Author: cgu-kierap

One important aspect of archival work is
making information from primary sources accessible to people. For the
most part this priority manifests through the creation of finding aids,
the opening of reading rooms, and the establishment of
digital libraries. The Honnold Mudd Library implements all these
features in order to invite scholars to use the Special Collections.
However, there is another way to make primary sources accessible to
potential users: through the use of social media.

Social media makes archival and special collections
accessible not only practically but also intellectually. In a practical
sense, social media accounts can help promote repositories and
encourage use by scholars and other individuals through
the more traditional means listed above. However, it also allows social
media users to engage with primary sources intellectually. The social
media presence of a repository can be a direct way of disseminating
easily digestible pieces of information taken
from primary sources. By offering this engagement with primary sources,
social media makes these sources more accessible to an increasingly
wide audience.

Social media is a great way to share fun facts,
short stories, images, and developments–this is how many individuals use
accounts like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Special collections
libraries and archival repositories can use social
media in similar ways. In the case of the Honnold Mudd Library and
Special Collections we use our social media accounts to share images and
videos of the collection, interesting information found in certain
documents, and new development for projects like
the CLIR Water Project. In this way, social media users engage with the
collection much as how they would use a finding aid, visit a reading
room, or browse a digital library.

There are two social media projects I have been
developing since becoming a CLIR CCEPS fellow: #TypographyTuesday and
#WaterWednesday. These hashtags are used by our Twitter, Instagram, and
Facebook accounts. #TypographyTuesday and #WaterWednesday
usually include an image from the collection paired with a little
background information. I like to take advantage of the visual elements
of the documents I come across in the Caldifornia Water Documents
collection when I post to social media so that my posts
are eye-catching. If this blog post caught your eye and you would like
to follow #TypographyTuesday and #WaterWednesday here are links to our
social media accounts.

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/honnoldlibrary

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/CLIRWater

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honnoldlibrary

It’s easy to think of libraries simply as repositories full of books, but did you know there is actually a lot of technology that is involved as well? Technology is an important part of every library, and here at special collections we use technology every day. As a CLIR CCEPS fellow I am not just working with books and documents, I have to use a variety of technology. It’s easy to imagine the kinds of technology that the CLIR Water Project uses in digitizing documents and publishing them on the Claremont Colleges Digital Library. In fact, many of us have written about our experiences using technology to scan documents, create metadata, and upload documents.

Still, I think it is important to recognize the hardware and software that is a vital part of our daily lives here at special collections. Thinking about the technology we use is also a good way of breaking down the entire process we go through to get documents onto the Claremont Colleges Digital Library.

The first step is to find and check out a document we want to digitize. Each document or book in special collections has a call number, and just like in the rest of the library, we use the call number to locate and check out an item. CLIR CCEPS fellows use Aeon just like any special collections user. If you are interested in getting access to an item from special collections you can create an Aeon account here: https://claremont.aeon.atlas-sys.com/aeon/.

Next we have to digitize the document. As we’ve previously written about, there are three kinds of hardware we use to capture a digital image of the document: the flat scanner, the book scanner, and the camera. However, to digitize the items we also need software. When using the flat scanner or book scanner we use Adobe Acrobat and the scanner’s software to create PDFs. When using the camera we have to use a variety of software including Capture One, Adobe Photoshop, and finally Adobe Acrobat to convert the photograph to a PDF. We use Capture One and Adobe Photoshop to adjust white balance and generally ensure that the image properly represents the original physical document.

Then we must create metadata before we upload the item to the Claremont Colleges Digital Library. To do this we use the software CONTENTdm, which I learned how to use this week. So far it is an easy way to track metadata for single documents as well as commonly used terms in particular collections to help guide users. After the metadata for the item is completed it is ready to be uploaded, but don’t ask me what technology is required for that step because I haven’t learned how to do that yet!

This week I tackled a stack of oversized maps I have been accumulating. In the process of digitizing documents, I have been using a flat scanner and a book scanner for the most part. The flat scanner is familiar to most people; the document is laid flat on a glass screen, the lid is shut, and the user presses go. For fragile books unable to lay flat or documents that would be damaged by being squished under the lid of a flat scanner, a book scanner is more appropriate. The book scanner lights and captures the image of the document from above, so the book or document can be propped up into a safe position to be scanned. You can see and use book scanners in the special collections reading room.

However, there are size limitations for both of these machines. For oversized documents we need to head to the photography room downstairs. The photography room has two methods of capturing large documents. The camera can be mounted on a tripod facing a magnetic whiteboard and the document can be attached to the whiteboard with a series of magnets.

This method is best for large, flat, single documents that are relatively durable. Maps, posters, and similar documents are captured best using this method. However, sometimes documents are unable to be hung up on the whiteboard. Perhaps they are very fragile and might rip with the force of gravity or perhaps they are attached to a larger volume and cannot be removed. In these cases the camera can be mounted on a large vertical arm above a table where the document can be placed. This method is similar to the book scanner, but on a larger scale.

