Cinderella

 This was a relatively big week.  The first notable thing was that I met my 1,000 digitized item mark and well exceeded it. I have now digitized around 1300 items!  It’s a personal goal and I feel relatively proud of my progress so far!

I was also able to attend one of the Benjamin Botkin Folklife Lecture Series at the Library of Congress.  The lecture was given by Margaret Yocom from George Mason University.  The lecture came at a perfect time- I had recently returned from a weekend home with my niece.  One of her favorite movies currently is Disney’s “Cinderella.”  The lecture I went to happened to be about a lesser known Cinderella than the mainstream, less gruesome and politically incorrect version that the Brothers Grimm originally created.  Even before other authors changed the original version, the Grimm Brothers edited their own version to change with the times.  However, the themes that stuck were incest and fur.  Those are two things that current Cinderella models leave out completely.  Cinderella in the Grimm Brothers’ versions was called “Allerleirauh” which translates into “all kinds of fur.”  

It wasn’t the story itself- as terrifying and odd as the original version is- that got my attention.  It was the mysteries that Dr. Yocom solved to find the origins of Cinderella.  She analyzed the works and illustrations in a way that allowed her to learn new things about folklore and the stories of Allerleirauh and Cinderella.  What kind of parallels could have been drawn between the previous versions and those of today had the manuscripts been digitized and preserved as we are doing with the Moses Asch project?  This can extend to all manuscripts that have been completely or partially destroyed or lost.  I am currently digitizing letters between Folkways and everyone that contacted it.  Will this help people draw different types of connections in the future if something happens to the originals?  

The lecture was not only interesting- and a great topic for dinner conversation- it also allowed questions about my current work to grow.  These are the best kind of lectures, I think.  The brain wasn’t made to just listen, it was made to process and apply what we hear to help up create or understand other things.

The week ended with meetings at the Dibner and Cullman libraries.  These libraries contain the American History and Natural History museum’s rare book collection.  It was a dream come true.  I have always loved museums, but there’s something about rare books that draws me in more completely.  

However, it was my trip to the Natural History museum store that led me back to Moses Asch.  One of the people working at the store and I started talking about Folkways records.  She was so excited to hear about my internship and what I was doing with the Smithsonian.  Her interest in Moses Asch was a great way to see that this project was going to be important to people- even people you just happen to meet.  My conversation with the Smithsonian employee really made Moses Asch seem like a superstar of the Smithsonian! 

Rest in Peace, Uncle Paul. I love you forever.

http://sps7rite.blogspot.com/2010/07/pastor-paul-brenner.html?showComment=1361588700306#c2706947607884336262

After an amazing day of meetings with rare book librarians and spending tons of time in museums and shopping I come home to find that my Uncle Paul passed away. It was in the middle of my second meeting- around 2:30 or 2:45- that I had the need to cry for no reason. I thought that it was because I was so happy and overwhelmed at being in the Rare Books department of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. I know now that somehow I knew before anyone told me. His passing has already left a hole in the world—and in me.

Is it strange to think that someone designed today to make sure I wouldn't be completely shattered? If Uncle Paul knew that I had had one of the best days ever and that he was the cause of it all falling apart he would be so upset. I can't do that to him so I'm going to think that he had something to do with it. He designed today for me ♥.

Four years ago I had my first intercollegiate dressage show with the FSU Equestrian team at the University of Central Florida. I was terrified. My mom, dad, sister-in-law and brother came to watch me show that day. When my mom and dad pulled up the back door opened and my Uncle Paul stepped out of the car. That was probably the most excited I have been in my life. I hadn’t seen him for quite a while and I felt content, no matter what happened. My Uncle Paul is one of the most amazing men I have met in my life. He is the strongest and most inspirational person I could ask for. He has done so much and has the biggest and most open heart. He is one of those people that I really grew up emulating. I wanted to be kind and genuine and as open-hearted and loving as he was. I like to think that I am a good shadow of that in my life. And I hope to be his one of his little shadows forever.

The best vacation I have ever had was to San Francisco with my mom and Uncle Paul. He was so happy and made San Francisco so special for me. From Napa Valley to Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory to Alcatraz and the little live jazz bar we went to, I know I will always have those places to go back to and to still feel as though he is with me.

