Week Three Wrap Up

So at the end of week three, I have started on collection #2 and tackled a slew of questions about Professor Henry Remak. Collection #2, the Folklore Archives, is still in a pretty messy state, but I think I'll make some real progress on it this week. I'm still hoping to do some EAD work on the Dorson collection finding aid. I'm excited to tackle the multimedia aspects of the Folklore collection this week!

Henry H.H. Remak

I spent all of Friday delving into the life Professor Henry H.H. Remak. Professor Bantin forwarded the reference questions about Professor Remak to me to answer. I have to say that this IU professor had a pretty extraordinary life.

Henry Remak was born in 1916 in Germany. He fled Nazi Germany in 1936 and took up residence here in Bloomington. While he hadn't originally planned on becoming a teacher, but he did eventually end up teaching in the Germanic Studies, Comparative Literature and Western European Studies Departments at IU. He was a distinguished scholar and a favorite on campus. Professor Remak died last February at the age of 92 and he still held an office at IU.



It was a great research project to plunge into the life of a distinguished IU professor. I did my undergraduate work at IU but didn't study in any of his departments, so I did not know of his impact and influence. While I enjoy all aspects of the archives internship so far, I think that reference work is becoming my favorite!

Collection #2

So after completing the Dorson collection, though I am still hoping to do the EAD encoding for the finding aid, Professor Bantin has assigned me to sort out the rest of the folklore archives as my next collection. I have to say that this part of the collection is in pretty rough shape.














Piles of files, publications, slides, and photos have just been sitting without any real organization. It will be my task to sort this material and either place the material with an existing collection that it was separated from or create a new collection depending on the content.

The great thing about this collection is the amount of research I get to do to find the rightful place for these materials. I'm excited about the amount of photos, slides, and audio recordings found so far.


I'm really looking forward to working with this collection, especially the multi-media aspects. This collection will definitely sharpen my archival research and arranging skills.

Review. Edit. Approve?

Today I finished the text version of the Dorson collection finding aid. I've submitted my finding aid for review and I'm eager to receive some feedback. I do hope that my abstract, biography note, and scope and content note are up to par. Hopefully, I will be able to make the edits and move on to the EAD portion of the finding aid soon. I'm excited to have a real finding aid in my resume portfolio and I'll post it here too so everyone can see the product of the work I've been writing about here.

Week 2 Wrap Up

This second week was a productive one. I finished the physical arrangement of the Dorson collection. The collection now spans seven cubic feet instead of nine cubic feet. I also started the finding aid. I finished the collection inventory and will start the description next week. The inventory was pretty straight forward, but I hope my description will be adequate for the collection. Hopefully, my prior research and guidance from Professor Bantin will result in a suitable finding aid. I'm excited to complete this collection and move on to the EAD process.

Finding Aid

Today I finished the physical arrangement of the Dorson collection and started on the finding aid. The collection now resides in seven organized boxes, down from the nine earlier. I'm only at the start of the finding aid, so I'm just documenting the inventory of the collection.




While documenting the inventory I came across a very interesting piece that Dr. Dorson wrote in the 1960s. He wrote a piece titled "Murder Ballads" and it documents murder ballads from the US. I have to admit that I did take a moment to read this piece and it made me want to investigate the topic further. The best thing about processing a collection is that you get to explore and learn about all sorts of topics. It feels like a school every day and I love that! If I could I would be a professional student!

Arranging We Go!

My processing plan was approved today! Professor Bantin gave me some suggestions to better my plan and set me off to go arrange the collection. I spent the day moving photocopied newspaper clippings from binders to acid-free folders. These newspaper clippings are part of the Gary Project research files. Dr. Dorson used these clippings, as well as other resources, to write the book The Land of the Millrats. I have to say that the newspaper articles seemed far more interesting when arranged by topic such as Traditional Themes in Conversations and Gary Steel Industry, then when presented in the standard daily format.



After foldering, I took some preservation action on slides that are part of the collection. These slides were removed from their plastic sleeves and placed in an archival box.



Overall, a productive day and I look forward to constructing the finding aid after my arrangement is complete.

The Plan

Today was the start of week two at my internship. I have surveyed the Dorson Collection thoroughly. I spent the afternoon working on a processing plan for the collection which I will present to Professor Bantin tomorrow. Hopefully, he will find my plan suitable and I can begin to physically arrange the collection. I also hope to get at least one article suggestion from Professor Bantin so I can start reading and reporting about the archival profession. I'm really looking forward to creating a finding aid for this collection too!

Also, Crystal created a great new display in the Archives Reading Room today. Stop by and see how Crest toothpaste plays into the history of Indiana University.

Week One Wrap Up

I survived week one! It was actually a great week. I learned that I have, in fact, picked a career path that I really enjoy. I've also learned a great deal about folklore, which wasn't expected.

Next week I hope to present my processing plan and to start arranging the collection. My processing plan is not complete at the moment, but I hope that by the end of the day Monday I will have a clear and comprehensive plan to present. I look forward to creating a finding aid for this collection and testing out my EAD skills. I also plan to start doing some reading on the profession. Professor Bantin's guidance will point me toward useful articles and I will post my summaries and findings on this blog.

I'm excited to start another week and all the new experiences that follow.

Side note: follow the University Archives on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IUBArchives

Indiana Memorial Union of the Past

Today, in addition to processing the Dorson collection, I was asked to answer a reference question the Archive received via email.

"An alumna who says she remembers walking through the IMU and seeing, and being inspired by, a Lincoln quotation inscribed “on a mantle” by some back stairs in the Union. I wandered all around the IMU this morning looking for such an inscription and couldn't find it.

So, does this ring a bell with anyone? And who is the keeper of all such lore around here anyways?"

Carrie dispatched me to the reference file to find the answer. Unfortunately an employee at the IMU, who was also emailed this question, beat me to the answer.

“I will study and get ready and then maybe the chance will come.” –A. Lincoln: this inscription is on the fireplace mantle, on the second floor of the bookstore.

Even though I didn't find the answer, I did learn a bit about the IMU.

Back in the 1960s the IMU had a formal tea room and lounges designated for men only. Interesting, nonetheless.

Day Two

Here is a little photo tour of the Dorson archives.


At the moment the Dorson archives are contained in these eight boxes.








Box 1 of 2 that contain only articles.











Audio cassette tapes that contain interviews of people sharing their folklore with Dr. Dorson.















Slides from 1976 containing the Bicentennial Celebration and Art Auction in Gary, Indiana. These were part of the research used by Dr. Dorson to write the book Land of the Millrats.

At the Beginning: Internship Day One

It begins. Today was Day One of the my internship at the University Archives. The good news is that I love it already and have not made a very expensive mistake attending SLIS.

My charge this semester is to process the Richard Mercer Dorson papers.

Richard Mercer Dorson (1916–1981) was an American folklorist, author, professor, and director of the Folklore Institute at Indiana University. Dorson is considered one of the fathers of American folklore. The terms "urban legend" and "fakelore" were popularized by Dorson. He was an accomplished scholar writing several books and over 200 articles. Dorson also championed the role of the oral tradition in the field of folklore.

So far the material is interesting and I'm looking forward to further exploring the collection.