Thinking and Acting Outside the Box

7/31/2019 Thinking and Acting Outside the Box

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Thinking (and acting) outside the box:

Archival Research and Social Justice

Mariecris GatlabayanJune 29, 2012

FANHS Conference


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Warning!!!

Time intensive

Research Problem solving

Costly: travel and reproduction

costs


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Archives contain sources that serve as

the raw material to interpret the past,and when they are used along with

previous interpretations by historians,

they provide the resources necessaryfor historical research.

Using Primary Sources on the Web. Reference and

User Services Association. American Library Association.

http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/history/histcomm/ins

tructionres/usingprimarysources


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History of the modern archives

People have been keeping records

since we can remember.

Since people could document via

writing or drawing.

French Revolution and the archives.


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Archival principle: Provenance

Provenance1. The origin or source of something. 2. Informationregarding the origins, custody, and ownership of an item orcollection.

Provenance1 is a fundamental principle of archives, referring

to the individual, family, or organization that created orreceived the items in a collection. The principle of provenanceor the respect des fonds dictates that records of differentorigins (provenance) be kept separate to preserve theircontext.

-from A Glosary of Archival and Records Terminology

Organize collections by creator or aggregator ofcollection: Fred and Dorothy Cordova papers, FANHSrecords, United States Department of the Interior Records.

Preserve context!


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Archival principle: Original Order(also registry principle, respect for original order, l'ordre primitif, respect de lordreintrieur), n. ~The organization and sequence of records established by the creator of therecords.

Original order is a fundamental principle of archives. Maintaining records in original orderserves two purposes. First, it preserves existing relationships and evidential significancethat can be inferred from the context of the records. Second, it exploits the recordcreator's mechanisms to access the records, saving the archives the work of creating newaccess tools.

Original order is not the same as the order in which materials were received. Items thatwere clearly misfiled may be refiled in their proper location. Materials may have had theiroriginal order disturbed, often during inactive use, before transfer to the archives; seerestoration of original order.

A collection may not have meaningful order if the creator stored items in a haphazardfashion. In such instances, archivists often impose order on the materials to facilitatearrangement and description. The principle of respect for original order does not extend to

respect for original chaos.-from A Glosary of Archival and Records Terminology

Preserve the way the creator or aggregator arranged theirrecords. Records could be organized by project, type of record,chronologically, or by subject.

Preserve context!


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Your collection

Provenance

Who created collection?

Original order

What is in your collection? What do you organize records in your

Desk

Filling cabinet?

Living room? Bedroom?

Office?

Garage?

In your computer?


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The Finding Aid

Your map to thecollection.

Describes collectionand contains basicelements of: Title

Dates covered in

collection Size of collection

(Extent)

Biographical orhistorical note:provides informationabout the creator ofcollection

Collection summary: abrief summary of thetopics covered andtypes of materials inthe collection

Acquisitioninformation

Call number or

identifier


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Your collection part 2

Title: _______ papers or _______ records

Dates range covered in collection: xxxx-xxxx

Size of collection (Extent): 1 cubic foot or 20 cubic feet.

Biographical or historical note: XXXX was born in 19XX in Albuquerque, New

Mexico.

Collection summary: a brief summary of the

topics covered and types of materials in thecollection. The collection contains correspondence,

photographs, . Related to XXXX life in Albuquerque,work with XXXX

Call number or identifier: HMC-000


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The Finding Aid cont.

Different levels of description and arrangement Series: n. ~ 1.A group of similar records that are

arranged according to a filing system and that arerelated as the result of being created, received, orused in the same activity; a file group; a record series.

2. Bibliography A group of items, each with its owntitle, also bearing a collective title for the group as awhole. ex. Filipino American History Month records.

Subseries: A body of documents within a seriesreadily distinguished from the whole by filingarrangement, type, form, or content.A subgroup ofrecords within in a group of records. Filipino

American History Month 2012 or Filipino AmericanHistory month correspondence.

Box/folder list

In rare cases: item level


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Sample finding aid

Guide to the Fred Odlin letters

http://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/

FindingAids/hmc-0644.html

Guide to the Alaska PackersAssociation records

http://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=XOE0026apa.xml&t=k&q=canneries
http://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/FindingAids/hmc-0644.htmlhttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=XOE0026apa.xml&t=k&q=cannerieshttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=XOE0026apa.xml&t=k&q=cannerieshttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=XOE0026apa.xml&t=k&q=cannerieshttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=XOE0026apa.xml&t=k&q=cannerieshttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/FindingAids/hmc-0644.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/FindingAids/hmc-0644.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/FindingAids/hmc-0644.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/FindingAids/hmc-0644.html


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Your collection part 3

Series: Personal papers, Work files,

project records, photographs

Subseries: Project records records

divided further by project, ex. Box/folder: a table that lists out

descriptions of what is in a box and

folder.

Box. Folder Description Date

1/1-1/8 2011 Filipino American

History Month events

records.

2010-2011


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Finding aid cont.

Elements of finding aid are

ACCESS POINTS.

Finding aids are keyword searchable.

Think of the different words, terms,

organizations, or dates that might be

used to describe the collection or

information for which you are looking.


