LAMA News

LAMA's own Carol Mathias has been nominated for President of the Society of Southwest Archivists.

A past president of LAMA, Carol is a current member of LAMA's Executive Board and was chair of our membership committee in 1993. On LAMA's behalf, she served on the 1993-1994 Planning Committee for the Southern Archivists Conference, and was chair of SAC's Finance Committee in 1994, the same year Louisiana archivists elected Carol LAMA President.

Carol is Associate Professor, Archivist, and Head of Special Collections at Ellender Memorial Library in Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana. She previously worked in the Western History Collections at the University of Oklahoma. She has masters degrees in history and library science from the University of Oklahoma, and became a Certified Archivist in 1993. Carol also has a strong record of supporting regional and national archival endeavors. She was elected to the Society of Southwest Archivists Executive Board in 1994 and has served on the SSA's Hebert Scholarship, Publications, and Awards Committees. She also served on the Local Arrangements Committee for SSA's very successful 1998 annual meeting in Lafayette. Nationally, Carol served on the host committee for the Society of American Archivists 1993 annual meeting in New Orleans. She currently is Louisiana's SAA "Key Contact" and a member of SAA's College & University Archives Steering Committee.

Faye Phillips, also a past president of LAMA, has been nominated for Vice President of the Society of American Archivists.

Faye served as President of the Society of Southwest Archivists in 1997-98 and as the SSA Awards Committee Chair in 1998-99. During her tenure in Georgia, she was President of the Society of Georgia Archivists and served on the Editorial Board and the Nominating Committee. Currently the Associate Dean of Libraries for Special Collections at LSU, Faye previously held positions in the U.S. Senate Archives, NARA, the Troup County (GA) Archives, UNC Chapel Hill, the Atlanta Historical Society, and Georgia State University. Faye has been a member of the SAA since 1976. She served on numerous committees and roundtables and was chair of the Nominating Committee, Distinguished Service Award Committee, and the Congressional Archivists' Roundtable. Faye is the author of Congressional Papers: Collecting, Appraising, Arranging and Describing and Local History Collections in Libraries.

Both Carol and Faye hold exemplary records of contributions, service, and achievement. LAMA wishes both good luck in their candidacies!

Kathy Sylvest (ksylvest@edge.net) reports that she has a new job! She is now the Librarian of the Southern Baptist Historical Library & Archives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Please send newsletter submissions to Pati Threatt at Hill Memorial Library, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 or pthreat@lsu.edu.

Up

News from LAMA Institutions

McNeese State University

The Calcasieu Preservation Society and the Calcasieu Preservation Society Landmarks Committee recently donated their organizational records to the McNeese Archives. The general Preservation Society material includes minutes of board meetings, bylaws, publicity releases, photographs, and other documents chronicling the history of the organization. The Landmarks Committee files document each structure marked by that committee since the inception of the landmarks program in 1986. The materials included support the landmark status of the buildings marked by the program, and include photographs and slides of each building, a historical and stylistic description of each building, and copies of newspaper articles announcing the structures' landmark status.

Papers documenting the Legislative and political career of the late State Representative Harry Hollins were recently donated to the McNeese State University Archives. The family also made a financial donation in his memory to assist with the preservation of the papers. Hollins' legislative career spanned 16 years, 1963 to 1979, and, after retiring from the legislature, he served as the head of the Louisiana Real Estate and Louisiana Racing Commissions. The high points in his political career came in 1970, when he sponsored legislation creating the Sabine River water diversion project, and in 1978, when he headed a Legislative subcommittee to investigate Sherman Bernard, State Insurance Commissioner, who was later prosecuted. Hollins died in 1989 at age 56.

The Calcasieu Preservation Society recently presented Kathie Bordelon, McNeese Archivist, its advocacy of historic preservation commendation award.

The Frazar Memorial Library Archives and Special Collections Department gained a second professional level position October 1, 1999. The position is currently occupied by Mr. Patrick Webb, a 1998 LSU library school graduate. He came to work at Frazar Library in March of 1999. Webb practiced Social Work for about ten years prior to going back to school for his library degree. His interests include local history, historic preservation, and the social sciences.

