Long island Archives
May/June 2021 Volume 28 Issue 3
by Nicole Menchise There's no question that it's been tough doing hands-on programs without the ability to be in-person. The idea to host a series of workshops devoted to scanning challenging objects like lantern slides and glass plate negatives came when Regina Feeney, Local History and Reference Librarian at Freeport Memorial Library, told me about a special collection she had decided to digitize. Feeney spoke with enthusiasm as she told me about the details that appeared in the scanned images of the original lantern slides in the library's local history collection. For over a year I had been wanting to host a workshop showing attendees step-by-step how to use a photo scanner to digitize slides, negatives, really anything other than a standard photograph. I asked Feeney if she would be willing to help and she agreed. I admit that I really couldn't have done this without her help. Having not only the right equipment, but access to an array of archival artifacts, made the vision a reality. So far there have been two workshops: one held at the library, and the other at the Freeport Historical Museum where Feeney generously devotes her time as a volunteer. The series will continue later in the summer where we will discuss best practices for handling, scanning and housing slides and negatives. Thanks, Regina Feeney, for your time, expertise and 'light'hearted banter! Members of LILRC can watch the recorded workshops by logging into the website and selecting 'Videos' under the 'Members Only' tab.
Having not only the right equipment, but access to an array of archival artifacts, made the vision a reality.
With A Little Help From My Friends: Digitization Series Gets an Assist From Freeport's Regina Feeney
Find Freeport, NY photos, music, oral histories and much more at New York Heritage Digital Collections! www.NYHERITAGE.org
6 Documents Every Archive Needs: Emergency/Disaster Plan May 14, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Having policies in place allow archives professionals guidelines for collections, future acquisitions, lending archives to other organizations for exhibition, assessing preservation needs and planning for emergencies. Who should attend: librarians serving local history rooms, directors and employees/volunteers of historical societies, house museums or other cultural institutions. Register: https://lilrc.org/event-4095375 Ask An Archivist: Starting A Local History Collection May 25, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM So much time is spent talking about managing existing collections, but what if you are a library just beginning to create a local history collection? This presentation offers thoughts on what to consider when planning your strategy and how to take those first steps. The discussion will include collection development policies, outreach, creating the right environment, public access, and much more. Register: https://lilrc.org/event-4251219 Directing the Genealogical Reference Interview June 3, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM Do you dread genealogy questions at the reference desk? Overwhelmed by the seasoned genealogist's details? April Earle will walk us through answering some of the most common and daunting genealogy reference questions using FamilySearch and other free websites. Our instructor, April Earle, teaches a course in Genealogical Resources and Services through St. John's University's Division of Library and Information Science, and is a Genealogy Consultant at Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Community Library. Register: https://lilrc.org/event-4125247 Vertical Files Demystified June 8, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM What is a vertical file? Simply put, it is a filing cabinet with folders dedicated to people, places, events, and other topics relating to a community. It is the first stop for a librarian or archivist to send a researcher with questions about a popular subject. The Society of American Archivists defines it as, “an example of an artificial collection.” This workshop is for anyone who wants to begin a vertical file for their organization and for those looking to organize an existing one. Nicole Menchise, LILRC Digitization and Archives Coordinator, will go step-by-step through the process of weeding, sorting, organizing files and cataloging archival materials. A workflow will be discussed and shared with the attendees. Register: https://lilrc.org/event-4251246
Upcoming Archival Workshops
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The Long Ago Literary Corner Recently released and upcoming books about Long Island history
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Author Claire Bellerjeau Reflects on Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth What was your initial inspiration? I’ll never forget that moment. In 2005, as part of my research for an exhibit I did on slavery in Oyster Bay at Raynham Hall Museum, I had asked the East Hampton Library to send any documents they might have in their Townsend Papers collection. Back in those days, this was a photocopied black and white image that they faxed over. Remember faxes?? When the museum got the fax, it contained three letters in a series. The pages sat in the fax machine, unread, for several days before I was told they were there. When I finally got the message to have a look, the pages were so black from the photocopying and faxing that they were almost illegible. But what I read astonished me! The story of Liss’s [Elizabeth's] life was so fascinating and unexpected, I could tell there was much more to know than what these letters revealed. I also felt immediately that her story could change American history. The mystery caught fire inside of me, and I knew I could never stop looking until I found more information about her. How did you find the research experience to be and where did you look? This research journey took 16 years! It was a long road, full of many learning curves and dogged detective work. The main three locations I visited were all archives with parts of the Townsend Family Papers: Raynham Hall Museum, the East Hampton Library, and the New York Historical Society. As I learned more about Liss and Robert Townsend, I traveled further afield, to the South Carolina Archives, to the Simcoe Papers in Ontario, to the Clements Library in Michigan, and to the Mystic Seaport Archives in Connecticut. The Oyster Bay Historical Society and Oyster Bay Town records were also important sources. Then as time passed technology improved and that enabled me to search period newspapers and access rare books online. Five years ago, I joined forces with Tiffany Brooks, a professional writer who co-authored the book with me. Her collaboration was essential. What were your unexpected finds? Everything!! I guess my most unexpected finding was the connection to so many famous people and events. As Robert and Elizabeth’s story unfolds, prominent figures from history cross their path, including Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Jupiter Hammon, Benedict Arnold, John André, and John Adams, as well as participants in the Boston Massacre, the Sons of Liberty, the Battle of Long Island, Franklin’s Paris negotiations, and the Benedict Arnold treason plot. Tiffany and I used to call these “Forrest Gump moments”. What were your frustrations? Many times I almost gave up, over the sixteen years. I would despair that I had reached a dead end, and that there was no more to ever discover. And then I would find something else that would keep me going. I knew that if I didn’t tell her story, nobody else would, and she’d be forgotten. Anything else you'd like the readers want to know? I want readers to be vigilant about the truth, especially when they read books or watch other media about the Culper Spy Ring. Many untrue legends have been written and rewritten. I hope that my book will finally set the record straight. Trust me, the truth is way more interesting! Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth by Claire Bellerjeau and Tiffany Yecke Brooks is published by Lyons Press and is now available for purchase online.