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Archival collections/creators

Government records

Organizational records Personal papers/manuscript

archives

Sometimes a collection will have amix of these papers.


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Government records

Records produced by government

agencies

Correspondence, memos, reports,

budgets, policies, photographs,

moving images, research files and

data


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Government records cont.

Examples

Federal level: National Archives andRecords Administration (NARA),Philippine Collections; National Archivesof the Philippines

State level: Alaska State Archives; New

Mexico State Archives

Municipal level: Anchorage Municipalarchives; Albuquerque Public Records
http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/085.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/085.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/research/arc/topics/philippine/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.ph/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.ph/http://www.archives.state.ak.us/records_management/agency_schedules.htmlhttp://www.nmcpr.state.nm.us/archives/gencat_cover.htmhttp://www.nmcpr.state.nm.us/archives/gencat_cover.htmhttp://www.muni.org/departments/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.muni.org/departments/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.cabq.gov/clerk/public-recordshttp://www.cabq.gov/clerk/public-recordshttp://www.muni.org/departments/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.muni.org/departments/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.nmcpr.state.nm.us/archives/gencat_cover.htmhttp://www.nmcpr.state.nm.us/archives/gencat_cover.htmhttp://www.archives.state.ak.us/records_management/agency_schedules.htmlhttp://www.archives.state.ak.us/records_management/agency_schedules.htmlhttp://www.nationalarchives.gov.ph/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.ph/http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/topics/philippine/http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/085.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/085.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/085.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/085.html


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Organizational records

Records produced during the courseof business

Permanent records that show how an

organization runs and what theyproduced

Correspondence, memos, contracts,advertising, reports, grant files, policies

Personnel and financial records arenot permanent. Typically not availablefor research


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Organizational records

Coco Cola archives

Hawaiian Pineapple Company Dole

Corporation records

University of Alaska Anchorage

Alaska Historical Society

Filipino American National HistoricalSociety

FANHS Chapter records
http://theverybestofcocacola.com/home/http://www2.hawaii.edu/~speccoll/hawaiidole.htmlhttp://www2.hawaii.edu/~speccoll/hawaiidole.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/UniversityRecords/UAArecords.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/CollectionsList/CollectionDescriptions/hmc-0014cd.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/CollectionsList/CollectionDescriptions/hmc-0014cd.htmlhttp://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/UniversityRecords/UAArecords.htmlhttp://www2.hawaii.edu/~speccoll/hawaiidole.htmlhttp://www2.hawaii.edu/~speccoll/hawaiidole.htmlhttp://www2.hawaii.edu/~speccoll/hawaiidole.htmlhttp://theverybestofcocacola.com/home/


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Personal papers or

manuscript collections

GasparAdvinculaphotographco

llection.

Alas

kaStateLibrary

CharlesH.

McNeilphotographcollectio

n,

AlaskaStateLibrary

Fhok

iKayamoriphotographs.Ala

skaStateLibrary


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Personal papers or

manuscript collections cont.

Diaries

Letters

Photographs, scrapbooks

Home movies

Research notes

Annotated publications

Budgets, shopping lists

Planners and calendars

Facebook postings


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Personal papers or

manuscript collections cont.

Examples

Carlos Bulosan papers

Jose Maceda collection Custado Family collection
http://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=WAUMSS0581.xml&t=k&q=bulosanhttp://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt809nd1j8http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8n29v9whttp://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8n29v9whttp://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8n29v9whttp://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8n29v9whttp://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt809nd1j8http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt809nd1j8http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt809nd1j8http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt809nd1j8http://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=WAUMSS0581.xml&t=k&q=bulosanhttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=WAUMSS0581.xml&t=k&q=bulosanhttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=WAUMSS0581.xml&t=k&q=bulosanhttp://nwda-db.orbiscascade.org/nwda-search/fstyle.aspx?doc=WAUMSS0581.xml&t=k&q=bulosan


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Archives research basics

Each research journey is different.

Sometimes circular.

Remember: working with raw dataof history; the clues to what

happened in the past.

There is no interpretation.

You become the interpreter.

You are the detective!


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Step 1: RESEARCH

Look at the literature; review secondary

sources.

What research has already been done on your topic?

What documents have other researchers studied? Look attheir bibliographies (citation chasing).

Who were the people involved? Where were they?

When did it happen?


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Step 2: Finding the archives for you

Use your knowledge gained fromyour research outside the archivesto answer these questions: What information are you interested in

researching? Who would have been documenting

that information?

How would they document that

information? Who would have those records today?

Government archives, the organizationsarchives, university archives, libraries,museums, and historical societies.


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Step 2 cont.

Answering these questions will help you figure out which archivesrepositories will have information related to research.

What information are you interested in researching? Filipinos in Alaskacanneries.

Who would have been documenting that information? Canneries,unions, cannery workers, people in town, Filipino communityorganizations, churches

How would they document that information? Office records,budgets/salaries, correspondence, journals, photographs, movingimages, newsletters, church programs, community organization papers

Who would have those records today? Most of the canneries are in the Southeast, so maybe records are

in Juneau at the Alaska State Library. Churches in the area may have had Filipino community groups.

