Annual Christmas Letter to the Patrons

Whew! I survived 2016.  I’m sure this is a sentiment that many of us share.  It has been a year full of challenges as our country faced a crossroads, as we each aged another year, and as we perhaps faced good life altering decisions.  Yet here we stand at the close of the year and celebrate our accomplishments and potentials.

For me, there came a day in 2016 when I woke up and realized that I was fully immersed in the professional world.  I negotiated and dictated legal matters.  I became a representative of DSU in matters involving external agencies.  My colleagues became my friends.  I formulated ideas that I wanted to contribute in order to move my community forward in a positive, productive manner.  I developed a voice and hoped that it was heard.  Somewhere along the lines, I passed a point where I stopped having to operate independently and found myself part of a team - A big shout out to the alumni who advocate and support me 100%!

Looking back at the year, so much has been achieved! 

• Today I sit in a physically different office then I did twelve months ago thanks to the Office of Planning and Construction.   
• I have a beautiful exhibit installed in a new archives gallery thanks to the Delaware Public Archives. 
• My collections have increased in size following the #GOTPAPER initiative of the Office of Enterprise Risk Management.  
•  There are four wayside signs permanently installed on campus through an IMLS grant and the camaraderie of the archival fellow, intern, and student volunteer.   
• Last, but not at all least, I started an oral history program because of a partnership with the DSU Legacy Committee, a group of loyal alumni who seek to preserve university history. 

My challenges yielded my successes.  I will cherish the moment I received a call from the staff of Vice President Biden’s office because they needed research help.  I will always remember the feeling I had when I stumbled into an abandoned records room in the most unlikely of places.  I will savor the advice I received and feeling of being welcome in the home of a 90 year old alumna who graciously allowed me to conduct an oral history. 

There are many aspects of the future that are obscure and difficult to guess.  There have been significant changes for the staff at the William C. Jason Library and departmental restructuring is still ahead as we move into 2017. By the same token, those who are in the highest offices of this university are setting goals to advance the archives into further prominence within the community.  Whatever comes next in 2017, I will serve to the best of my ability. Continue to join me here, in this blog, as the archives progresses through 2017. 

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and health and happiness in the new year, 

Joy

Archives Video Feature by DSU students

Thanks to Jabari Jefferson, Justine Marshall, and Tayzah Peeples for making this awesome promotional video for the archives!

Now Open!

On November 29, 2016 the Delaware State University Archives hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome the campus community and other archives supporters into the beautiful, new archives suite. 

The delays, the hassle, and the negotiations surrounding the construction period were well worth the struggle!  At the end of it all I feel that I have secured a positive future for the Delaware State University Archives.  No longer will it be hid in a converted second floor conference room, but in a dedicated space that can be seen the moment library patrons walk in the front door.

I am thrilled by all of the students who have come into the new space.  In the two days since the ceremony, I have watched again and again as the students call the elevator outside the archives door before their curiosity gets the best of them, and they are suddenly drawn into the gallery. I hear excited exclamations through the wall as I work in the storage space on the opposite side, and it makes me smile.  I am so glad that I have been able to build all of it for them. I hope that I have provided the students with another dimension to their education, and that they may come to understand those who have preceded them and who now support their scholarships, their athletics, and advocate for the diversity of opportunities afforded to them.

It is also for the alumni of whom I speak that I have striven to make the history of DSU more accessible. They deserve to know that the State College for Colored Students and the Delaware State College that they remember has not been forgotten.  There is still someone who appreciates their history and contributions not only to the university but to our nation. I hope that they too will enjoy the gallery and the trip a walk down memory lane it inspires.


In case you missed all the fun, take a look at our pictures here!

Written by Joy Scherry

Archives Grand Opening on November 29th at 11:00!

You are cordially invited to the grand opening of the DSU archives and exhibit gallery! We are celebrating the completion of the archives construction and the first-ever archives exhibit.  President Williams and myself will offer remarks followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony and refreshments. 

Come see the exhibit  which features a visual timeline of university history (thanks to the Delaware Public Archives who generously donated the wall panels) and rare items from the university archive. This will be an opportunity to view the Board of Trustee minutes from the very first meeting in 1891, vintage clothing, the matriculation book from the early 1900s, 1930s trophies and so much more!