The McNeese Archives, in conjunction with the Southwest Louisiana Historical Association, held its second Photo Fair at the DeQuincy Railroad Museum in January. Local citizens brought in their old photographs to be copied for inclusion in the archives photograph files. The first Photo Fair was held at the SWLA Historical and Genealogical Library in Lake Charles. Additional fairs are being planned for the other parishes in the Imperial Calcasieu area.

New Orleans Public Library

The City Archives at New Orleans Public Library has completed the arrangement and description of City Councilman Oliver Thomas's Records, 1994-1996 (11 boxes); records of the Mayor's Office of Environmental Affairs, 1979-1996 (2 boxes); and the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, Restoration Tax Abatement Records, 1983-1989 (6 boxes). These series have been added to the "Archival Inventories" section of NUTRIAS, the NOPL website at nutrias.org/inv/invlist.htm.

The City Archives has also received seventeen scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and several scrapbooks of photographs (ca. 1947-1983, with gaps) from the New Orleans Recreation Department, as well as building plans from the Historic Districts/Landmarks Commission and the Department of Safety and Permits.

Collin B. Hamer, Jr., Head of the Louisiana Division, was among the recent recipients of the Charles E. Dunbar Jr. Career Service Award, presented annually by the Louisiana Civil Service League. Collin was one of 12 classified civil service employees statewide honored for outstanding performance at a luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in New Orleans, February 4.

NUTRIAS, the NOPL website, has a new address: nutrias.org.

New Orleans Public Library is creating a database of the more than 7000 negatives in the Louisiana Division's Works Progress Administration Photograph Collection; the database is being added to NUTRIAS as sections, each devoted to a specific WPA project, are completed. In addition, volunteers are assisting in scanning the negatives and selected images are being added to the online database. Master files of the photographs are being retained on CD-ROM.

Also new in the "Photographs" link in NUTRIAS are scanned images from the Robert Tallant Photograph Collection (66 images), the "Walter Cook Keenan Photograph Collection" (13 images), and an artificial collection of Recent Additions to the Louisiana Photograph Collection. All of these collections can be found at nutrias.org/photos/photolist.htm.

Also new in the "Fact Finders" link in NUTRIAS is an online version of the City Archives/WPA compiled Alphabetical Index of Changes in Street Names, Old and New Period 1852 to Current Date, Dec. 1st 1938. NUTRIAS is indebted to a faithful volunteer (in St. Louis!) who converted the typewritten index into a database so that this helpful tool can be offered to researchers. The index is available at nutrias.org/fact/facts.htm.

Historic New Orleans Collection

The Board of Directors of the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation, governing body of the Historic New Orleans Collection, is pleased to announce the appointment of Priscilla Lawrence as executive director of the Collection. A native of Mississippi, she received a BA degree from Mississippi State College for Women with further study at Tulane University. Ms. Lawrence has served the Collection for more than 20 years as registrar, collections manager, and acting director and has been active in the American Association of Museums, Louisiana Association of Museums, and Southeastern museums Conference. Ms. Lawrence is the author of Before Disaster Strikes, a disaster-planning manual, and several preservation and conservation guidebooks.

Black Ethnic Archive

One of the most exciting things happening in the Black Ethnic Archive is the indexing of The Shreveport Sun. This newspaper is one of the oldest Black papers in Louisiana. It is the largest collection in the Archive, dating back to 1927 and it is the most used. The completed years indexed are 1927, 1930, 1933. Other years are partially completed.

The Archive also has received 140 linear feet of Official University Documents from the Reserve Collection.

Touro Infirmary

Cathy Kahn's email address has changed to: KahnC@Touro.com.

Kahn is currently the President of the Southern Jewish Historical Society, which has members from all over the country, but concentrated in the South. The next conference will be November 3-5 at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Society is calling for papers on subjects relevant to the study of Southern Jewish history, and offer a prize for a graduate student paper. Anyone interested can email Kahn for further information.