Check out the Church archives. Past and current members of the community organization may

have records. Most of the unions and contractors were based out of Seattle,

check out archives in the area like the University of Washington,Washington State Library, etc. to see if they have their collections.

Cannery workers moved around a lot. So there might be personalpapers outside of Alaska in Washington, Oregon, and California,etc.


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Step 3: Searching finding aids

Most archives have finding aids oftheir collections online for you tosearch.

For government records searchfederal, state, and municipal archivescollection descriptions or librarycatalogs. NARA: Online Public Access (OPA) and

Archival Research Catalog (ARC) Alaska State Archives, California State

Archives, New York State Archives

Anchorage Public Library
http://www.archives.gov/research/http://www.archives.gov/research/


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Step 3 cont.

There are also databases online in

which you can search finding aids

from multiple institutions.

Northwest Digital Archives

Online Archive of California

OAIster: collections from all over the

world WorldCat: access through the library.

Advanced search: limit Format to

archival materials
http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/index.shtmlhttp://www.oac.cdlib.org/http://oaister.worldcat.org/http://oaister.worldcat.org/http://oaister.worldcat.org/http://www.oac.cdlib.org/http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/index.shtml


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Step 3 cont.

Searching tips Look to your research and knowledge of

your topic for key words to search.Remember, text in the finding aids areaccess points.

Searches could include names, geographiclocations, organizations, occupations, etc.

Sometimes you can narrow your searchresults by dates, material types, andholding institution.

When searching terms try a variety ofspellings or synonyms: Filipino, Pilipino,Philipino, Pinoy, migrant worker, canneryworker, laborer, pensionado, student,Stockton


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Step 4: Searching through a collection

Go to the archives to look through archivalmaterials.

All archives are closed stacks. The archivist willretrieve whatever boxes you would like to see.

Most archives

have a registration process require that you use pencil instead of pen when

working with archival materials

have a place or lockers where you can store yourbags while you do your research

require you use gloves when working with materials

provide photocopies and audio/moving imagereproductions at a cost

Some archives allow digital photography orscanning of materials


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Archival collections online

Sometimes you dont have to go tothe archives to look at archivalmaterials.

Many archives have digitized a

selection of their collections andposted them online. Alaska Digital Archives

Library of Congress: American Memory

Finding Primary Sources, Library ofCongress

Finding Primary Sources, NationalArchives and Records Administration

The Wing Luke Museum Governor GaryLocke Library and Community HeritageCenter

The Prelinger Archives
http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources.htmlhttp://db.wingluke.org/http://db.wingluke.org/http://db.wingluke.org/http://archive.org/details/prelinger/http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/http://archive.org/details/prelinger/http://archive.org/details/prelinger/http://archive.org/details/prelinger/http://archive.org/details/prelinger/http://db.wingluke.org/http://db.wingluke.org/http://db.wingluke.org/http://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources.htmlhttp://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.htmlhttp://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.htmlhttp://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm/


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Quoting and publishing

archival materials

When quoting, posting, or publishingarchival materials, use the requiredcitation. The citation will either be on thefinding aid or you can ask the archivist forthe format.

Publications include articles, books,ebooks, blogs, website, posters, t-shirts,displays, exhibits, documentaries, etc.

Each archives has their own publication

policy. Be sure to contact the archivesbefore you use any of the content in yourworks.

Commercial or licensing fees may apply.


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Copyright, public domain,

and fair use Its complicated! Ask the Archivist about copyright to their

materials.

Copyright: n. (c., abbr.) ~ A property right that protects theinterests of authors or other creators of works in tangiblemedia (or the individual or organization to whom copyrighthas been assigned) by giving them the ability to control the

reproduction, publication, adaptation, exhibition, orperformance of their works. Pearce-Moses

Public domain: Works enter the public domain whencopyright has expired. These works can be reproduced andused freely. Anything published by the Federal Government is in the

public domain Copyright Term Extension Act (CETA) of 1998: 70 years after

the death of the author. If a work of corporate authorship, 95years from publication or 120 years from creation, whicheverexpires first.

Unpublished works whose creator is unknown: 120 years from dateof creation.

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States.
http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfmhttp://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm


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Limits of copyright

What is not copyright protected? Works not in a fixed in tangible form;

ex. Unrecorded choreographed dance.

Titles, names, short phrases, and

slogans, ex. Mabuhay! Ideas, concepts, and procedures

Common knowledge systems: metricsystem

Derivative works and parodies arenot copyrighted.For more information about copyright,check out Copyright Basics, by the U.S.Copyright Office.
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdfhttp://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf


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Fair use

Copyrighted materials can be used

for educational purposes.

Can use in homework assignments,

curriculum, educationalpresentations, educational websites,

personal research copy, etc.

Cannot copy the entire work. Less than 20% of the work.


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More archives research help

Using Archives: A Guide to

Effective Research by the Society

of American Archivists.

We are here to help!
http://www2.archivists.org/usingarchiveshttp://www2.archivists.org/usingarchiveshttp://www2.archivists.org/usingarchiveshttp://www2.archivists.org/usingarchives

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Thinking and Acting Outside the Box