North Carolina Central University

1801 Fayetteville Street Durham, NC 27707

1910-2010 : Celebrating 100 years

Motto: “Truth and Service”

Colors: Maroon and Grey

  

TRIANGLE RESEARCH LIBRARY NETWORK

ANNUAL MEETING 2011

JULY 25, 2011

THE FRIDAY CENTER    

“THE LIBRARY AS PLACE: HOW EXHIBIT PROGRAMS ARE ESTABLISHING A COMMON GROUND FOR SCHOLARSHIP, KNOWLEDGE-

BUILDING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT”

“Until the lion has a historian of his own,The tale of the hunt will always

Glorify the hunter.”

African Proverb, Igbo, Nigeria

 

• NORTH CAROLINA MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

ARCHIVES - JOINTLY HELD WITH DUKE UNIVERSITY

COLLECTIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

INTENT OF THE PRESENTATION

The Changing Narrative of African American History.

Highlight the importance of collaboration on collections.

Sharing information and sources to document images in on-line exhibits.

Working with Institutional Donors.

The N. C. Mutual Archives helps to reconstruct a new narrative about African American life during the Jim Crow era and post desegregation.

Recognition that there are gaps in the historical narrative, African American history and its scholarship.

Challenges to the traditional narrative widen the historical foot prints of African American history.

Archives, Records and Exhibits create new models that chronicle the everyday experiences of how African Americans lived, worked and played. 

THE CHANGING NARRATIVE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

CHRONOLOGY

N. C. Mutual Life began conversations in early 2009 regarding the long term archiving of their collection.

N. C. Mutual Board of Directors approved the donation and transfer of materials jointly to NCCU and Duke University.

An MOA was drafted and expectations for a Digital Exhibit were noted and the materials were transferred.

Items were selected for use in the exhibit by both staffs and the Duke IT department began digitizing images.

CHRONOLOGY, Continued

Each image was researched and data sharing began with the deadline in mind.

A certificate of insurance was secured by both institutions for the collection in the summer of 2009.

N. C. Mutual Archives was officially transferred to NCCU and Duke in a public signing ceremony in September 2009.

The online Exhibit entitled “Black Wall Street: Multimedia Event-Rewind, Fast Forward, Press Play” was launched at N.C. Mutual Founder’s Day in 2010.

A unique partnership in which it is jointly held by NCCU and Duke.

Largest collection of African American corporate materials in the nation.

Consists of Manuscripts, diaries, memorabilia, photographs, films, maps correspondence, drawings.

A total of 217 linear feet, approximately 98,000 items.

The bulk of the materials range from 1898-2008.

Housed on the NCCU, Duke and NC Mutual websites.

A finding aid has been completed and work is ongoing on the collection.

The collection is valued at $1.4 million dollars. 

N. C. MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY ARCHIVAL COLLECTION

•A continuation of the “Heritage Hall Exhibit” that was removed from its physical space to on-line.

•Selection of 200 Images out of a total of 24 archival boxes.

•Working with the John Hope Franklin Center staff and Duke’s IT staff to sort out and scan images for use.

•The digital collection features selected images of employees, office buildings and other subjects that document the company’s long history.

•Each image has a caption and a unique identifier along with other metadata.

•Included an “Add New Comment” section to gather more information the public and a contact address for queries from patrons. 

CONTENTS OF N. C. MUTUALMULTI-MEDIA EXHIBIT

THE USE OF TRADTIONAL AND NON TRADITIONAL SOURCES TO DOCUMENT

IMAGES

Use of the company’s organ the Whetstone Magazine to identify persons, sites and settings.

Use of Funeral Programs and Obituaries.

Conversations with current and former employees for background stories.

Created public opportunities for the scholars and the community to engage in dialogue on the topic.

Exhibit opens other avenues for further research and other opportunities.

HONORING THE WISHES OF THE INSTITUTIONAL DONOR

The donor was intentional from its earliest origins to record their history and to widen their historical foot-print.

The donor wanted free access and public access to the collection.

Certain restrictions are placed on certain portions of the collection and archive.

Online access to the Digital Exhibit must be provided within a one year period after the signing or consequences were built into the agreement.

WORKING WITH DONORS

Keep an open line of communication with the donor and partner institution.

Create an exhibit with the audience and donor in mind.

Never promise what you cannot deliver on in an agreement.

Make the on-line exhibit experience as engaging and informative as the traditional exhibit.

Post donation follow up is essential to the continued growth of the collection.

“One donation begets another.”

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY

 

JAMES E. SHEPARD MEMORIAL LIBRARY

118 SHEPARD LIBRARY, FIRST FLOOR

PHONE : (919) 530-6254

E-MAIL: http://web.nccu.edu/shepardlibrary/

PRESENTATION BY ANDRE VANN

“The eagle is no common, ordinary barnyard foul.”- Dr. Cadd G. O’Kelly and Dr. James E. Shepard