This week I used both methods to photograph oversized maps of Southern California, in particular Ontario and the greater San Bernardino County area. A few of the maps were glued into a volume full of land deeds and folded out of the book. Because they could not be removed, I unfolded the maps on the table and photographed them from above using the vertical arm. This was difficult because a couple of these maps were huge and even the standard oversized methods had trouble capturing the entirety of the document. The vertical arm holding the camera is quite tall, and although I’m quite tall I eventually had to use a step stool to reach the camera. Even still I couldn’t capture the entirety of one of these maps! I couldn’t believe it. However, after some maneuvering I was finally able to get a clear image of the large maps.

Next I used the tripod and magnetic whiteboard to photograph some of the single maps. As you can imagine, this process is much easier and faster than using the vertical arm. After I finished photographing the maps I used software to edit, crop and convert the image into a usable document. Eventually these images will be uploaded to the Claremont Colleges Digital Library. Keep an eye out for these maps, as some of them are quite intricate!

‘Ephemera’ is a term used by archivists to describe written or printed materials that were not created to be preserved. Unlike official legal documents or important personal papers, the importance and relevance of ephemera is considered short-term. This includes items like tickets, correspondence, flyers, posters and more. Nevertheless, most archival collections include ephemera in their collections. This might sound odd if you consider that we have already deemed these documents as having temporary importance. However, how many of you have held onto concert tickets, birthday cards, or fortunes from a fortune cookie? It turns out that ephemera is really interesting and quite telling–whether it is used to examine a time in a person’s life or a wider societal trend.

This week I have been scanning some very interesting ephemera for the CLIR Water Project. I wanted to share some of what I have found that I thought was interesting. These examples were all taken from a single Municipal League of Los Angeles Bulletin from December 1, 1929. The bulletin details several issues related to the Colorado River, the Imperial Valley, Flood Control programs, and upcoming elections. Additionally, within the bulletin there are several advertisements I found particularly interesting.

The first advertisement offers details on a merchant tailor whose prices range from $60 to $75 for a custom suit. The advertisement states that this tailor “Specializes in Scotch and Irish Tweeds, the Ideal Cloth for Southern California Wear”.

The panel below the tailor advertises a sanitarium in Santa Monica that specializes in osteopathy, a type of alternative medicine. This sanitarium promises to care for people with “mental and nervous diseases” and that “in the calm of these quiet gardens patients are finding their way back to normal living.” The title of the advertisement is “All’s Quiet on the Western Front.”

There is an advertisement for the Woodhead Lumber Company that features a mascot by the name of Woody. This advertisement warns that the “winter rains are due,” an appropriate advertisement for early December.

The next advertisement is for a bookshop that specializes in rare books. The panel is quite small and includes very few details other than that you can receive “Catalogues on Request.”

The last advertisement is the largest in the bulletin and promotes a music store. In particular this advertisement addresses women, stating, “The modern home demands a baby grand piano and every woman is eager to buy one.” The advertisement also guarantees that there are pianos available to “fit every income.”

Each of these advertisements gives insights to what the commercial life was like in Southern California in December, 1929. Which advertisements did you find interesting?

Anyone who has read my past blog posts knows that one of my
biggest priorities with this project is making information accessible to
researchers. This week I came across a map of Ontario from the late nineteenth
century that intrigued me because I could imagine researchers using this map
to look at the development of Ontario, CA.

This map was made in 1883 and was found in a series of documents
pertaining to land and title companies in San Bernardino County during the late
nineteenth century.

 

Although Ontario has changed a lot in the last 134 years,
some of the streets labeled on the map still exist today. I couldn’t resist
looking up this area of Ontario on Google Maps to see how things have changed.

 

What is depicted on the map from 1883 is only a portion of
the Ontario of today. This is an image of the entirety of Ontario, CA, with a
blue box indicating the scope of the nineteenth century map.

Maps are some of the most interesting features I have come across during my time here, especially when I compare them to maps of today. Maps represent tangible evidence of how a place has changed throughout history and it gives a visually striking impression on how times have changed.

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This week I thought I’d talk to you about paper preservation.
Paper is only one possible medium found in an archive. Some others include
electronic files, discs, tapes, photograph negatives, and more. However, when
most people imagine an archive they picture paper and in the case of the
California Water Documents, they would be correct. We are surrounded by paper
here, and our job is to preserve and digitize these paper documents so that
this archive is available to researchers. The preservation of paper is key and I
am going to share some FUN FACTS about paper preservation that are important to
keep in mind when you are considering archives.

The first fact is that paper is made up of organic material
that will degrade and decompose over time. This might seem obvious since we
know that paper is made from trees, but it is a harsh reality to face when
considering the longevity of physical archives. It’s not all sad, however.
Chemical reactions that occur during the decomposition of paper are what
creates the “old book smell” that many people love.

