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Collecting, Organizing, and Preserving Our History
Presented by the National Heritage and
Archives Committee
Soror Lois Gilder, Co- Chair
Soror Lula Morehouse, Co Chair
Soror Bertha M. Roddey, 20th National President and
Honorary Co-Chair
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 Paralee Day - Midwest
 Joy Kinard - Eastern
 Patricia McGee - Midwest
 Regina Scott - Midwest
 Jacquilin Reynolds - Southern
 Wilhelmina Goff - Eastern
 Gloria Fuller - Eastern
 Jessie Nave Carpenter - Central
 Barnelle Herring - Eastern
 Stephaney Crawford - South Atlantic
 Schwanzetta Aikens - South Atlantic
 Christine Miller Betts - Southern
 Luvenia Butler - Southern
 Luvenia Lane – Farwest
 Ella Goode Johnson - Southwest
 Verna Lambert - Southern
 C Gloria Akers - Eastern
 Amber Williams – Archivist - Eastern
 Jacqueline Stemmons - Southwest
 Garlenda McNair – Liaison - Eastern
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 It is the duty of the Heritage and Archives
Committee to provide and organized method of
research, analysis, and categorization of the
Sorority’s historical data.
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 Welcome and Introductions
 Workshop Objectives
 Role of Heritage & Archives Committee
 Building Our History
 Collecting Our History
 Preserving Our History
 Chapter Template /Inventory Form
 Heritage Moments
 Resources
 Questions & Answers
 Thank you and NHA contact Information
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I am Soror:________________
Member of National Heritage and Archives
Come Join Us!
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Does your Chapter have a Historian or a Heritage
and Archives Committee?
Who has access to your Chapter’s Archives?
Where are your Chapter’s Archives kept?
Describe the record keeping process for your chapter.
If you answered no, The Time Is Now!
Collect
Organize
Preserve
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 Assist participants in developing a better understanding of
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the necessity of archiving and maintaining local chapter
records.
Provide basic preservation tips and techniques
Introduce participants to the chapter history template and
inventory form
Introduce participants to creative means of sharing their
stories during the Delta Heritage Celebration
Introduce Heritage Moments to chapters.
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 Establish archival guidelines and procedures for
maintaining and disposing of chapter records
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Document chapter history
Document chapter programs and activities
Gather, organize, store and preserve records,
documents, photos, etc.
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 Provide guidelines for chapters to determine
what to archive, length of time, how to protect
and preserve
 Materials that document sorority business
 Suggest preservation formats
 Recommend archival materials and resources
 Implement special projects to display and celebrate
chapter histories
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Organize a Committee
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Chapter President Appoint a Committee Chair
Alumnae Chapters:
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Members can be a mix of those who are interested in history, Delta
Dears and Past Presidents
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Sorors into technology can help with technology, librarians can help
cataloging / categorizing
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Different tasks and talents are needed from sorors who have 1 year in
Delta to those with over 50 years. Invite sorors to participate and you
will get more support
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Collegiate Chapters:
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Members can be those who are interested in history or History majors
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Sorors can connect with local alumnae chapter sorors who were
initiated in their collegiate chapter
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Different tasks and talents are needed from sorors. It is a great bonding
activity for the entire chapter
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Start Where Your Chapter is now
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Items already gathered ( i.e. file cabinets, boxes, scrapbooks)
If possible, create a location where all items can be stored
Starting from scratch is also a great beginning
Organize and Appraise Existing items
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Determine categories of things already gathered
Decide what to keep or weed
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Create a Collection Development Policy
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Define what you will typically collect and keep. Look at the kinds of
things you have kept. Be flexible as new concepts arrive. However, you
can not and should not collect everything
What is suggested by the region or Grand Chapter?
Additionally, what is important to your chapter and servicing area?
Educate chapter members on policies and needs
Review your chapter polices and procedures for a heritage and archives
committee
Examples of Materials to Collect
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Chapter Charter
Chapter Written History
Bios and pictures of charter members and Past Presidents
Newsletters / Brochures
Programs (May Week, Founders’ Day, Jabberwock)
News Articles
Five Point Thrust Service Projects (programs, photos)
Newspaper articles, clippings
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Use Technology
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Computers, word processing programs
Create database / index of items
Create searchable database to locate items
Store Data (CD burning of scanned items, photo collections)
Develop a Budget
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Storage supplies
Archival materials
Technological needs (i.e. CDS, scanner, laptop)
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Why Archive our History?
Provide evidence of chapter history,
contributions, and accomplishments.
 Document the policies, programs, and
activities.
