Participation Type
Community Conversation
Appalachian Identities: Naming and Claiming Difference
Presentation #1 Title
Documenting Appalachia: Physical and Digital Community-based Archives
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Community-based archives provide a way for groups to document their history without the input of larger, more traditional institutions. Community-based archives give the group the ability to determine which stories and documents have enduring value and share their story on their own terms. Even if a mainstream institution becomes partners in collecting the materials or serves as a steward of the collected materials, the group typically continues to have control over the growth, maintenance, and accessibility of the collections. This control allows the group to shape their collective memory and claim their own identity. In a conversation with an archivist and an electronic resources librarian who have worked with community-based archives, participants will discuss how to support community-based archives in their mission to document the community, how to make these collections accessible both physically and digitally, and successes and failures in community-based archives throughout the region. Questions for this session may include:
- Have you participated in a grassroots or community-based archives? Was the project successful?
- How did you make the collections accessible, if they are accessible?
- What types of technology do you use to collect and manage the materials – recorded oral histories, scanners to copy documents, collection management systems for digital objects, etc.?
- How can traditional archives and libraries support independent, community-based archives?
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Allison Galloup is currently the Special Collections and Digital Initiatives Librarian at the University of North Georgia. She has worked as a processing archivist at the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library. She has worked with local historical societies and museums on building, preserving, and making accessible their collections. Allison received a BA in history from Berry College and her MLIS from the University of South Carolina.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Tim Daniels is currently the Manager of Technical and Electronic Services at the University of North Georgia. He worked in Archives and Special Collections at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. During much of his library career he has been involved in technology and technology training. Tim has a B.S. in History with a concentration in Public History from Appalachian State University. His library degree is from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Documenting Appalachia: Physical and Digital Community-based Archives
Community-based archives provide a way for groups to document their history without the input of larger, more traditional institutions. Community-based archives give the group the ability to determine which stories and documents have enduring value and share their story on their own terms. Even if a mainstream institution becomes partners in collecting the materials or serves as a steward of the collected materials, the group typically continues to have control over the growth, maintenance, and accessibility of the collections. This control allows the group to shape their collective memory and claim their own identity. In a conversation with an archivist and an electronic resources librarian who have worked with community-based archives, participants will discuss how to support community-based archives in their mission to document the community, how to make these collections accessible both physically and digitally, and successes and failures in community-based archives throughout the region. Questions for this session may include:
- Have you participated in a grassroots or community-based archives? Was the project successful?
- How did you make the collections accessible, if they are accessible?
- What types of technology do you use to collect and manage the materials – recorded oral histories, scanners to copy documents, collection management systems for digital objects, etc.?
- How can traditional archives and libraries support independent, community-based archives?
