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Event Recap: J. Paul Getty Trust Institutional Archives and…

Author: Sereen Suleiman

On November 3, 2021, SAASC hosted J. Paul Getty Trust Archivist and Records Analyst, Jennifer Thompson. The trust contains the cultural works of arts, heritage collections, and records from its programs, which include the Museum, the Conservation Institute, the Education Institute, the Information Institute, the Leadership Institute, the Research Institute, and the Getty Foundation. 

Thompson started off the presentation by introducing the founder of the Getty, Mr. J. Paul Getty, an oil tycoon who spent a great deal of his fortunes collecting vast works of art since the 1930s. In 1954, he opened a museum in Malibu, California, which would later become the Getty Villa. Twenty-two years later, in 1976, Mr. Getty passed away, and his 700 million dollar fortune was donated to his museum and trustees. Over time, the museum began accumulating art pieces to the point that it had no space available. As a result, another building was constructed alongside the 405 freeway by Brentwood, California (in Los Angeles County) and is currently the J. Paul Getty Trust, with the present-day Getty Villa solely a museum for antiquities.

According to Thompson, the institutional archives at the J. Paul Getty Trust collect and preserve the records of the organization. She did emphasize, however, that the archives and special collections are two DIFFERENT departments, even though both report to the research library. While artifacts housed within the archives are not open to the public, items for special collections are available for outside researchers and scholars.

When collecting items, the archivists focus on the questions of who, what, when, where, and what the object is. In fact, part of Thompson’s job as an archivist is to undertake records appraisal for review, classification, disposition, destruction, and/or transfer. As soon as she discovers records in the Record Center, she categorizes them and the owners are notified when the records are ready to be dispositioned. She also works with the Getty staff at all levels to interpret complex records policies and procedures. 

Towards the end of the session, she recalled several stand-out courses she took while she pursued a Master in Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. The courses she recommended the most are cataloging and web design. Moreover, she took courses that expanded her knowledge, such as an electronic records course.

Keep a lookout for our last event of the Fall 2021 semester with Cyndi Shein from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries on December 7, 2021. 

From all of us at SAASC, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Recap: ONE Archives at USC Libraries Presentation

Last week, on Tuesday October 19, 2021, archivist Loni Shibuyama spoke about USC’s ONE Archives, the largest LGBTQ archival collection. Loni introduced the background of ONE, followed by the types of collections stored at the archives as well as her required tasks and experiences as an archivist at ONE.

ONE initially began as a magazine in 1953. Over time, it published scholarly articles and lectures and hosted conferences and library tours. By the 1990s, the focus shifted towards being an archive and library. By 2010, ONE was officially known as the ONE Archives at USC Libraries. The archive is currently open five days a week and welcomes researchers from all institutions.

Materials from the archive date back all the way to the mid 1800s, which is interesting to note considering ONE was founded in the 1950s. Nevertheless, the strengths of ONE’s collection is the U.S., more specifically California in the twentieth century. That being said, the archives contain periodical collections, works and memorabilia from associations, and photos. Other materials found at ONE include posters, buttons, T-shirts, costumes, promotional products, uniforms, textiles, and paper records.

As an archivist at ONE, Loni is primarily responsible for art collections. Additionally, she organizes the storage areas, creates finding needs through archive space, advertises collections online, manages grant funds for maintaining collections, and shares reference, general, and administrative responsibilities with her colleagues.

Also, keep a lookout for our next featured presentation with the J. Paul Getty Trust Institutional Records and Archives on November 3, 2021.

“SJSU SAASC Fall 2021 Membership Meeting and Get-Together” Highlights

Author: Sereen Suleiman

I would like to start off by thanking all the student members who attended the student chapter’s membership meeting for the fall 2021 semester! It was a pleasure to answer your questions about archives and share some leadership advice!

To recap, the San Jose State University (SJSU) Society of American Archivists Student Chapter held a membership meeting last week on Wednesday, September 14 to meet up with our fellow student chapter members and introduce them to our team. Led by the SAASC Chair, Barbara Alvarado Gonzalez, the meeting turned out to be a wonderful experience! After each team member introduced themselves and their positions, the team covered important topics including:

• SAASC’s first ever virtual scavenger hunt! It’s the perfect way to network and learn about archives at the same time. Sign up before October 4, 2021
• Recordings to previous SAASC events are on our YouTube channel and the SAASC website
• Archeota, our very own archives journal publication for SJSU students, is now accepting articles for the Fall 2021 issue. Ideas are due September 27. Check out the promotions on the website and the blog for more details.
• Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on the latest events!
• And of course, annual SAASC elections will be held in April 2022. If interested in an SAASC position, consider nominating yourself.

Missed the meeting? Don’t fret, as the recording is already available on our YouTube channel and our SAASC website. Students that attended asked insightful questions, including which classes are most recommended for the archives route (a number of us took or are taking INFO 248, the introduction to cataloging class), how to get involved in leadership positions for SJSU’s iSchool, and if there are any volunteer opportunities.

Speaking of volunteer opportunities, it has been mentioned during the meeting that The Hannon Library Archives at SOU (Southern Oregon University) has a volunteer opportunity to help translate old handwritten documents. Check out their website for more information if available: https://hannonnews.xwp.sou.edu/2021/03/volunteer-virtually-with-special-collections/

And finally, the SAASC blog would love to have students share any fascinating blogs about archives! Feel free to send submissions anytime to sjsusaasc@gmail.com.

Our membership meeting is only the beginning of what we have to offer in store! So again, don’t worry if you missed this event. There’s plenty more opportunities to get involved with SAASC!

Archeota Fall 2021 Issue

Author: Kelli Roisman

Edited by: Sereen Suleiman

Are you interested in the world of archives? Enjoy writing? Dream of getting published?

The Society of American Archivists Student Chapter is looking for contributors to the Fall 2021 issue of Archeota, our open access digital publication written BY students, FOR students.

Reach out to us now and share your idea for an article! Unsure of what to write about? We can help!

Please share your ideas with us before September 27. Once your article is pre-approved, the submission deadline is October 25. Send an email to our managing editor Kelli Roisman at kelli.roisman@sjsu.edu.

We publish a wide variety of content on issues and events connected with the world of archives with a typical article length of 800-1000 words:

• Submission ideas must be pre-approved by the Archeota editorial team.
• Articles are generally 800-1,000 words in length, unless otherwise approved by the Archeota editorial team. 
• All work submitted should be original and abide by U.S. copyright law and standards. All work submitted is subject to an originality checker as a form of accountability. If we are unsatisfied with the results of the checker we will not include the material in Archeota. However, originality and adherence to all appropriate laws and standards is the responsibility of the author.
• Articles may not be published in print or digital form (blogs, social media, etc.) elsewhere either prior to or after publication in Archeota.
• Contributors must provide the editors with a copy of any work that has been submitted for coursework or other purpose. The editors will review and make suggestions on how the piece may be adapted for publication in Archeota.
• Editorial rights: SJSU SAASC reserves the right to edit any submissions by making corrections, omitting material, rearranging, or making other revisions. If the revisions are extensive, the editorial team will work with the author to prepare the manuscript for publication.
• All images must be sourced. Image files should be a minimum of 300 dpi resolution.
• References should be cited in APA format.
• SJSU SAASC reserves the right to exclude any content from Archeota.

For more information on Archeota submissions, visit our website. To view past issues, visit the Archeota page on SJSU Scholarworks.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Kelli Roisman, Managing Editor
Christine Mahoney, Associate Editor
Heather Reinold, Associate Editor