 Provide historical perspectives for future
generations of Deltas.
 Add to the body of knowledge documenting
our shared regional and national history and
experiences.
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 Preservation
Encompasses all the steps and activities needed to ensure
that the holdings of a library or archive remain in the best
possible condition for as long as possible”*
 Preservation practices can and should be performed by all
interested parties.
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 Conservation
 “Emphasis on the physical treatment of specific items or
collections”*
 Conservation should usually be undertaken only by a trained
conservator.
*Balloffet, Nelly and Jenny Hille. Preservation and Conservation for Libraries
and Archives. Chicago: American Library Association, 2005. Print.
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 A hard truth about archiving: not everything can or SHOULD
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be saved. Create collection priorities for your organization.
Whenever possible, maintain the original order of the
materials.
If materials are in no discernible order, you may impose a
simple, logical scheme of your own devising. It is usually
advisable to arrange materials by date, subject matter, or
material type, or a combination thereof.
Make sure any materials you use are of archival quality, i.e.
acid-free, lignin-free, pH neutral
Create a “finding aid” for your collection. Even a very simple
document listing what types of materials you have could prove
useful for both research and security purposes.
Do not use any staples or paper clips unless they are stainless
steel. In fact, any non-stainless fasteners should be removed,
as they could rust and cause damage to the materials.
Do not mark on documents with an ink pen. If notes MUST be
made, do so lightly using a pencil.
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 The single most impactful thing you can do to preserve your
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historical materials is to store them in a stable environment.
Make sure your storage area is dry, cool, and relatively dark.
Temperature -- around 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Relative Humidity (RH) – under 55%
Keep materials away from plumbing, heat sources, windows,
outer building walls, and the floor.
UV light will damage paper documents, photographs and
textiles, so make sure your items are exposed to as little light as
possible.
Dust and vacuum your storage area on a regular basis, but keep
liquid cleaners away from your materials!
Be aware of the condition of your storage area and the entire
building. Do a visual inspection on a regular basis. Also, note
any strange smells, which may be a sign of mildew.
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 Do not house photographs in scrapbooks with acidic plastic sleeves or
“magnetic” pages.
 Photographs should be stored either in photograph envelopes made of
acid-free paper or in archival (non-PVC) plastic sleeves. Photographic
storage materials will sometimes be described as “P.A.T. compliant” or
“Passes P.A.T.” (Photographic Activity Test), which assures their archival
quality.
 If you choose to store photographs in scrapbooks, make certain the
pages are of acid-free paper and that the photographs are secured with
archival corners. Do NOT glue or tape images to pages.
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 Make sure that your photographs are properly labeled, including date,
location, event, and names of individuals. (This information is often
referred to as “metadata.”)
 If labeling photographs directly, use a specialty felt-tipped marker or
soft-leaded photo pencil.
 Another alternative is to create a spreadsheet with pertinent
information.
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 Negatives should be stored separately from photographic prints, in
archival quality negative sleeves or envelopes.
 Slides should be housed either in archival slide sleeves or slide boxes with
well-fitting lids.
 Framed Prints
 Use mat board of lignin-free, pH-neutral material for both
the window mat and back mat.
 Window mats prevent photographs from sticking to the
glass.
 Remember that UV light damages photographs. Therefore,
you may wish to make a high-quality copy of the
photograph for display and keep the original in storage.
 Digitization
 In order to ensure the long-term preservation of your older
photographs, you may wish to scan them and save the files
to a CD or other digital storage medium.
 Scanning recommendations for preservation purposes: 600
dpi (dots per inch), 24-bit color, tiff file format.
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File name
Description
Alex Gray and Katie Gray reading in
gray_001 chair; color
Photo Date
Transcription
Miscellaneous
ca. 1980
"Feby. 10, 1867, My precious Will"; B. L.
H. Dabbs, Nos. 46, 48 and 50 St. Clair
02/10/1867 Street, Pittsburgh, Pa.
gray_002 Portrait of William Whitesides; sepia
Possible graduation portrait of four
gray_003 females and two males; sepia
Possible class portrait of 11 females and
gray_004 5 males; sepia
gray_005 Portrait of 4 women; b&w
Portrait of Gertrude Whitesides, Robert
Leighton Whitesides, Jr. and Benjamin
"Our lovely boys taken Thanksgiving
gray_006 Page Whitesides; sepia
11/26/1914 Day, Nov. 26, 1914“
Portrait of Arthur Stearns and Anna
gray_007 Stearns; b&w
"Arthur Stearns and wife Anna"
Barbara Gray, Alex Gray, and James
gray_008 McCullough; color
ca. 1973
Gertrude Whitesides, Benjamin
Whitesides, Robert Whitesides, Jr.
gray_009 standing outside by automobile; sepia
Postcard
Postcard
Postcard
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 Includes: Books, Pamphlets, Scrapbooks
 Books
 Should be shelved on clean, preferably metal shelves
 Should not be packed too tightly, but rather held firmly in
position by bookends. Books should also not be too loosely
shelved. Leaning may cause the hinges and joints to weaken.
