THANKS FOR THE MEMORY

THE ROLE OF THE LIBRARY IN BUILDING AND MAINTAINING

INSTITUTIONAL ARCHIVES

BY ANNE MCKEAGEJUNE 13, 2012

• Why to collect historical materials• What to collect.• How to collect it.• How to store it.• How to provide access to it.• How you and your clients might

make use of it.

CONTENTS

WHAT TO COLLECT: INSTITUTIUTIONAL RECORDS OF HISTORICAL VALUE

• Planning Material

• Annual Reports, Accreditation Reports, Major Project Reports

• Minutes of major decision making committees

• Publications such as internal newsletters and patient information

• Annual Financial Statements  • Course materials

• Special events such as conferences, lecture series, fund raisers, anniversary celebrations

• Identified photographs either print, negative or digital, DVD’s, Videotapes and Audiotapes.

• Curriculum Vitae of directors, chairs and other principal staff members.

 

Example of an Annual Report and the unique information they contain.

Example ofpatient information

Photos must be identified and dated

Great photo of who?

McMaster University First Dept of Medicine, 1970

Mountain Sanatorium, 1906-1969

Children lined up outside the Bruce Building, c1930

2 patients

Ambulance c1916

Photo collection from Dept of Laboratory Services, 1950-1957 Found 1998

Photo collection from Dept of Laboratory Services, 1950-1957 Found 1998

Deeds for Mountain Sanatorium Landsfrom Finance Dept. 1905-1970

Found 1997

Hamilton General HospitalGraduation. Class 1946B

Miss Ethel Gilbert teaching 1957

Nurses station, 1960-1969

HAMILTON GENERAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING

ALUMNI COLLECTIONS 1927-1930

LATE LEAVE PASSES 1930

Page from Scrapbook 1927

Gerry Hiebert Series Administrator, 1967-1973

Anatomy Class 1969

Curriculum Planning 1970’s

Dr. Charles Barb Mueller. First chair of Surgery

First graduating medical class 197219 graduates, 5 teachers/planners

Learning Resources Dept.: Lynn Johnston’s take

on the Slide/Audiotape collection

Nursing CurriculumHAMILTON GENERAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING 1954

McMaster University 2003

How to collect records

&

How to store the records

Hard copy records• A lockable storage space• Contact Brodart. www.brodart.ca• Hollinger boxes / Bankers boxes• Acid free file folders• Acid free paper• Acid free envelopes• Archival pen

How to provide access

• Buy archives software like Eloquent Archives, InMagic or ARCHEION ICA.

• Create a website• Buy scanner and digitize

photographs

Result• Historical collection accessible through

the the website and library catalogue, managed and searchable using archives software.

• Intellectually together even if physically all over collection. – Non circulating collection in locked storage

room: Archival records and older publications.– Circulating collection: publications by and

about your hospital, secondary histories of health and medicine.

– Digital collection

What you’ll need

A scanner

Archival Supplies

A Computer

Archives software

and a website

A student

A supervisor

Lockable space

What you need to doFind lockable spaceSearch library catalogueContact Executive OfficesContact Public Relations OfficeContact other departmentsBuy archival suppliesBuy archival software eg. Eloquent

Archives and input the data.Create webpage for “Historical

Collections”

Yes! Absolutely!Thank you for calling!