Workshops for Archives & Special Collections Archival Outreach for Beginners Thursday, May 22, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm - Zoom Register here or at LILRC.org/events Making your community aware and engaged in your organization requires a steady flow of events and information. Outreach includes daily social media posts, programming for children and adults, exhibits, publications, and tours. Get some inspiration for how your archival materials can contribute to your organization's positive exposure; making the most of what you have in your collections. This is the conclusion of the series explaining the steps of archival management. Repository Tour of the Molloy University Archives Monday, June 9, 2025 - 1:00PM to 3:30PM - In person for LILRC members only Register here or at LILRC.org/events Archives and Special Collections Librarian, Brianna Paoli, will give us a tour of the Molloy University Archives at the James E. Tobin Library. The Molloy University Archives collects, preserves, and provides access to resources documenting the history, growth, and achievements of Molloy. These records chronicle Molloy's story beginning in the early 1930s when the Dominican Sisters first began to plan and save for a Catholic women's college to the present day. Along with administrative records, publications, yearbooks, and course catalogs, the Archives has a rich photographic collection documenting campus events and activities of students, faculty, and administrators. We will view the archivist's workroom, the stacks, and the Heritage Edition of The Saint John's Bible. Light refreshments will be provided. Registration limited to 12 participants. Safe Labeling and Marking of Archival Materials Wednesday, July 9 10:00 am - 12:00 pm - Zoom Register here or at LILRC.org/events 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." With so many 'archival' products to choose from, it's hard to know what is safe, effective and reversible. LILRC's Digitization and Archives Coordinator, Nicole Menchise, will teach conservation-level techniques for marking objects with their identifiers. This will include all types of commonly found objects in your archival collection including textiles, glass and porcelain, metal and plastic, wood and paper based archives. This program is based on the in-person workshops held in 2023-2024.
Featured image above: "325th Anniversary of Robert Williams Purchase", courtesy of the Hicksville Public Library. This image can be found in the Hicksville Historic Photographs digital collection on New York Heritage Digital Collections website. Accessed 4-18-25: https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16373coll80/id/2381/rec/51
Long island Archives
Transcending Barriers: Opening Archives, Opening Minds
May/June 2025 Volume 32 Issue 3
The Long Ago Literary Corner Recently released and upcoming books about Long Island history
Press release from Brightwaters Historical Society: On Wednesday, May 7 at 7 pm at the Wohseepee Park Cabin, the Brightwater's Historical Society will host a presentation by Long Island Railroad Historian, David Morrison. David Morrison is a Long Island Rail Road historian who specializes in the rich history of the railroad’s train stations. His presentation will focus on the stations between Babylon and Patchogue. He’ll discuss a curious feature at Bay Shore Station—an oddity captured in only one known photograph. Other highlights include the weather vane at Islip Station, a wedding at Oakdale Station, and the recently installed plaque at Patchogue Station. David will also have two of his books available for purchase and signing, both from the Arcadia Publishing's Images of Rail Series. From the Arcadia Publishing website: "David D. Morrison is a retired LIRR branch line manager and railroad historian. Author of 10 other books in Arcadia’s Images of Rail series, he is a major contributor to the website trainsarefun.com. He is on the board of directors of the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, and he is an advisor on the LIRR 190th Anniversary Committee. He has given countless presentations to libraries and historical societies on Long Island, and he still enjoys doing so. He is frequently called upon by Newsday with questions pertaining to LIRR history." Long Island Rail Road: Morris Park Shops "The LIRR provides passenger rail service from Midtown Manhattan to to the far ends of Long Island at Greenport and Montauk. A vast operation such as this requires a huge fleet of locomotives and cars. The reliability of the fleet rests mainly upon the shop maintenance facility. The Morris Park Shops, opened in 1889 and closed in the early 2000s, provided over a century of maintenance and repair service, allowing the LIRR to develop and expand through the years. The complexity of the shop facility, from the days of steam locomotives to multiple-unit electric cars and diesel locomotives, is a fascinating chapter in LIRR history." Long Island Rail Road: Montauk Branch "East of Babylon, the 75-mile segment of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) stretching from Bay Shore to Montauk is a non-electrified stretch of double-track to Sayville, where it becomes single-track to Montauk. Presently, there are 16 active passenger stations along the route. In years past, there was a total of 32 passenger stations and a signal tower...During summer months, ridership on the east end of the branch increases dramatically in order to serve persons vacationing at east end resorts, where they can enjoy quaint shops and the beautiful beaches." Both books are available now for purchase through Arcadia Publishing (The History Press), Amazon Books, or ask for it wherever you purchase your books on local history.
