Holly Mengel, Project Manager, graduated from Dickinson College with a B.A. in history, and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Information Science with an M.L.I.S. and a concentration in Archives. Prior to managing the “Hidden Collections” project, she worked on the Dick Thornburgh papers Project at the University of Pittsburgh Archives Service Center and at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives. She is particularly interested in promoting use of primary sources in the classroom and increasing awareness of the value of archives to the community. She sees this project as an ideal vehicle for promoting these “hidden” collections to researchers, including students, professors, scholars, artists, writers and enthusiasts. In addition, she hopes that the experimentation with “More Product, Less Process,” the Archivists’ Toolkit, and team processing will result in a model for other repositories in their efforts to make collections available for research. She started working on the “Hidden Collections” project in July 2009. Read blog posts by Holly »
Contact Holly at hmengel@pobox.upenn.edu or 215-746-4034.
Courtney Smerz, Project Archivist, holds a B.A. in History and Fine Arts from Mount Saint Mary’s University and a M.A. degree in American History and Public History from Temple University. Since moving to Philadelphia in 2002, Courtney has worked on several large scale processing projects in area archives, including the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Independence Seaport Museum. She is thrilled to play an integral role in this unique processing effort, exposing some of Philadelphia’s most valued yet hidden archival gems and to share this experience of experimentation in processing and use of the Archivists’ Toolkit with the larger archives community. She started working on the “Hidden Collections” Project in September 2009. Read blog posts by Courtney »
Contact Courtney at csmerz@pobox.upenn.edu or 215-746-4034.
Student Processors:
Our student processors have processed the bulk of our collections. Without their hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm, this project could not succeed.
Megan Atkinson will begin taking her last class in the M.S. in Library and Information Science program at Drexel University in September. She completed her archives coursework at Temple University. She has a Bachelor’s degree in History from West Chester University. Megan interned and is now volunteering at the American Philosophical Society and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. She also processed collections at the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library in Philadelphia, PA. Megan started working on the “Hidden Collections” Project in June 2010 and has processed at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
Jennifer Duli graduated from West Chester University with a BA in Psychology, December 1998. She volunteered for the Outreach Department of the Chester County Library from February 2007 to May 2008. She began working towards her MLS degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 2008 (online courses) and expects to graduate in May 2011. An interest in Special Libraries led to an internship at the Chester County Historical Society from September 2009 to April 2010. She is eager to contribute to the project and learn the ins and outs of Archivists Toolkit! Jennifer started working on the “Hidden Collections” Project in July 2010 and is processing at Chester County Historical Society.
Megan Good is a MLIS student at Drexel University concentrating in Archival Studies. She received her B.A. from College of Notre Dame of Maryland in History with minors in Political Science and Classical Studies. Megan previously interned at the Biddle Law Library Archives of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the York County Heritage Trust. She hopes to work in an archival, museum, or special collection setting in the Mid-Atlantic area after graduation. Megan started working on the “Hidden Collections” Project in June 2010 and has processed at the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Independence Seaport Museum.
Read blog posts by Megan »
Becky Koch is completing her M.S. in Library and Information Science at Drexel University, and received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware in History and Art Conservation. Becky has worked in the University of Delaware Morris Library’s Special Collections department, and would like to someday work in archives or with special collections. Becky started working on the “Hidden Collections” Project in June 2010 and has processed at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
Read blog posts by Becky »
Leslie O’Neill received her her B.F.A from Tyler School of Art of Temple University and earned her M.S. in Library and Information Science at Drexel University in June 2010. She also interned at The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s McLean Library and the Philadelphia Museum of Art and volunteered in The Print and Picture Department at The Free Library of Philadelphia. Leslie previously worked at Hahnemann University Hospital as the Research Coordinator for the Anesthesiology Department. Leslie worked on the “Hidden Collections” Project from October 2009 to June 2010 and processed at Haverford College, Bryn Mawr College and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Read blog posts by Leslie »
Laurie Rizzo has a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts, a Master’s in Media Studies from Penn State University, and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Drexel University (June 2010). Laurie shared her time with Drexel University Archives doing outreach and acquisitions.
Laurie worked on the “Hidden Collections” Project from October 2009 to June 2010 and processed at Drexel University, Drexel University College of Medicine, the Wagner Free Institute of Science, and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Read blog posts by Laurie »
Eric Rosenzweig has a Bachelor of Science in Individual Studies, with a minor in Judaic Studies and History and a concentration in Architecture from Drexel University. In June 2010, he graduated with a Master of Library and Information Science degree, also from Drexel University.
Eric worked on the “Hidden Collections” Project from October 2009 to June 2010 and processed at Drexel University, Drexel University College of Medicine, the Wagner Free Institute of Science, and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Read blog posts by Eric »
Forrest Wright is a fourth quarter MLIS student at Drexel University, focusing his coursework in Archival Studies and Knowledge Management. After completing his BA in history from Clark University in Worcester, MA, he worked at both the Worcester Historical Museum and the American Antiquarian Society. Hoping to advance his knowledge of archives and special collections, Forrest decided to move to Philadelphia and begin graduate studies in September 2009. Forrest has been working on the “Hidden Collections” Project since October 2009 and has processed at Haverford College, Bryn Mawr College, College of Physicans of Philadelphia, Free Library of Philadelphia and Independence Seaport Museum. Read blog posts by Forrest »
Archivists’ Toolkit Cataloger:
In addition to processing hidden collections, we will also be converting existing finding aids to more standard formats, allowing greater access for researchers. This component of our project requires attention to detail, patience and hard work in addition to archival knowledge and skills.
Garrett Boos has a Bachelor’s degree in History from Rowan University, and is currently a M.L.I.S. student at Drexel University. He is enrolled in the Archival Studies concentration. After graduation he hopes to pursue a career at an archive located within either a research library or museum. Garrett started working on the “Hidden Collections” Project in April 2010 as the Archivists’ Toolkit Cataloger. He has worked on finding aids from the the City of Philadelphia Department of Records, Drexel University College of Medicine Legacy Center, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and the University of Pennsylvania Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
Read blog posts by Garrett »