It’s weird to think this is the last blog post for CCEPS for me. I have learned so much this semester! Last week, presented about my fellowship to library staff, faculty, my friends and a few guests. It was great to meet Katy Hertel, Carl Hertel’s daughter who donated much of the collection. Also, one of his former students from Pitzer came to watch the presentation. Unfortunately all of the pictures did not show up on the screen, but most of the photos used were ones that I had posted on this blog. There was some discussion after the presentation about how to bring the materials into the community, and we talked about how many of Hertel’s former students may have more information and material that could be added to the collection. It seems that there is an opportunity to use the archive to connect Pitzer alumni to their alma mater. Much of the Pitzer experience is about the people in the community, and figures like Hertel relate students, faculty and staff across generations.
I realize that I have not actually posted a Picture of Carl Hertel, so below is a photo of him (standing left) with the 1988 Art seniors. This is not from the collection, but it is on the Pitzer Flickr page. I was aware of information related to Hertel in the Pitzer archive, but when completing the front matter in Archive Space, I realized that this collection is part of a large network of materials in Claremont. In Special collections, there are various collections including the Pitzer History project and the Richard Barnes collection, that are associated. The CCDBL, Pitzer Art Gallery, and Scripps’ Denison Library also has materials that would help a researcher interested for more about Hertel. And who knows what could be at CGU!
This experience at CCEPS has been fantastic. For someone, like myself, who is interested in archiving and preservation as a future career possibility, this is a great way to get experience and/or expand on existing knowledge. Working on a collection I found connected to as a Pitzer student was not only motivating but I was always interested in what I was doing. I learned a lot of the activity that goes on in an large archive like Special Collections, from the classes that come in to the other materials housed there. Thanks to Lisa and everyone on Special Collections for an awesome and semester!
Lora Funk
Pitzer ’16