Amistad Research Center

Recent Acquisitions of the Center include the Constance Bradford Harse collection 1959-64 (.4 linear ft.) Mrs. Bradford Harse is a graduate of Tulane's Newcomb College for Women. She was very active in the civil rights movement in New Orleans and Alabama during the late 1950's to 60's. She now resides in Ohio. The documents and memorabilia include writings of Mrs. Harse for the CORE newsletter, Core-lator, photographs of boycotts of McCory's on Canal Street and on Tulane University's campus against nuclear weapons, photos of St. Charles Avenue and a visit by General DeGaulle of France, CORE buttons, March on Washington button from November 15, 1969, Alabama flyer about integration, SCEF brochure, and an invitation for a CORE banquet at Dooky Chase's restaurant.

The Center also acquired the Betty "Talibah" Tillman papers, 1985-86 (.4 linear ft.) Ms. Tillman is a New Orleans born artist and education. A graduate of Dillard University, she has also taught high school English in the New Orleans Public Schools and in California. She founded the Bay Area Black Artist Connection and is also active in other theater groups in California. She currently resides in Oakland, California. This donation of papers is primarily the newsletter of the Bay Area Black Artists titled, Talibah Speaks. Betty Tillman's stage name is Talibah Tillman.

Hill Memorial Library

LSU Libraries is pleased to announce the addition of Mark Martin to the faculty of Hill Memorial Library as the new Assistant Curator of Special Collections for Image Resources. Mark's responsibilities include identifying, acquiring, and making accessible photograph collections. Mark will also supervise the microfilming of Louisiana newspapers and other Special Collections materials.

On April 17 Tara Zachary will join the Hill Memorial faculty as Assistant Curator of Special Collections for Manuscripts. Tara will be responsible for identifying, acquiring, and making accessible manuscripts collections and meeting with donors of manuscripts.

Sisters of Mercy Archives

The Mercy Archives covering the service of the Sisters of Mercy across the South have been transferred to the Mercy Regional Archives in St. Louis. Most of the Special Research Library Collection housed in New Orleans through the years has been transferred to the Avila College in Kansas City, Missouri. There the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet have established a fine special collection concerning the lives and work of women.

Mary Hermenia Muldrey, RSM who has served as local Mercy archivist for many years, is to be the archivist for Our Lady of Wisdom Health Care Center. This facility is located at 5600 General deGaulle Drive, New Orleans, La. 70131. It is unusual in that it is being erected by seven religious communities for use by sixteen congregations of sisters, brothers, and priests. In early December more than eighty patients will be moving into the multi-acre facility, which is adjacent to Holy Cross College and the Mary Joseph Nursing Home.

Louisiana Creole Heritage Center

Year 2000 will mark the first ever Creole Family History Convention. This first presentation will be used as a model for future events of this type to be held every other year. This Creole 2000, Part III event will be held on July 21-22, 2000 and will coincide with the Natchitoches- NSU Festival. Both events will take place at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. We would like to gather and present as much information as we can regarding the Metoyer family which would include all aspects of its history and culture. The LCHC is in the process of gathering data for presentation at this event and to become a part of the Center's research resources. Although the theme for this year's convention is the "national Metoyer family," ALL Creole families are invited to submit Family History Data forms to be included in the general Creole database. The LCHC will continue to gather Creole family history data on an ongoing basis.

Limited exhibit space at the convention will be made available on a first come, first served basis. Anyone wishing to exhibit specific family history information should submit an "Exhibit Space" request form. Submission deadline for applications will be May 15, 2000. These applications will be processed for approval on a first-come, first served basis. An informational packet containing further details, the Exhibit Space request form, maps, lodging data, event schedules, etc. will be mailed to all registrants. Anyone wishing to participate should contact the LCHC Center via phone 318/357-6685 or e-mail colsonj@alpha.nsula.edu to request an application form.

Up

Exhibits

New Orleans Public Library

Two new on-line exhibitions have been added to the NUTRIAS website (nutrias.org/exhibits/exhibits.htm):

The Louisiana Division's sixth annual Black History Month exhibit, this year entitled "African Americans in New Orleans: Learning," features photographs, documents, and publications focusing on education and learning.

In celebration of Mardi Gras 2000, "A Century Old: Carnival Memorabilia from 1900 and 1901" features invitations, admit cards, dance programs, photographs, and carnival newspaper editions from Rex, Comus, Proteus, Nereus, Momus, Elves of Oberson, Atlanteans, Twelfth Night Revelers, and Mithras.