Long Island Archives - May/June 2025 - p. 2
Hello again everyone, I recently wrapped up what I think is an incredible oral history project that was years in the making for me. For those that may not remember, the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) was one of our first partnerships of the Accessing Archives Program in 2022. During the course of that project, we rediscovered their oral history collections and while working from home, I managed to digitize a portion of those tapes. At left is a photo of myself and Mari Irizarry, Director of TVHS from that day we rediscovered the tapes while reorganizing the archives room at TVHS. This second project with TVHS had me working on those same oral histories. By the end of the project, I had digitized 100 audio tapes, 21 video tapes, and one 8mm film. All have been uploaded to New York Heritage and can be found in two separate oral history collections. Eel Catching in Setauket - An Oral History Collection was created in 1987 by Glenda Dickerson, a former theater professor at Stony Brook University. Professor Dickerson and her students conducted a series of interviews with Native and African American elders from the community now recognized as the Bethel-Christian Ave-Laurel Hill (BCALH) Historic District. The second collection, the Three Village Oral History Collection, provides a broad range of experiences of long-time residents of the Three Village area. This project would not have been as effective or productive as it was if it had not been for the tireless dedication and work of Scott Ferrara, Collections and Exhibits Coordinator of TVHS. We worked day and night to find photos of the oral history participants. In some cases we digitized and repurposed the original typewritten transcripts of those interviews. A special mention and thank you also needs to be given to Eliot Kissileff, Archivist of Historic Films Archive in Greenport, New York. He handled the film and video tape digitization that could not be done by us at LILRC as to the many different formats of film and video tape that exist. The culmination of Glenda Dickerson’s Eel Catching in Setauket project was the play of the same title that premiered at Stony Brook University in June 1988. The play was captured on video tape and since then has not been seen. Three Village historian, Beverly Tyler, held the only known VHS copy of the Eel Catching in Setauket play. When I tried to digitize the VHS in 2022, there was no sound, only picture. Fast forward to this most recent project. I decided to give the tape another look in the hopes that I missed something. When I played the tape to digitize it, I cranked my headphones to the maximum volume and I heard the faintest whisper of a soundtrack. In comes the audio expertise of Eliot Kissileff. I spoke to Eliot and explained this situation. When he digitized the tape, he managed to rescue the soundtrack and restore this work of Glenda Dickerson that can now be viewed on New York Heritage here, permanently preserving the only known video recording of Glenda Dickerson’s Eel Catching in Setauket play. Now for the first time, the oral histories and the play are together for anyone and everyone to learn from and enjoy on New York Heritage.