Ever since my brother got married and had Uncle Paul marry them, I was committed to having him marry me to my soul mate one day, too. I wish so much that it would have worked out and I know that whenever I do get married it will never be as special without him. But I know he will be with me no matter what. Hopefully, I will be able to find a way to make my wedding just as special.

I will forever be in your arms.

Leadership and Digital Curation

               This week I was lucky enough to attend a Smithsonian lecture called “What is Digital Curation and What Does It Mean for Cultural Heritage Institutions?”  After working on digitizing for a cultural heritage institution the lecture was the perfect way to see how other people at the Smithsonian- and in the general museum world- viewed digital curation.  Changing the title of digitizing to digital curation is one step towards making the importance of digitization known.  There are many things that are overlooked and, while digitization may be the talk of the town in some respects, it is also taking its time to get off the ground.  

               This can be seen not only when looking at Smithsonian Institutions, but also any museum or archival collection.  There is no set of guidelines that everyone uses.  In certain circumstances it is perfectly understandable to want to be unique.  However, when it comes to data management it helps on a number of levels if there is a system that everyone is using.  Coming from the library world OCLC and the Marc record are just a few examples.  Though I have come to learn, while looking at records from all around the world, that even with a seemingly uniform system there is some variety.

               Working to digitally curate the Moses Asch Collection has shown me even more variation.  The systems we are using, besides the DAMS, are different than other Smithsonian digitization efforts.  There is no one set of keywords to choose from nor specific software and hardware to use for every project.  Each project has a different way to do things and different tools to help them complete their projects.  The guidelines that were created and edited so well for this project apply only to this project.  There is no set recipe or book that we can look at if there are questions.  Digital curation calls for leadership in every project that is created under its wing.  They are using each project as a case study, as with most new programs.  

               Working on one of these case studies I have seen the need for leadership for the individual projects.  I have also seen that there needs to be a consortium of leaders to discuss the future of digital projects and create a system for digital curators to use. 

Context is everything, even when you’re digitizing

As of Thursday I have digitized 829 items since starting at my internship.  I like to think that this is a strong number and I cannot wait until I get to 1,000 objects digitized and their metadata perfectly filled out and ready for researchers!  Though the step after that- uploading it to the Digital Asset Management System- is what really makes it available.  While it may not be part of my job I will hopefully be learning the process of uploading the documents in the upcoming weeks. 

One of the things I have noticed during my internship is the importance of the context of the object.  The question that I was advised to ask myself was “What is important to the story?”  This is a lesson that I haven’t heard since high school and middle school.  During those years the lesson was drilled into me.  That, along with the idea of making every word count, were our mantras.  I never knew that they would come back to help me after I had left the Creative Writing program at Lavilla and Douglas Anderson. 

When I look at a document or a picture I have to consider it on a number of levels.  Most of the letters in the correspondence folders tell a story.  The obvious story might just be about royalties or making a new album, but the underlying story is one about the people involved in the letters.  The letters allow a window into these people that they might not know is there.  How you interact with someone speaks volumes about what kind of person you are.  I like to think that I am being introduced to a number of different people as I digitize and enter metadata.  Moses Asch is usually involved in at least a portion of each person’s letters so I feel like I am getting to know him especially way.  He is definitely a spitfire when it comes to his work!

In order to decide if a keyword should be attached to each document I have to consider if it is important to the story that the letter is telling.  It is easy to tag every subject or proper noun that you come across, but sometimes easier does not always provide the best information.  There is such a thing as “information overload.”  If a researcher is looking for information about music made in or about Paris they may get frustrated to find all the letters sent from or to Paris.  Metadata is a way to help archivists, librarians, information specialists AND researchers.  There are many facets to consider before typing in the first things you see.  You have to let yourself, at least on some level, become a part of the story.  Whether the story is one envisioning the researchers of the future or making the letter’s contents come alive is up to the archivist! 

I should add that, in some cases, there is a set way to enter metadata and that you can’t do it willy-nilly.  There are certain terms that are required or listed (the Library of Congress keywords have been very helpful!).  Even deciding of which of those to use is sometimes more of a challenge that you would originally think. 

Choosing my words very carefully and taking heed of context are things that I thought might never leave the pages of my short stories and poems.  Yet, I have found that quite a bit of my Creative Writing training has come in handy- not only in my college career but my professional one, as well!