More about our project

Written by: Emily Cottle

Happy new year, readers, and welcome back!

The application for this IMLS grant project was submitted in January 2013 (the FY2014 deadline was in December. Guidelines for FY2015 should be available late next year, but until then you can view the FY2014 guidelines for informational purposes).

Screen capture of the FY2014 guidelines from the IMLS website.

Our proposal included two main goals: strengthen the archival profession through the provision of quality entry-level experience for young professionals, while at the same time continuing to build the newly formed University Archives at Delaware State University through the provision of additional personnel.

Our project will create two nine-month archival fellowships. These individuals will be recent graduates from archives programs. Through the fellowship, they would broaden their experience by getting to work on a variety of tasks, including: processing, digitization, reference, outreach, and collection development. The grant also provides funds for two summer interns (one for each summer of the grant) who will work full-time for 8 weeks to gain experience while still pursuing their archives degree.

In the second year of the project, the focus will shift to increased outreach across the campus as the grant team works to create a historic campus walking tour. We will be creating a brochure as well as placing signs around campus providing historical information and then and now photographs.

Initial priorities of the project are to get collection materials processed, starting with our photographs collection. Currently photographs of the campus and its buildings, as well as major events (Commencement, Convocation, Parents’ Day, and Founders Day) are all that have been processed. What remains are a wealth of images documenting athletics, campus life, university faculty and staff, and much more. Processing of these photographs will include rehousing into appropriate archival folders and photo sleeves, and providing description of the items.

Come back next week for an entire post dedicated to the digitization work that will accompany this project as we tell you more about our involvement in the Delaware Heritage Collection.