The Archivists' Toolkit, developed as a collaboration among several major research libraries and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, was the first open-source application to provide comprehensive, integrated support for the functions of archives. Launched in 2006, it is currently used by a broad range of repositories to manage their archives and manuscript collections. Ms. Schwimmer discusses its particular value in small to mid-sized collections.

Presented by Deena Schwimmer at the 2012 AJL Conference in Pasadena, CA.

31 min 08 sec

In July 2011, the American Sephardi Federation Library and Archives was awarded a NHPRC grant to conduct the first detailed survey of Sephardi-Mizrahi archival collections throughout the northeastern United States, the first step towards providing a comprehensive research portal for Sephardi/Mizrahi studies. The results of this survey will be published within a newly-created website to publicize this work in its historical context. Mr. Belinfante discusses the background, methodology, progress and future plans for this project.

Presented by Randall Belinfante at the 2012 AJL Conference in Pasadena, CA. 

29 min 20 sec

The University of Pennsylvania's Rare Book and Manuscript Library serves as home to one of the most important resources for the study of the Alfred Dreyfus Affair in North America. The Lorraine Beitler Collection of the Dreyfus Affair is a monument to one of the most shameful incidents in modern French history. Collection materials include dramatic and disturbing anti-Semitic posters and periodicals, as well as some of the most powerful calls for human rights and equal justice ever composed. Possessing a collection of this nature presents many opportunities, but also poses significant challenges for curators and users. The purpose of the session is to describe the collection and these challenges, focusing on its scholarly potential, its uses in the classroom and in exhibitions,and on the collection website. The presenters wished to engage the audience in discussion of topics including: the collection's acquisition policies, the roles and function of the website and its future development, the presentation of controversial and offensive materials online, in exhibitions, and in the classroom, and the place(s) of the library and of librarians as social advocates and stewards.

Presented by David N. McKnight and John Pollock.

25 min 47 sec

This is a follow-up to Zachary Baker’s presentation at the June 2007 AJL convention where he provided an overview of the Eliasaf Robinson Collection on Tel Aviv. Acquired by Stanford at the end of 2005, the collection includes rare archival documents, ephemera, maps, posters, and photographs, along with several hundred books, pamphlets, and journals devoted to Tel Aviv from its founding in 1909 until Israel declared its independence in 1948. Since 2007, about half of the collection’s monographs and serials, and about 40% of its archival materials have been digitized and are now accessible via the Standford University Libraries’ digital collections website. In this presentation, Zachary will discuss the decision-making process that went into selection of items for digitization, the interactions between different departments that were required in order to make the project succeed, intellectual property issues connected with providing access to digitized collection, and the end product: the multi-faceted Standford website for the Eliasaf Robinson Collection.

Presented by Zachary Baker at the 2010 Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Seattle, WA.

53 min 30 sec

Over the past several years, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum has undertaken vast digitizing projects. More than 10 million pages were involved. This presentation includes descriptions of digitized large collections, problems encountered with storage, access, quality control, and restrictions issues, and plans for the future of the Museum’s archival collections.

Presented by Michlean Amir at the 2010 AJL Convention in Seattle, WA.

40 min 31 sec

Panel members will discuss the Washington State Jewish Historical Society Archive (containing manuscripts, oral histories, photographs,and films), created and maintained for over 30 years by collaboration between the Washington State Jewish Historical Society and the University of Washington Libraries. The panel members are Karyl Winn, retired Curator of Manuscripts, University of Washington Libraries, who will speak about the history of the collaboration; Doris Steifel, Washington State Jewish Historical Society, will speak about the WSJHS’s experience and view of the collaboration; Nicolette Bromberg will discuss current projects to process collections and create online access to finding aids and photographs from the collections.

Presented at the 2010 AJL Convention in Seattle, WA.

1 hr 12 min 02 sec

Avraham Rosenberg presents a report and evaluation of the conservation of the collection and the restoration of over 1,500 items at the Ets Haim Library in Amsterdam. This paper was presented at the 2009 Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Chicago, IL.

28 min 54 sec

Two Judaica collections at the University of Chicago Library illustrate the role of private collectors in developing unique resources for research and teaching in Jewish Studies. Although they never met, Ludwig Rosenberger and Harry Sondheim had much in common: both were born in Germany and immigrated to the United States, each had a successful professional career, and both formed unusual and highly important Judaica collections. The works in both collections are chiefly secular, since the aim of the collectors was to understand their own and their family’s history in the broader context of Jewish history and culture. Lastly, both decided to donate their collections to the University of Chicago’s Special Collections Research Center.

Alice Schreyer is Assistant Director for Special Collections and Preservation and Director of the Special Collections Research Center at the University of Chicago Library. She presented this paper at the 2009 Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Chicago, IL.

19 min 39 sec

Stanford University Libraries acquired the papers of Eisig Silberschlag (1903-1988) in 2003. Silberschlag was recognized as an authority in the field of Hebrew literary criticism and won prizes for his translations of Aristophanes and Menander from Greek into Hebrew as well as for a book of his poems. He was much beloved as a teacher, served as Dean and later President of Hebrew Teachers College in Boston, and ended his career as a visiting professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Texas, Austin.

What makes this collection unique and valuable to researchers? Silberschlag never moved beyond second-tier status in academia nor did he succeed in having his plays produced by any of the leading theater companies in Israel or the U.S. Yet his correspondence files, which comprise the bulk of the collection, reveal that he was highly regarded by many of the literary and academic luminaries in the world of Hebrew letters and scholarship. The collection contains correspondence from writers S.Y. Agnon and David Vogel; historian Salo Baro; and publisher Avraham Stybel, among many others, and offers glimpses of the 20th century Jewish academic experience in Europe, Palestine and post-1948 Israel; and North America. This guided tour, illustrated by slides, includes excerpts from the collection’s many highlights.

Anna Levia is Assistant to the Curator for Judaica & Hebraica Collections at Stanford University. She presented this paper at the 2009 Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Chicago, IL.

24 min 14 sec