I hope to see on November 29th, 2016 at 11:00 in the university archives, located on the first floor of the William C. Jason Library.

Exhibit Materials Available in Braille

 How cool is this?! Several months ago, while the DSU history walking tour project was still in the planning stages, I and a colleague were working to review the exhibit's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  In the course of the meeting, the idea of publishing the exhibit text in braille was proposed, and I immediately loved it! After all, the business of libraries is about providing access to information for everybody.

Today it is my very great pleasure to announce that braille copies of the DSU history walking tour have been made available at the William C. Jason Library circulation desk and within the archives!

New Permanent Exhibit Installed!

I am beyond thrilled to announce that after a year in the making, the DSU Archives has installed a permanent, outdoor exhibit on the university's Dover campus.

The exhibit was designed as a walking tour of the campus in order to allow campus visitors to catch a glimpse into the university's 125 years of service. Four trail-side signs are now located outside of Loockerman Hall, the DuPont School (now the health center), the Science Center, and the William. C. Jason Library.  The signs include narrative texts and historic photographs from the collections of the university archives in order to inform visitors. 

I invite you stroll our campus and contemplate the unique history of this university.  Consider our buildings not for their function, but as artifacts and eyewitnesses to the past.  These brick and mortar structures have beheld the evolution of modern society and the arrival of the digital age – from Revolutionary America to the advent of the internet. Please pay us a visit soon!

I have several people to thank: First, this project would not have been possible without the assistance of Derek Street who gave his time freely to design these beautiful signs. At the time of the drafting period last spring, Derek was a graphics design sophomore who had just transferred to Delaware State University.  He was extremely patient throughout the process and was willing to sit with me hours at a time in order to make sure that we put forth our best work. I think the end result proves that he knows his stuff! Thank you, Derek! I'm serious. I couldn't have done it without you.

I also thank the archives intern and fellow, Jasmine Smith and Daniel DelViscio, who also worked tirelessly to help me research, draft text, and select photographs for the signs.  You should both be proud, and I hope you will have the opportunity to come see the final result.

Lastly, I have much appreciation for the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the funding that allowed the curation of this exhibit. [MH-00-13-0013-13]

Residential Life

This week the biggest topic of conversation among DSU employees is the return of the students.  Mostly we are excited to start another year and get the projects we spent the summer planning underway.  Some of us (custodial staff, *cough, cough), have been complaining about the arrival of students because it has been a mad dash to clean and prepare the residential halls.  Whatever the case, we’ve all worked hard to prepare and now we’re looking forward to welcoming them.

Classes will not start until August 29 so there is yet time for the students to enjoy the last vestiges of summer.  Many will convene on campus beginning next week to settle into their residential halls and shop for all the essential school supplies and room décor.  

For many of the students, the best part of college is living in the halls.  Speaking from personal experience, all of my best memories of college happened in my dorm.  Somehow even the unpleasant experiences make for good laughs now – like that time a guy waited for an unsuspecting person, me, to start a load of laundry and walk away before jamming his clothes in with mine.  And then there’s the pranks we pulled. I used to lob snowballs at my friends through their open windows (because we all know that radiators inevitably blast heat. It's a given in college dorms). But don't get any ideas. There are rules against throwing snowballs on the DSU campus. 

Residents of Tubman Hall, 1971

Dear Students, I wish you the best of luck this year and hope that you will make plenty of memories! Revel in your college years because they pass too quickly!  Enjoy the social atmosphere of  the residential halls, but also work hard, eat right, and don't forget to visit the library! Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year. 

Conwell Hall c. 1970-1980

A resident of Medgar Evers Hall

Construction Update and Lessons Learned

Written by Joy Scherry

We at the William C. Jason Library are coming to the end of a long journey.  As you may remember from a post last May, the library has been under construction in order to renovate the second floor and build a new archives suite on the first floor.  For the last several months we have endured the sounds of construction, clouds of dust, and the hustle of contractors pounding up and down the stairs. I am pleased to say, however, that the spaces are beginning to shape up, and the archives is awaiting only the final touches.

On a personal level, this project has led to a significant learning curve.  If I should ever have the opportunity to influence the construction of an archival facility again in my career, I now know how I would approach the process differently.

Lesson One: Schedule meetings with project overseers before and during construction to communicate archival requirements and stay on top of decisions. I sometimes found myself backed into a corner by contractors and planning managers and having to make choices on the spot. When all was said and done, poor planning led to unsatisfactory outcomes.