TVHS Director Mari Irizarry standing with Anen
Long Island Archives - May/June 2025 - p. 4
LATEST FROM THE ACCESSING ARCHIVES PROGRAM By Robert Anen
Group Documentary Jamie Banta, Josephine DiMartino, Ava Gardrvits, Erin Joyce Saving the Seas: How the Creation of EPA Improved Rights of Marine Animals Junior Division - LONG BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL Lucy Liu David Noh, Dianne Noh, Max Peng Medical Malfeasance: The Thalidomide Tragedy Senior Division - HERRICKS HIGH SCHOOL Group Exhibit Rania Gupta, Sanika Patel Legal Looting: The Recovery and Restitution of Nazi Stolen Art Junior Division - JERICHO MIDDLE SCHOOL Scarlet He; Angela Tan Wading Against the Current: Protesting for the Right to Access Community Waters Senior Division - JERICHO MIDDLE SCHOOL Group Performance Olivia Abraham, Harmanpreet Kaur, Monami Prithi, Jessica Singh Silent Sentinels Senior Division - HERRICKS HIGH SCHOOL Neha Paul, Maya Purohit, Aanika St. Jean, Zarah Zohir The Forgotten Right to Accessibility: Section 504 and the Responsibility of the Government to Advocate for All Junior Division - HERRICKS MIDDLE SCHOOL Group Website Connie Dong, Tinamarie Otero The Nuremberg Trials: Shaping Human Rights and Legal Responsibilities Senior Division - W TRESPER CLARKE HIGH SCHOOL Vihaan Kaushik, Andrew Zeng Unjustly Incarcerated: The Dismantling of Japanese-Americans' Constitutional Rights During World War II Junior Division - JERICHO MIDDLE SCHOOL Individual Documentary Aryana Adur The Pentagon Papers: Journalistic Responsibility Breaking the Paper Walls of Governmental Secrecy Senior Division - JERICHO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Nathan Chen The Pullman Porters: Taking on the Responsibility for Gaining Equal Rights in the Workforce Junior Division - JERICHO MIDDLE SCHOOL Individual Exhibit Nilani Ramesh Civil Rights and Social Responsibilities: "The Green Book" and Racial Equality Junior Division - JERICHO MIDDLE SCHOOL Daphne Ren The Right to Register, the Responsibility to Vote: Freedom Summer Senior Division - HERRICKS HIGH SCHOOL Individual Performance Sunidhi Ajmera The Stewardess Rebellion: Fighting for Rights, Redefining Responsibilities Junior Division - WHEATLEY SCHOOL Lili Parness Clara Lemlich: Labors for Justice Senior Division - WILLETS ROAD SCHOOL Individual Website Isaac Chen Gold Mountain’s Gilded Gate: The Shackled Rights and Neglected Responsibility of Angel Island’s Immigration Station Senior Division - JERICHO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Lefteris Demosthenous Freedom on Trial: A Landmark Battle Between the Government's Responsibilities and the People's Rights Junior Division - CLARKE MIDDLE SCHOOL Paper William Andrews The Pride Movement: Fighting for LGBTQ+ Rights and Responsibility From the Government Senior Division - HERRICKS HIGH SCHOOL Darius Ilkhani Rights Violated, Responsibilities Ignored: The Armenian Genocide Junior Division - WILLETS ROAD SCHOOL
Long Island History Day 2025 Recap This year, the grounds of Hofstra University were teeming with 6th-12th grade 'young historians' all looking to reach first or second place in their respective categories. This year 645 students gave their time and creativity to put forth some incredible documentaries, performances, exhibits, websites and papers. Below are the first place winners in both Junior and Senior Divisions of their respective categories. These students would later advance to the New York State Competition.