A new exhibit, "New Orleans: Gateway to the Americas," will be on view in the Louisiana Division on the third floor of the Main Library from March 21 through the end of the summer. The exhibit features 18 panels using large-scale reproductions of photographs, documents, newspapers, publications and ephemera focusing on the history of New Orleans' trade relations with Latin America. The exhibit also touches on cultural exchange between New Orleans and its neighbors to the south. Original material is on view in display cases. An online version can be seen in NUTRIAS.

Hill Memorial Library

"In Flowering Time: The Work of Margaret Stones." In 1976, Margaret Stones was commissioned to create six watercolor drawings of Louisiana native flora to be a lasting legacy of LSU's bicentennial celebration. The LSU community was thrilled with the result, and the project soon blossomed with the support of people throughout the state. By 1991, Miss Stones had created a major opus of more than 200 original watercolor drawings of Louisiana flora. The collection is unmatched in any other state. "In Flowering Time: The Work of Margaret Stones" will feature more than 30 of these remarkable original watercolors, in addition to surveying her work from the Endemic Flora of Tasmania (London: Ariel Press, 1967-78) and as a principal artist for Curtis's Botanical Magazine. The exhibition will run from February 28 through May 26, 2000. Contact Elaine Smyth (esmyth@lsu.edu or 225-388-6547) for additional information or to schedule a guided class visit or group tour.

Amistad Research Center

"A Hidden Treasure: The Art of Frank Wyley" exhibit will be on display through May 2000. Frank Wyley a porter and self-taught artist was born in Mississippi, but moved to New Orleans as a child and remained here until his death. Wyley drew inspiration from the works of Paul Cezanne, Georges Roualt, Henri Matisse, Raoul Dufy and others. His works were exhibited in Atlanta and New York and several of his works were part of the Works in Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Arts Project.

Up

Society of Southwest Archivists Annual Meeting, May 19-20, 2000

The 2000 Society of Southwest Archivists meeting will be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas May 19 - 20. The program will include sessions on new technologies and how they impact the work of archivists; the development of a new research center; computer assisted microfilm projects; papers from classes on Archives in the Future and on Archives in the Modern World; historical research papers based on archival holdings; and on new records management procedures. The conference headquarters is the Fayetteville Hilton, adjacent to the downtown square. The hotel is within walking distance of most of the annual meeting activities.

The keynote speaker is Donald Harington, a professor of art at the University of Arkansas. Born in Little Rock, he received his education at the University of Arkansas, Boston University, and Harvard University. He spends a great deal of time in David W. Mullins Library conducting research for his books. In 1995 he received the American Association for State and Local History Award of Merit for his contributions to the literature of Arkansas and the United States.

The speaker at the Breakfast meeting is Jean Collins, Dean and Director of Libraries at Northern Arizona University. Her role as chief library administrator requires her attention on a number of fronts. Her presentation will provide insight to the care and development of special collections within a university environment.

The opening reception will be held at the David W. Mullins Library at the University of Arkansas, on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 pm. The distance between the hotel and library is about ten blocks. Members may choose to walk the route along Dickson Street, which is lined with shops, bars, and restaurants, or take a van. Since the university will be between sessions, the library officially closes at 6 pm, leaving the entire building to SSAers. A special exhibit of photographs taken by Larry Obsitnik will be on display in the Helen R. Walton Reading Room. Obsitnik was chief photographer for the Arkansas Gazette for over twenty-five years. His collection of prints and negatives resides in the Special Collections Division of the University of Arkansas Libraries.

A pre-conference workshop on "Collection Protection: Security Issues for Libraries and Archives" will be held May 18, 2000 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. This workshop will cover broad issues of security for archival and special collections, while emphasizing practical security solutions for a variety of formats. The instructors will explain how to conduct a security assessment of your facility and explore security policies and procedures. Moving from the broad to the specific, the instructors will lead participants through security issues - collections, staff, patrons, and equipment - and provide information on security monitoring equipment and practices. To complete the workshop, participants will learn of practical solutions for security problems and participate in a policy writing exercise. The instructors for this workshop are Tom Clareson and Blythe Lee, both of AMIGOS Library Services. The fee for this workshop is $60.00 for SSA members and $80.00 for Non-members.

Up

Return to the LAMA Home Page

iw 5/20/2000