A History Student Gets Schooled at the Archive, or, What I Learned in My Internship by Laura Moore

Our guest post was written by Laura Moore who finished her internship with us last week. BTW: She was a great pleasure to teach and mentor. - gmc

This spring, I experienced a history nerd’s dream- getting to work in an archive dedicated to my all-time favorite historical subject - Beaufort, South Carolina. The Beaufort District Collection, located upstairs in the Library building at 311 Scott Street, posted a job listing open to college history students for an internship in archival preservation. It sounded like an amazing opportunity, and since I was nearing the completion of a master’s degree in history from The Citadel and looking for a part-time job, I applied, interviewed, and was accepted.

The first few weeks of the internship were a crash course in archival principles and preservation practices. I read manuals, watched webinars, and took copious notes. The learning curve was steep but the prize at the end of the study was tantalizing – a real-life collection that I would be able to preserve and archive, and for which I would produce a finding aid. This collection was donated by lifelong Beaufortonian Beekman Webb, and includes, among other things, photographs, maps, and vintage postcards. His affection for his hometown shines through the group of items dedicated to the natural beauty, history, and unique people of the Lowcountry.

When I finally got to survey the collection, armed with my notebook full of archival process notes and an initial inventory from my supervisor, the extremely knowledgeable (and patient!) library specialist Cassie Knoppel, my first task was simply to observe it all, in its context. I slowly went through each item, flipping over antique documents dating to colonial times, hundred-year-old postcards that testified to both the change and the continuity of Beaufort’s scenes, and photographs that evoked as many questions as connotations. And then, I went through it again. I sat with it. I thought about it - looking for patterns, trying to understand the collector’s arrangement instead of assuming my own. I had learned that a tenet of archival ethics is to try to maintain, as much as possible, the original organization of a records collection. The historian in me greatly appreciated this as an invaluable aid to understanding the context and import of each item.

An archive is a collection of collections, and each individual collection is its own little universe. The order of that universe reflects its creator, and in this case, I was looking for the order that Mr. Webb had used, not trying to impress an artificial one of my own. Part of Mr. Webb’s collection is a series of several hundred vintage postcards. As I flipped through them, I quieted the inner urge to organize them by subject (“houses, boats, etc.”) or the urge to try and find dates for them and then arrange chronologically. Slowly it dawned on me that Mr. Webb indeed had an order – he envisioned the streets of Beaufort when he organized this part of the collection. The first postcards were of historical structures on the west end of Bay Street and then progressed eastward, past where the beautiful old Sea Island Hotel stood. Then, he enters the downtown commercial area and we see Luther’s Pharmacy. He turns left on Carteret Street, and we get images of the old post office, the Methodist Church, and the historical buildings of what is now USCB. Eventually we move to the barrier islands and outlying attractions. The order is not perfect or complete – but it is there, and it tells us something about the mind of the collector.

Sometimes, a researcher can find searching a collection cumbersome : Why can’t all the records just be alphabetized and digitized for quick and easy reference? One reason records should not be arranged this way is because historical veracity demands context, and the original collector’s arrangement can reveal clues to that historical context (and clues about the collectors themselves), that would be lost permanently if it were simply dissected to fit into a retrieval system. Our Beaufort District Collection archivists, led for many years by Grace Cordial (whose brain is itself a South Carolina state treasure) do their part to help historians and researchers understand the history of our area in many ways - through physical preservation by way of archival housing in a controlled environment, as well as through providing the access point between the researcher and the records. They seek to maintain, as far as it is possible, the original collector’s order as part of their mandate to accurately preserve and provide access to researchers.

My time at the Beaufort District Collection has instilled in me a great respect for the serious thought and professionalism that goes into archival work. I now encourage all my fellow history students and local history buffs (many of whom, in our day, have grown overly dependent on the internet alone) to take a trip to an archive. Many archives have their “finding aids” listed online. These are like restaurant menus for each collection and allow the researcher to know ahead of time what they would like to “order up” when they come in person. At our Beaufort District Collection, the friendly and knowledgeable Sidney Whiteside will most likely be the one helping you with your selection in the research room.

The archive is a quiet place in our community, but it is one that should be deeply valued and honored for providing vitality and integrity to the cultural legacy of the Lowcountry. If you love the Lowcountry, you should revere this repository of its infinitely intriguing story.             

 

Archives Month 2024 Display by Cassandra Knoppel

Cassandra Knoppel is this month's curator of the BDC Research Room display case. My comments are in italics. -- gmc

Happy American Archives Month! It’s that time of year again where archives, special collections, and other cultural heritage institutions celebrate and promote the work of archivists in preserving records of enduring value. In celebration, I have put together a display that answers common questions about our archive and the field in general, expanding on my prior preservation display from April 2024 and hopefully offering some more insight into what we do here at the BDC. 

Shelf 1: What are archives? 

I started us off in the top shelf by defining archives and showing the varying types of materials archives can hold. The Society of American Archivists Dictionary of Archives Terminology has five definitions for the noun Archive, including “a physical or digital collection of historical records.” Archives hold material of current and future historical value including files and documents, rare books, photographs, maps, posters, and so much more. Researchers looking for the answer to a history or genealogy question can stumble upon untold stories hidden in these primary source documents only available in archives.  

