Ardra Whitney: Week 11 @ Avery Research Center

Monday, November 12^th:
On Monday morning, I spoke with Manager of Archival Services, Aaron Spelbring about developing a preliminary finding aid/inventory for Avery’s oral history collection, which is comprised of hundreds of interviews relating to the African American experience in the Lowcountry. The collection’s strength is in documenting the civil rights movement, as well as education in Charleston, and Gullah culture. During the day, I followed up with Public Historian, Dr. Robert T. Chase regarding clips from his oral history interviews with Robert Barber, owner/manager of Bowen's Island Seafood Restaurant; Victor “Goat” Lafayette, who was employed by the restaurant for many years and procured its seafood; restaurant patrons, Fred Wichmann and Steven Hoffius; and Samuel Backman of Backman Seafood Company. We are planning to feature some or all of the interviews on Avery’s YouTube channel and Facebook page as part of Story Corps' National Day of Listening.

Tuesday, November 13^th:

I attended an enlightening workshop on socioeconomic class inequality led by College of Charleston’s Director of Diversity Education and Training, Kristi Brian. After the workshop, Ms. Brian showed me the Diversity Education and Resource Center Library and we got into a conversation about library management systems (i.e., software, barcode printers and scanners) that would work well for the resource center’s small library. In addition, I submitted articles on the Between the Tracks at 25 Symposium held at Trident Technical College, Palmer Campus last month; and on recently processed collections: W. Melvin Brown, Jr. Papers, and Edwina Harleston Whitlock Papers, for the Avery Messenger.

Wednesday, November 14^th:

I participated in a field trip to Drayton Hall; along with Education Outreach Coordinator, Shelia Harell-Roye and Curator, Curtis J. Franks and Avery’s graduate assistants. Drayton Hall’s main house is over 265 years old and is the “oldest surviving example of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States.” The purpose of the tour was to acquaint our group with the do’s and don’ts of conducting historical tours, as well as providing us with useful information on architecture, the Drayton family, decorative arts, African-American history and historic preservation.

Thursday, November 15^th:

By Thursday afternoon, I had completed my interview evaluation for Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. I still cannot get over her outrageous and funny stories about being a foul-mouthed soap eating “wild child”, while growing up in Kansas City, Missouri. I touched base with Reference Librarian, Deborah Wright about making edits to the articles I submitted for the Avery Messenger. I look forward to reviewing her comments and feedback next week. Ms. Wright also suggested I contact Professor Susan Millar Williams at Trident Technical College in order to get some photographs to accompany my article on the Between the Tracks at 25 Symposium.

Friday, November 16^th:

I corresponded with Professor Williams via e-mail and thanked her for sending pictures from the symposium-- she sent some really wonderful shots from the program and of Ms. Harell-Roye. In addition, I completed encoding my first finding aid for the W. Melvin Brown, Jr. Papers using NoteTab.

Ardra Whitney: Week 8 @ Avery Research Center

Monday, October 22^nd:
On Monday morning, Processing Archivist, Georgette Mayo shared with me that she would be participating in the South Carolina Library Association (SCLA) Annual Conference 2012. Her group’s panel was entitled, “Stand Up and Shout! Sit Down and Negotiate” and included both library and archives professionals as speakers. She explained that panelists would discuss their experiences in advocating for South Carolina’s libraries, as well as their efforts to develop and implement advocacy programs and initiatives across the state that engaged and guided others in library advocacy. Ms. Mayo told me that she was planning to mention my work with Avery’s social media campaign for American Archives Month in her portion of the panel discussion and wondered if I could provide any further insights into using social media as a tool for library and archives advocacy. From there, we entered into a wonderful conversation about the role technology, and more specifically the Internet, has played in democratizing archives and increasing the public’s awareness about historical materials present in archives and libraries. We also discussed archives advocacy in the form of incorporating archival material into educational curricula and activities. I mentioned something I had seen recently from the US National Archives called, DocsTeach, an online teaching tool that "enables educators to find and create interactive learning activities with primary source documents". During the course of our conversation, Ms. Mayo shared her copy of Archives Power: Memory, Accountability, and Social Justice by Randall C. Jimerson with me. I first learned of the book when having a similar discussion with one of the archives interns at Weeksville Heritage Center about how the digital revolution has led to greater accessibility to archival material.

Tuesday, October 23^rd:

In the afternoon, I attended the “Between the Tracks at 25” symposium at Trident Technical College with Ms. Mayo and Manager of Archival Services, Aaron Spelbring; where scholars, community leaders and audience members met to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the book Between the Tracks: Charleston’s East Side During the Nineteenth Century. Between the Tracks was published by the Charleston Museum and Avery Research Center in 1987 and was designed to encourage a variety of endeavors related to the history and heritage of Charleston’s Eastside community, including: archaeological research, historic preservation, new construction, public education, and community programs. I received a mention during the symposium's introduction from Dr. Susan Millar Williams for my participation on the Eastside Day Planning Committee. (I was honored by the acknowledgement.) Avery’s Education Outreach Coordinator, Shelia Harell-Roye who lived in Eastside at one time, was one of the symposium’s speakers and talked about the valuable life lessons she learned growing up in the neighborhood. I also had the opportunity to meet Martha Zierden of the Charleston Museum, who was one of the contributors to Between the Tracks. Ms. Mayo was kind enough to introduce Mr. Spelbring and myself to Ms. Zierden.

Wednesday, October 24^th and Thursday, October 25^th:

On Wednesday, I posted a quote from Andrea Jackson’s (Head of the Archives Research Center at Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center) professional development call with IMLS Fellows to Facebook as part Avery’s American Archives Month social media campaign. On Thursday, I completed revisions to my evaluation form for part two of Debra Lee’s video oral history interview. It was so great listening to Lee talk about witnessing the election of America’s first African American president. In her interview, she makes a very perceptive observation and connection about the president’s election and the Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954. In the afternoon, I attended the all library staff meeting with Mr. Spelbring at the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library. At the meeting, various staff members discussed recent acquisitions to the library; upcoming events and exhibits; and approved a new library policy concerning eating, drinking, cell phone use and other behavior prohibited in the library.

Friday, October 26^th:

I completed the physical collection arrangement and editing of the finding aid draft for the W. Melvin Brown, Jr. Papers. I also established the series and folder arrangement for the Edwina Harleston Whitlock Papers and continued developing the biographical and scope and content note for the collection’s finding aid. Additionally, I created photo albums on Avery’s Facebook page for Mrs. Harell-Roye’s photos of the 10^th anniversary celebration of The Tammy Show; the unveiling of the C.A. Brown High School historical marker and the Eastside neighborhood walking tour. I also forwarded Ms. Mayo e-mails from followers of Avery’s Facebook page, so that we can stay knowledgeable about what is important to Avery’s followers; remain connected and engaged with them; and continue to show them that we care about what matters to them.