The second fact is that acidity is important. Lignin, a naturally
occurring molecule in wood pulp, is acidic and is therefore corrosive over
time. Although today most paper is acid-free, this was not always the case. Documents
made before the dangers of lignin were recognized show clear signs of damage:
they become yellow, frail, and brittle faster than acid-free paper.

The last fact is that the methods of storing files are
important in not only organizing but preserving paper documents. Using
acid-free folders and other storage materials is of utmost importance as we
have now learned. Storing files in a clean, climate-controlled place is also
important. When working with archival documents, there may be things you can do
on a case-by-case basis to protect the collection. For example, unfold crumpled
pages, remove rusty staples or paper clips, and be sure to stay away from pens,
food, or drinks!

These are only a few things to keep in mind when working
with paper. These are precious documents full of history, we want to keep them
safe.

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This week I visited the Ontario City Library, one of our
project partners, to pick up some new materials for our CLIR CCEPS fellows to
scan. This field trip offered a nice break from document scanning. We are
working with the Ontario City Library, as well as several other libraries, to
digitize a massive number of documents pertaining to water resources in
California. The Ontario City Library’s collection, along with their expertise,
is vital for the project to succeed, and it was great to get to see the library
in person.

The Ontario City Library also has special collections, what
they call the Model Colony Collections. This odd name is actually a reference
to Ontario’s history as the city was often used as a model for emerging
settlements in the surrounding area. The Model Colony Collection is dedicated
to preserving and presenting the history of Ontario using books, photographs,
maps, and other archival material. While visiting the library I was able to
spend time with the librarians in the Model Colony History Room and see the impressive
scope of their collection.

As the librarian at the Ontario City Library reviewed with
us the different materials we were picking up this week, I was struck by the
breadth of information that our project is going to make readily available
online for researchers. Within these boxes, there were water and
land company stock certificates, water well data, letters, land grant deeds,
water pump reports, and more. All these discrete documents are puzzle pieces to
understanding historic water use in California, pieces that would be missing
from our project without the hard work and dedication of the Ontario City
Library.

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This week I have been busy scanning documents as I settle
into my new position as a CLIR CCEPS Fellow. In particular, I have been scanning records
from the 1920s and 1930s. When you are working with documents that are 80 or 90
years old, the historical importance transcends the contents of the page. Whether
it is the paper quality, the ink, the typewriter impressions, or the
handwritten notes in the margins, there are more than words held within these
pages.

In particular, I have become transfixed by typography. Many
of the documents I am dealing with have unique and oftentimes artistic typography.
In some recently digitized pamphlets, the first letter of the first paragraph
is large and ornate, oddly reminiscent of the kinds of letters seen in old
bibles. The images below are just a few examples of the kinds of interesting
typography I have found in the process of scanning various documents.

Another typographical element of the documents that fascinates
me is the typewriter text. I have lived in an era of computers and printers.
Consequently, I have lived free of white out, crossed-out words, and
hand-corrected typos. These details,
when I come across them while perusing documents, give a sense of life to the
person who typed the words. There is a humanity and vulnerability seeing a
corrected mistake in someone’s work.

However, it is not just the typos within documents that remind
me that an individual or a group of individuals once worked with these same documents
many years ago. I often catch comments in the margins, aimless scribbles or
doodles on the backs of pages, or handwritten notes among the more formal
documents. Each handwritten addition adds personality to the creator of the
document and as I wait for the scanner to finish whirring or the file to save,
my mind wanders on the life this person lived 90 years ago.

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Hello everyone, my name is Kiera and I am new to the CLIR
Water Project. Moving forward, I will be updating you about my experiences with
this collection, but first I can tell you a little bit about me. I am a
graduate student at Claremont Graduate University in the Cultural Studies
program. Cultural Studies draws from a wide array of disciplines–from history
to sociology to literary criticism. Outside of school, I work at two different
museums in the area, the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona and the
Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. I have come to Special Collections and the CLIR
Water Project by way of my interests in archival work, an interest I developed
while working at the Bowers Museum.

I’ve been here only a few days and already I have discovered
some incredibly interesting records in the collection. I am excited to share
some of my revelations about this archive. First, however, I thought I’d write
about the preconceptions I had as I approached this project.

If you live in California, particularly if you live in
Southern California, there is no doubt that water has been an important issue
in recent years. As a native Californian, I certainly have my own ideas on
water use in our state. As one of the most important resources for human life;
it is no coincidence that most major cities have historically been built around
bodies of water. This would make the settling of Southern California, most of
which is a desert, seem improbable. And yet here we are, thirsty and ready to
grow food, so water better keep flowing.

How did we get here? Many historians, environmental scientists,
engineers, politicians, and even members of the general public would like to
know and are working towards an answer. As I am being introduced to the wide
variety of records that we are working to digitize and preserve, I am realizing
that the CLIR project has an opportunity to contribute to the answer.

This is an awesome revelation to have during my first few
days working on the project, and I cannot wait to see what I dig up that might
be useful to future researchers and interested parties. That is one wonderful
thing I have learned doing archival work–the answers to life’s mysteries could
be a turn of a page away.

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