The article “Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research” by Laura Schmidt is a “short-and-sweet” introduction to archives. Schmidt outlines the aspects of archives that make them stand apart from libraries and the different types of archives, while also describing how to find and make use of archives during your research and what to expect during your visit to one. In my opinion, this should be mandatory reading for all researchers and visitors to archives (and I’m not just saying that because it was mandatory reading in my Intro to Archives course!)

The pamphlet “Placing Your Family Papers in an Archival Repository” by the SC State Historical Records Advisory Board is another quick guide that goes into more detail on how archives collect and present historic material. Copies of this pamphlet and the Schmidt article, unlike most of our materials, are available to take home from the BDC. 

Not every archive holds the same materials, nor does it serve the same function. While the BDC is a local history archive serving Beaufort County, other archives collect material related only to state politicians or governmental agencies or have broader scopes by collecting historical materials from across the state. The featured guide, Directory of Historical Records Repositories in South Carolina edited by Jeanette Bergeron (2000) (SC 025.171 DIR), lists some of the many archival repositories in South Carolina including ours at the BCL, and others like MUSC’s Waring Historical Library, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, University of South Carolina's South Caroliniana Library, and the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project archives. While this is clearly an older and outdated edition, it does serve as a concise overview of the repositories within South Carolina and the current information for each archive can be easily found online. As the SC Archives Month poster from 2007 (SC Poster #200) proclaims, “There are over 100 historical societies, public libraries, museums, colleges, universities, and other locations across the Palmetto State with archival riches to be discovered.” We’re proud to say that the BDC is one of them! 

Shelf 2: What is the Beaufort District Collection? What do you do? 

The Beaufort District Collection (BDC) is the Beaufort County Library’s special local history and archives collection. The purpose of the Beaufort District Collection is to acquire, preserve, maintain and make accessible a research collection of permanent value that records the history of the area of Lowcountry South Carolina known as the old historic Beaufort District. The BDC began as a shelf in the Beaufort Township Library, then became a closet in the 1964 Library building, and by 1992 a South Carolina Room's worth of local history materials on the first floor of the Beaufort Branch Library. (We are still using some of the furnishings that the Beaufort County Historical Society provided back then now.) As the pamphlet from our Vertical File on the BDC shows (yes – we collect archival material on our archive too!), we later became our own department and campaigned to move to our present larger space on the second floor under the careful eye of Grace Cordial, Grand Poo-Bah of the BDC 😊(That you think of me as Grand Poo-Bah makes me smile, Cassi, but in all honesty I think of myself in more regal terms - as the "Queen 👑 of the BDC." BTW: It took me 9 years and 16 days from the initial "ask" for more space to move the BDC to our current quarters. I am a persistent cuss when I believe in a project.)

The BDC now holds almost 250 archival collections related to the history, people, and events of Beaufort County. 

I discussed some of the “behind-the-scenes" work that archivists do in my last display for Preservation Week, but the short story is that BDC staff and volunteers prepare collections for public use through arranging, describing, and preserving collection materials (called processing). We then facilitate that use during reference appointments while also promoting our holdings and sharing local history through programs, displays like this one, brochures, flyers, resource guides, and social media posts. Ways to see and access our collections are described in our BDC brochure and our most recently processed collections are featured in the “What’s New at the BDC” brochure (copies are available outside of our Research Room door). 

Shelf 3: What types of records do you have? How can they help my research? 

The BDC holds a WIDE variety of records of historical value, in both physical and digital formats. A broad list of types of materials that archives hold is posted in the display. A few examples (as depicted in the surrogate versions on the shelf) include photo slides, floppy disks, prints, postcards, photographs and stereoscopes, manuscripts and typed documents. 

Our collection is designed for in-person research, but did you know that you can access some of our resources virtually too? Our new “Virtual BDC” flyer lists all of the ways you can view some of our collections and resource materials from home. (Or you could just join us on October 10th at Port Royal Branch Library for a presentation about the Library's Digital Collections. Just saying.) You can also view some of our archival collection’s finding aids and resource guides on special topic areas on our BDCBCL: Links, Lists, and Finding Aids blog.  

When it comes to research help, we serve many purposes. For example, we often get customers looking to start their family tree research, and although we are NOT a genealogical library, we do have a few tools to help. Looking at census records is a great place to start! The SCDAH’s booklet, Census Records at the Archives (SC 929.1 TUT), is a handy primer available in our Research Room on how to approach Census research and what information can be found within different types of Census schedules. The BDC has SC census records from the years 1790 to 1930 available on microfilm. You can also access census records from Ancestry Library Edition from inside any Beaufort County Library, including here at the BDC (but it is advisable that you give us a heads up that you're coming.)

Shelf 4: How are archives different from libraries or museums? 

And lastly, another important topic to cover is the distinction between archives, libraries, and museums. While each type is designed to hold and present informational material, the scope, method, and manner of maintaining their collections and facilitating access varies between each. The chart adapted from the AASLH “Basics of Archives” course (2008) illustrates the similarities and differences between archives, libraries and museums. One key difference is the types of material they collect; libraries typically collect published material that is available elsewhere, museums collect unique artifacts and objects, while archives - as I discussed before - collect unpublished and unique material (typically not including objects). 

