Freedom House. Gov. Volpe. Glen Gray and the Casa Lom

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Preserving the History of Bostons Diversity

• Northeastern Universitys Project to Document
  African American, Chinese, Latino, and Gay and
  Lesbian Communities of Boston
• Joan D. Krizack
• University Archivist and
• Head, Special Collections Department
• Northeastern University
• j.krizack_at_neu.edu
• RBMS Preconference, June 25, 2008

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Overview

• Motivation
• Collecting
• Community involvement and outreach
• Access and use

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Motivation

• Develop special collections
• Freedom House
• Gov. Volpe
• Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra
• Find niche and develop collecting policy
• Avoid competition
• Appropriate for Northeastern
• Available without cost
• Personal interest

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Collecting

• NHPRC grant
• Develop plan to document four communities
• Process three collections
• Documentation Topics Framework http//www.lib.neu.
  edu/archives/collections/framework/

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Collecting

• Social Reform and Welfare
• Efforts to achieve or oppose social, economic,
  and political change, including grassroots
  efforts outside of mainstream organizations.
  Individuals, organizations, and activities that
  address issues such as civil rights and
  discrimination related to population groups,
  animal rights, environmental affairs, war and
  peace, health care, abortion/reproductive rights,
  public safety (including domestic violence,
  neighborhood watch groups, hate crimes, gun
  control, death penalty, police actions, etc.),
  welfare reform, trade/globalization. Also
  scholarly research related to social reform.

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Collecting

• Topic ? Population ? Organizations / Individuals
  ? Records
• Example
• Topic Social welfare and reform
• Population African American
• Specific organization Freedom House
• Specific record series Board minutes

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Collecting

• Strategy
• Contact person
• Letter and brochure http//www.lib.neu.edu/archive
  s/boston/index.html
• Follow-up call
• Meeting at NU / organization

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Collecting

• Patience and persistence
• Hispanic Office of Planning and Evaluation (1998)
• Action for Boston Community Development (2002)
• Reputation and Serendipity
• Positive Directions
• Fenway Community Health

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Community Involvement and Outreach

• Proactive approach
• Community representation on Archives staff
• Advisory board and liaison
• Diversity within communities
• Long term commitment
• Process quickly
• Publicize acquisition and processing
• Accept future accretions / documentation planning

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Community Involvement and Outreach

• Programming
• Exhibits virtual and real
• Panel discussions
• Digitization projects
• Oral history initiative
• Community requests
• Invitations

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Thank you.

• Joan D. Krizack
• University Archivist and
• Head, Special Collections Department
• Northeastern University
• j.krizack_at_neu.edu
• RBMS Preconference, June 25, 2008