Lesson Two: Formal reports do not get read, and don't assume that emails are any different. It's as simple as that.

Lesson Three: Don't count on being asked for your opinion.  If there is a matter of critical importance, raise the issue with stakeholders yourself.  For example, there is far too much light in the storage room. This is due to the fact that the entire back wall of the room is made of windows in combination with halogen ceiling lights. I had communicated my concern for the brightness from the beginning, I but never made a tangible suggestion for improvement. At least not until it was too late.

Don't get the wrong idea. Errors were made, but catastrophes were avoided.  I hope that my archivist colleagues can learn from my experience.

At the end of the day, the archives has a new and definitely improved home that I am confident will allow it to enhance the services offered and play a more public role. I am looking forward to this new chapter!

Stay tuned to learn more about the new exhibit space coming soon too!

Archives Adventure: Eeek! Spiders!

Written by Joy Scherry

We crossed the threshold between the student recreation areas and the dank, dark corridors of the building’s underbelly.  Our noses were instantly assaulted by the pungent, stale air as our eyes grew accustomed to the dim, yellow-tinged light of the passageway.  As my colleagues surveyed the corners of the cavernous room into which we had entered, I moved forward into a passageway of shadowy doors.  Pausing outside the first door, I gathered breath, threw open the door, and fumbled for the light.

As the light overhead blinked to life, at first, I saw what I thought was a small room or large closet full of documents housed in cardboard bankers boxes.  But oh the horror! As I stepped further into the room, I realized that it was actually a very long, narrow room stuffed with records.   Metal shelving extended from the floor to the ceiling and separated the room into two aisles.  Some the boxes had long since disintegrated, their contents spilling out and across the concrete floor. Here and there vintage Wendy's cups and Pepsi cans with expiration dates from the 1990's littered the room. Evidence of student trespass or employee hideouts? It was as if someone had closed the door in 1995 and completely forgotten the room's existence. 

For several weeks I had been touring the DSU campus as a member of the #GOTPAPER committee hosted by the Office of Enterprise Risk Management.  We were on a mission to “de-clutter” campus closets and basements by ridding them of superfluous paperwork now past the date to which the university was legally required to retain it.  My contribution to the project was to offer consultation regarding the informational value of records and their appropriateness for the university archives.

I am pleased to say the mission was successful!  This week trucks with giant shredders arrived on campus to destroy and haul away the unnecessary records.  Additionally, the archives has accessioned approximately 34 boxes of materials as a result of the de-cluttering.  So far the known treasures include a 1987 yearbook, photographs of university athletics, records of buildings that no longer exist, and best of all, course catalogs dated between 1896 and 1940!  As I process the boxes more fully, I hope to unearth other fantastic finds!

Read more:
https://www.desu.edu/news/2016/08/dsus-got-paper-effort-makes-campus-safer-secure

Welcome New Students!

Written by Joy Scherry

We, the faculty and staff of DSU, are excited to welcome you, the incoming students, to Delaware State University!  Most of you have completed the New Student Orientation and we hope that your visit to campus has inspired you to be even more excited about joining our community. If you missed the June NSO it’s not too late! Register today for the last session on August 22.

College Orientation is a time-honored tradition for nearly every American college and university, and DSU is no exception. To prove it, I selected a 1957 Freshman Orientation Program booklet from the university archives.  I had recently heard a story from an alumnus who recalled that his parents put him and all his belongings on a public bus bound for Dover.  Apparently at that time in the 1980’s parents played an inactive role in orientation whereas today, many parents choose to accompany their teenager.  I was therefore curious to see how orientation had developed over time.  

Looking through the 1957 orientation program, I realized that orientation was a week-long affair in which students were required to undergo many more examinations than is currently expected.  Such exams included a physical fitness index exam, medical and psychological exams in the on-campus health center, and academic placement exams in English, math, science, and the “Otis Test of Mental Ability.” However, there were also a great deal more social events such as a talent show, a Coke Sip Date Hour (Does anyone know what this is?), pool parties, mixers, movies, teas, and church services.  

In my opinion, the 1957 program makes the 2016 itinerary look like all work and no play.  What do you think? How does the 1957 Freshman Orientation Program differ from your own experience at the 2016 New Student Orientation?