SPEC Kit 347: Community-based Collections · 53
Finding a way to get people into the city to review the records or getting the records to the people through digitization
efforts. To begin, grant funding would need to be secured by the New England United Methodist Historical Society or
through the New England Annual Conference to make more digitization efforts happen. We partnered with Ancestry.
com to have many membership ledgers digitized at no cost. They took the membership books off site, scanned them,
and are part of the ancestry.com database. This project was a win-win. We didn’t have to do any of the work on
site, and we got a great number of records digitized. Another effort like that would be welcome for other parts of
the collection.
Getting a critical mass of donated materials to create a compelling community story. Mounting exhibits and publishing
exhibit catalogues. Reaching a fundraising/sponsorship goal.
Getting the system in place to capture community contributions in Omeka and Archive-It. Attend public events that
discuss the collection and other projects in the community.
Having the TDES deposit more recent records in the archives.
Implement our online database to describe our holding and digitize documents to promote this collection.
Involvement in the advisory work and with ad hoc committees of the organization
Large campus-wide event to mark and celebrate the acquisition of the collection, involving the president’s office and the
dean of the Libraries.
Making them feel welcome.
Of the many milestones achieved by the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives the 2005 expansion of the collections to include
materials memorializing all 270 victims, and the hiring of a full-time dedicated Assistant Archivist in 2011 are perhaps
the most significant. The first has allowed the Archives to make available a more comprehensive record of the bombing
and subsequent incidents, while also augmenting its connections to the community it serves and represents. The second
of these two milestones has allowed the Archives to fulfill the university’s remembrance commitment on a daily basis,
increase public advocacy for the collection beyond the community group, and ensure the processing and accessibility
of collections in a timely manner. Furthermore, the addition of an Archives staff member concerned solely to the work
of the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and community conveys to family, friends, and those affiliated with the bombing
the level of dedication felt by all members of the Archives, Libraries, and university staff to caring for the record of the
events and the lives of their loved ones.
Presentation about LULAC Council 10 history given by the assistant curator on the 50th anniversary celebration of
the Council in 2009. Recognizing its historical significance helped foster a surge of community activism to rebuild the
organization. Its membership has risen from under 40 to around 180. Today, it is the largest LULAC Council in the
Midwest and once again taking a leadership role in its community on issues of social justice, education, and civil rights.
Public programming encouragement for other groups to donate collections
Special events such as anniversaries can be important milestones to engage and provide outreach to communities.
Other milestones may revolve around exhibits or conferences, which highlight a particular theme that is of interest to
the community.
The fact that the ASA sent someone to come and look at the collection and renew the partnership. She was here for
two days.
The few presentations we have given, including those in the media helped.
Finding a way to get people into the city to review the records or getting the records to the people through digitization
efforts. To begin, grant funding would need to be secured by the New England United Methodist Historical Society or
through the New England Annual Conference to make more digitization efforts happen. We partnered with Ancestry.
com to have many membership ledgers digitized at no cost. They took the membership books off site, scanned them,
and are part of the ancestry.com database. This project was a win-win. We didn’t have to do any of the work on
site, and we got a great number of records digitized. Another effort like that would be welcome for other parts of
the collection.
Getting a critical mass of donated materials to create a compelling community story. Mounting exhibits and publishing
exhibit catalogues. Reaching a fundraising/sponsorship goal.
Getting the system in place to capture community contributions in Omeka and Archive-It. Attend public events that
discuss the collection and other projects in the community.
Having the TDES deposit more recent records in the archives.
Implement our online database to describe our holding and digitize documents to promote this collection.
Involvement in the advisory work and with ad hoc committees of the organization
Large campus-wide event to mark and celebrate the acquisition of the collection, involving the president’s office and the
dean of the Libraries.
Making them feel welcome.
Of the many milestones achieved by the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives the 2005 expansion of the collections to include
materials memorializing all 270 victims, and the hiring of a full-time dedicated Assistant Archivist in 2011 are perhaps
the most significant. The first has allowed the Archives to make available a more comprehensive record of the bombing
and subsequent incidents, while also augmenting its connections to the community it serves and represents. The second
of these two milestones has allowed the Archives to fulfill the university’s remembrance commitment on a daily basis,
increase public advocacy for the collection beyond the community group, and ensure the processing and accessibility
of collections in a timely manner. Furthermore, the addition of an Archives staff member concerned solely to the work
of the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and community conveys to family, friends, and those affiliated with the bombing
the level of dedication felt by all members of the Archives, Libraries, and university staff to caring for the record of the
events and the lives of their loved ones.
Presentation about LULAC Council 10 history given by the assistant curator on the 50th anniversary celebration of
the Council in 2009. Recognizing its historical significance helped foster a surge of community activism to rebuild the
organization. Its membership has risen from under 40 to around 180. Today, it is the largest LULAC Council in the
Midwest and once again taking a leadership role in its community on issues of social justice, education, and civil rights.
Public programming encouragement for other groups to donate collections
Special events such as anniversaries can be important milestones to engage and provide outreach to communities.
Other milestones may revolve around exhibits or conferences, which highlight a particular theme that is of interest to
the community.
The fact that the ASA sent someone to come and look at the collection and renew the partnership. She was here for
two days.
The few presentations we have given, including those in the media helped.