Now is a good time to state that archives often have special rules and policies to safeguard historical materials in our collections, not to burden patrons or prevent research but so that the condition of the items remain stable so people can continue to have access to them for centuries to come. The SCDAH’s booklet, Research in the Archives (SC 929.1 RES), concisely explains the role of the SCDAH, their services and their general holdings, while also outlining some of their access policies. The SCDAH’s policies are similar to those in the BDC - While libraries usually allow unrestricted access to their collections of books and DVDs, so long as you have a library card, archives and museums do restrict access to their collections – they do not allow patrons to walk up and select an item from the shelf to take home for a week. 

I hope that this exhibit gives you a new-found appreciation and understanding of archives and the role they play in our communities and in our exploration of history. As the 2008 South Carolina Archives Month poster (SC Poster #197) states: Archives are “treasure maps to the past” and you never really know what you might find during your visit. Make a research appointment with the BDC to see what YOU can uncover in our archives: bdc@bcgov.net OR 843-255-6468. 

A heads up: The Library system will be closed Monday, October 2024 for Staff Work Day.

Happy Birthday, Beaufort Branch Library

The Library system decided to "celebrate Library birthdays" as part of a continuing series of events to engage the public and showcase library services. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Pretty much every human alive wants a sugar rush that cake supplies - and to eat some at their local beloved library, super cool, right? Picking a date seems simple enough too: What day did the current Library building begin providing library services to its community? Or perhaps, When was the current Library building dedicated? Hopefully the two dates - dates of service delivery and the dedication date - would be fairly close together. Here's the problem when this principle is applied to the downtown Beaufort Branch Library:

The structure supplying current services was cobbled to an older structure and the 1st and 2nd floors of the new construction were finished years apart. The "new" building was providing services from part of its structure 6 months before the building was dedicated. The day that library service delivery restarted after everything was put on new or relocated shelves in part of the partially completed building - got more text - and a better photo -- in the Beaufort Gazette than coverage of actual the Dedication Ceremony. (Longtime Beaufort Gazette reporter - and longtime Friend of the Beaufort Library supporter - Lolita Huckaby wrote both the re-opening and the dedication articles.)

From reviewing the contents of the Beaufort County Library archive that we have in the Research Room, I learned a few things.

1) There are no BCL photographs of the Dedication ceremonies of 1993. None. Absolutely nada.

2) Library Director Julie Zachowski had a hard slog trying to get a more appropriately sized structure approved, sited, built and opened.

3) The building took a long time to plan, build, and finish -- almost as long as the 9 years and 16 days it took me to get the BDC Research Room moved from the First floor to out of the flood plain on the Second floor of this building at 311 Scott Street.

From the records found in the Research Room, it seems that the Beaufort County Council argued with the Library Board of Trustees, Library Director, and construction entities, etc. for years from the time of official recognition that the 1964 library was no longer suitable for the growing population of the area to walking into a completely finished Library building with an entrance address of 311 Scott Street in 1998.

• To save money, the 1980s-1990s extension connected to the Craven Street Library (built in 1964) on the ground floor. The 1964 library became the Children's services area in 1992.
• Most of the first floor extension was opened to serve the public on August 24, 1992.
• Construction of the first floor was completely finished in October 1992. They waited until the multiple layers of stain on the SC Room shelves finally dried and the landscaping was installed to pronounce the first floor done.
• The Library Board of Trustees and the Friends of the Beaufort Library decided that the formal Dedication ceremony would happen on Valentine's Day, 1993 - hence the source of the "30th Birthday" theme on Saturday at Beaufort Branch.
• Construction on the 2nd floor would be delayed due to cost and political considerations. It was completed in 1998. At that time the second floor was Library Administration offices and a large meeting space.
• In 2009-2010 that large meeting was converted to house the growing the Beaufort District Collection.

Looking ahead: Because the BDC is its own cost center, has its own policies, keeps its own hours, and does "its own thing" in accord with public library and archival principles and practices, the BDC's "Birthday Celebration" will be at the end of September commemorating the move from the vastly overcrowded conditions of the area now occupied by the Beaufort Branch Theresa Dunn Meeting Room to the former Paul S. Siegmund Meeting Room on the second floor. We'll be celebrating 13 years of service from our current location. But as you will learn, what started out as a shelf in the Carnegie Library, grew into a closet, then into a room, and then into a much larger room. Library services related to local history go way further back in time. More details will be announced closer to the BDC's relocation celebration.

The display that I put in the lobby panel near the elevator on the first floor of the Beaufort Branch Library tells the basic story behind this Saturday's "Beaufort Branch 30th Birthday" event. The lobby board features some surrogates of construction photographs, a newspaper image, the dedication invitation, and a slide that summarizes construction costs and size. I added the floating sparkling hearts because it's February and February is Library Lovers Month.

Bottom (and last) line: This Library location has seen a lot of changes in the past 59 years.