Long Island Archives - May/June 2025 - p. 5
Friends of Connetquot River State Park Preserve History Project On Friday, March 21, 2025, History Project volunteer, Estelle Gervasio, completed the final box of the original 200 boxes of historical documents purchased at auction by FOC when Dowling College was sold in 2017. All 200 boxes, plus the approximately 100 South Shore Sportsmen's Club ledgers, scrapbooks, registers, day books, check books, accounting books and journals dating back to the mid 1800’s that FOC had saved from the dumpster, had all been stored on the third floor of the Clubhouse for years. With the help of our wonderful state workers, the Friends started the History Project to take up the awesome job of archiving and sorting the documents in the spring of 2022. Formal training by the Long Island Library Resource Council, LILRC, began the following April by LILRC archivist, Nicole Menchise. For the second session in October, Nicole was assisted by LILRC’s Project Archivist, Robert Anen. With the completion of the last box of material, we celebrate the conclusion of Phase I of FOC’s History Project: archiving and relocating the 200 boxes of historical documents. On April 14, 2024, FOC held a Gifting Day to donate site specific documents recovered by the History Team that belonged in various collections, but not ours. Approximately 100 institutions have received documents that had belonged to the Vanderbilt Historical Society or the Dowling College Collection. With the completion of the last box of documents and the transfer of that material, we celebrate the conclusion of Phase I of FOC’s History Project: archiving and relocating of the 200 boxes of historical documents. Phase II is the archiving, scanning and relocating on the NY Heritage web site all of the SSSC hand written books. With a recent donation, there are 10 SSSC books to be cataloged, archived and scanned. The covers of the five new donations were in very bad condition but the insides were in good shape so I had the conservator, Paul Belard, restore them. Although he has completed the restoration we have been unable to connect to receive the restored books yet. These five new donations plus five others will need archival boxes which should be the completion of the archiving phase. Scanning of our antique South Shore Sportsmen's Club books began last year by Robert Anen. Of our nine books on Hunting and Fishing, Robert scanned three last year. The Scanning Team of the History Project has been scanning SSSC books since December 6, 2024. We’re only now starting to get fairly decent at it. The team has scanned three. “Hunting & Fishing” books to date leaving two more to be scanned, hopefully by the middle of May. I scheduled an Editing Training with Nicole of LILRC on Monday, May 19, 2025 in the FOC office. Once we finish editing all nine “Hunting & Fishing” books they will be ready to go up on the NY Heritage web site with a few photos from the scrapbooks to illustrate. This chapter on the web site will be entitled “Hunting & Fishing.” The Scanning Team will probably spend the summer editing and uploading our “Hunting and Fishing” section to the New York Heritage web site. Once that chapter is completed, the Scanning Team will be ready to begin scanning another chapter for the New York Heritage web site which is yet to be determined. Ritamarie Weigand Director of Historic Preservation Friends of Connetquot River State Park Preserve
Long Island Archives - May/June 2025 - p. 7
2025 New York Archives Conference Registration is now open! Register to attend a NYAC Watch Parties! NYAC will be having its annual (free) virtual conference on Friday, June 13th, 2025! Want to get out of your house, meet some friendly colleagues, and consume some great archives content? Sign up for a New York Archives Conference Watch Party! This year nine institutions across New York State are holding Watch Parties where you can view the conference with others from your area, with time for socializing and discussion. Watch Party Host on Long Island: Long Island Library Resources Council (LILRC) Where: Suffolk Cooperative Library System, 627 Sunrise Hwy, Bellport, NY 11713 - In the BLUE ROOM Register HERE or at NYARCHIVISTS.org Save the Date!
Schedule At A Glance
9:00 – 9:15 AM
Opening Remarks
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Keynote – Hot Town: Researching Climate and Extreme Heat in the Archives
10:00 – 10:15 AM
Morning Break
10:15 – 10:45 AM
Leveraging Consumer-Level AI for Descriptive Metadata Creation in Archival Collections
10:45 – 11:15 AM
With a little help from my friends: Volunteer experiences and engagement at a small institution
11:15 – 11:45 AM
From Analog to Digital: Integrating Audiovisual Collections into Digital Archives from the Ground Up
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Lunch Break
12:45 – 1:15 PM
Participatory Archive Ethics Development
1:15 – 1:45 PM
The People Behind Named Places: Getting Creative with Civic Data
1:45 – 2:00 PM
Afternoon Break
2:00 – 2:30 PM
Collection Survey as Catalyst: Perspectives from New Archivists
2:30 – 3:00 PM
ArcLight and DadoCM: Unifying Archival Description and Digital Objects
3:00-3:05 PM
Closing Remarks
Long Island Archives - May/June 2025 Editor: Nicole Menchise, Digitization and Archives Coordinator LILRC - 627 N. Sunrise Service Rd., Bellport, NY 11713, www.lilrc.org.