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Ask An Archivist.... We are trying to update our reproduction fee schedule. We weren't sure what and how much to charge for patrons using their own personal phone. Do you have an opinion on this? As far as charging for personal photos taken in the archives, you may decide to charge a flat hourly "research fee" to charge for the work that comes from pulling requested items. Since the library isn't losing money from Xeroxing the items or scanning them, I'm not sure you should charge a researcher for using their phone to take images of archival materials. My feeling is that it falls under the patron's right to access library materials. Any policy changes should be reviewed by the board and the collections committee (if you have one). If you have questions, feel free to contact Nicole Menchise, Digitization and Archives Coordinator at nmenchise@lilrc.org or call 631-675-1570 x2004.
CONFERENCES Society of American Archivists ARCHIVES * RECORDS 2021: Together/Apart August 2 - August 6 (virtual) https://www2.archivists.org/am2021/attend/Conference-Registration Mid-Atlantic Region Archives Conference October 7 - October 9 (in person at Gettysburg, PA) https://www.marac.info/fall-2021-conference
Copyright and Unpublished Material Best practices and sound advice from SAA (part 3) An Introduction for Users of Archives and Manuscript Collections This text is intended to answer questions you may have about archives and manuscript collections that may be protected by copyright. Because copyright law is constantly evolving, this text is provided for introductory and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of the subject and is not a substitute for qualified legal advice. Other countries have different rules; this document applies only to U.S. law. Is there any way I can use an unpublished work without permission from the copyright holder? The fair use doctrine (as codified in Section 107) recognizes that there are uses that do not infringe on the rights of copyright holders and provides a defense for the use of copyrighted works without permission from the copyright owner. The statute does not say what is or is not fair. Rather, courts evaluate fair use cases based on four factors, no one of which is determinative in and of itself: The purpose and character of the use: How are you using the copyrighted work, and in what context? The statute lists several examples of the kinds of uses that might be fair—“criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.” This list is not all-inclusive and some uses that fall under one of these might not be fair. Commercial uses can be fair, but courts tend to give more weight to noncommercial uses. Recently, courts have primarily been asking if the use is transformative; does it “merely supersede” the original work or does it add “something new, with a further purpose or different character, altering [it] with new expression, meaning, or message?” [Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music] The nature of the copyrighted work: Is the work you are using published or unpublished? Is it highly creative or primarily factual? Courts give more protection to works that are “closer to the core of copyright protection,” such as unpublished or highly creative works. [Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music] The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole: There is no predetermined amount of a work that constitutes fair use or that is automatically an unfair use. Determining factors include how much of the copyrighted work was used, the relative importance of the amount used to the work as a whole (whether the portion used constituted “the heart of the work,” for example), and whether the amount used was justified by the purpose and character of the use. [Harper & Row v. Nation, Campbell] The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work: This factor assesses how, and to what extent, the use damages the existing and potential market for the original. Courts have recognized that where uses are highly transformative under the first factor, the affected markets receive less protection. [Castle Rock v. Carol] How can I determine if a proposed use is fair? Determining that a use may be fair involves conducting an analysis along a continuum of “less likely fair” to “more likely fair.” Helpful aids in conducting such an analysis can be found at the resource page of the Society of American Archivists’ Intellectual Property Working Group. Could I be sued for using someone else’s work even though it seems a fair use? Yes, it is possible. Because of the case-specific nature of fair use, you can only know whether a use is fair if a court rules it to be so. However, several authorities have produced guides to help people take advantage of this vague, but very useful, exception to copyright. If there is a question about whether a particular use is fair, it is always safe to seek permission. From Copyright and Unpublished Material, accessed January 5, 2021 at https://www2.archivists.org/publications/brochures/copyright-and-unpublished-material. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Republished with permission.
Long Island Archives - May/June 2021 Editor: Nicole Menchise, Digitization and Archives Coordinator LILRC - 627 N. Sunrise Service Rd., Bellport, NY 11713, www.lilrc.org.