Special Collections Roundtable
News and Notes
September 2018
A newsletter for members of the RI library community who have responsibility for the care and access of unique or rare manuscripts, records, books, audio and/or visual materials, local history and other special collections.
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Summer has winded down and fall activities are winding up. I hope everyone enjoyed some summer fun and has plans for more in the crisp days of fall. As usual, my summer included visits to a few historic sites, to libraries which were previously unexplored, and a few used bookshops! Maybe your summer months included the ALA or SAA/COSA/NAGARA conferences. If so, please share some of the highlights with your colleagues at the September meeting.
Three Special Collection Roundtables (SCRT) are on the Fall 2018 OLIS Continuing Education (CE) Schedule. You might also be interested in some other OLIS CE programs like Wikipedia Revisited Part II and Library Creation Camp: Makerspace Mini-Conference. Some programs are webinars, like the new Lunchtime Skills Series. Sign up for the SCRTs and other OLIS CE programs online.
Donna Longo DiMichele, OLIS
Fall 2018 Special Collections Roundtable Meetings
- September 25, 9:30 to Noon at RI Historical Society's Aldrich House, Providence. On the agenda: Rick Ring, RIHS, on the History Day Project; reports from national conferences, networking time.
- October 18, 2:00 - 4:00 at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, Newport. On the agenda: Kate Wells, PPL, on developing a success volunteer/intern team; then networking opportunities and a special tour of the Redwood. (And, maybe a dine out if enough people are interested)
- December 13, 9:30 to Noon at Warwick Public Library. On the agenda: Digitizing Collections: getting down to basics, by Stacie Parillo and Genna Duplisea. Then, Nora Dimmock and Boaz Nadav-Manes, Brown University, will give an overview of the developing plans for a RI Hub in the Digital Public Library of America.
Full information about the meetings and sign-up are on the OLIS CE Calendar.
September is Preparedness Month
“Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.”
Disasters don’t plan ahead. You can. Make an emergency plan for your organization & practice it. #PrepareNow #NatlPrep FEMA
Already have a RI.dPlan? Update it now - you'll be surprised at how easily a plan can become outdated. People leave jobs, suppliers go out of business . . .
Not sure if you have a RI.dPlan for your organization? Contact Donna DiMichele.
Grant Opportunity (previously published in the June newsletter)
Publishing Historical Records in Documentary Editions
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals to publish documentary editions of historical records. Projects may focus on the papers of major figures from American history or cover broad historical movements in politics, social reform, business, military, the arts, and other aspects of the national experience. The historical value of the records and their expected usefulness to broad audiences must justify the costs of the project.
New projects and projects currently receiving funds from the NHPRC may apply.
Deadline: October 4, 2018
Events, Workshops & Training from Around the Region
Joint New England Library Association/Rhode Island Library Association Annual Conference
When: October 21-23
Where: Crowne Plaza Warwick, RI, 801 Greenwich Ave, Warwick, RI 02886
Website and Conference Program
(Special Collections topics are on the program!)
New England Archivists Fall Meeting
Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference
Digital Directions: Fundamentals of Creating and Managing Digital Collections (NEDCC)
Connecting to Collections Care Community
The Connecting to Collections Care Online Community helps smaller cultural institutions to provide well-informed care for their valuable collections. All content in the C2C Care Community, with the exception of special courses, is provided for FREE. This service is a program of the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works and is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Connecting to Collections Care Community www.conservation-us.org/c2cc-community For instructions on how to join see: https://www.connectingtocollections.org/discussions-have-moved/
More from the 2018 American Library Association Conference
Articles of Interest
Archiving While Black, Chronicle of Higher Education, July 22, 2018
Text Announcement in Manuscripts and Early Printed Books, Europeana blog July 26, 2018
How Two Thieves Stole Thousands of Prints from University Libraries, Atlas Obscura, August 24, 2018
Reel librarians vs. reel archivists, Reel Librarians.com, August 1, 2018
Tips for introducing historic documents to younger students, American Libraries, September 4, 2018
Connect with the RI Special Collections Community
- Join the RISpecialCollections@googlegroups.com discussion forum! It's a convenient way to communicate with others who work with special collections and archives in Rhode Island libraries, historical societies, museums, and cultural heritage organizations. Use the link above to subscribe. It's your list, so use it to share what matters to you in the field of special collections and archives!
- To subscribe to Special Collections Roundtable News and Notes newsletter, send an email to Donna Longo DiMichele
RI Office of Library and Information Services
The Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) strengthens, connects and empowers libraries to advance knowledge, connect communities and enrich the lives of all Rhode Islanders. Funding for OLIS is from the State of Rhode Island and the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Website: www.olis.ri.gov
Location: One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908
Phone: 401-574-9300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olisri/
Twitter: @olisri