 Do not shelve or store oversized books on the fore edge (i.e. the
side opposite the spine), instead shelve them with the spine
down.
 When removing a book from a shelf, do NOT grab it by the top of
the spine. Instead, grasp it from both sides of the spine, halfway
down the book.
 Pamphlets
 Should be stored in folders and boxed.
 You may remove rusty staples, but take care to ensure the pages
remain together.
 Scrapbooks
 Should be stored flat in protective boxes, never shelved like
regular books.
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 Includes: Correspondence, Flyers, Notes, Newspaper Clippings
 Letter or legal sized materials should be stored unfolded and
flat in folders, which are then housed in boxes with fitted lids. If
an item is excessively brittle or refuses to lie flat, do NOT force it
flat. Leave the item in its original condition until you can take it
to a conservator.
 Oversized materials can be store flat or rolled. If rolling, roll
the item around a sheet of acid-free paper and tie it in place with
cotton twill tape. Do NOT use rubber bands or adhesive tape.
 Newspaper clippings should be photocopied onto acid-free
paper and stored separately from the originals.
 Use spacers in boxes to ensure files do not shift and bend during
long-term storage.
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When creating, handling, and storing permanent records
consider the following:
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Records should be created using alkaline (acid-free) paper and should be
stored or housed in acid free folders and boxes. Buffering paper neutralizes
acidity
Never use adhesive tape to repair archival or permanent records. It deteriorates
over time, and the adhesive discolors and darkens the paper to which it was
attached
Use only rustproof or plastic paper clips
Remove rubber bands and staples
Unfold materials and arrange for flat storage. Remember that folds and creases
weaken paper. Do not force the flat filing of fragile documents that have been
folded for many years
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 White gloves are only advisable when handling photographic materials.
Instead, ensure that both the users’ hands and the work surface are
clean and dry.
 When handling loose materials, remove only one folder at a time.
 Keep items in the order in which they are filed.
 Only allow photocopies if materials are sturdy and undamaged. If a
book’s binding is tight, do not force it flat onto a photocopier.
Remember, that digital cameras (and even cell phone cameras!) can
produce images sufficient for research purposes.
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 Acid-free, lignin-free file folders
 Archival boxes of the appropriate size for the
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dimensions and volume of the files
Acid-free photocopy paper
Archival quality photograph sleeves (paper or plastic)
Specialty photograph marker or pencil
Optional supplies:
 Poster tubes for oversized materials
 Flat, cotton twill tape
 Temperature/RH meter
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 The key to saving items after a disaster is to take action
immediately.
 Be sure to have a readily-available list of emergency contact
numbers. Update the list at least once a year.
 Prioritize your collections for disaster recovery. Determine which
materials are of the most value and will therefore be the first to
save and/or conserve.
 Council of State Archivists, Framework for Emergency
Preparedness, Pocket Response Plan (Prep)
http://www.statearchivists.org/prepare/framework/prep.htm
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 Includes: digital photographs, emails, Word documents, PR materials
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created in Publisher, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
Remember that digitally-born materials require just as
much maintenance, if not more!
Back up your files and keep your storage media in a
separate location
Be aware that digital files break down over time and media can and
WILL fail
To safeguard your digital collections, refresh your files on
a regular basis, preferably every few years. This can be done
easily by simply saving files onto a new storage medium,
like a such as a CD or external hard drive
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/documents/P
A_All_brochure.pdf
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Template Form
Inventory Form
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 List Past Chapter Presidents and their accomplishments
 List notable contributions to the community and the sorority
 List major accomplishments that each President achieved during
their tenure.
 List Charter Members
 Date of chartering
 List Chapter Members who have held National and Regional
Office (appointed/elected)
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 The NHA Committee will roll out Heritage Moments
starting in September 2014
 Are you aware of……………
 Each chapter will be asked to share with the membership
important moments in Delta Sigma Theta’s History at the
beginning of each meeting.
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 Highlight the Chapter’s history and
activities
 Motivate and encourage members to share the heritage of
the chapter with its members and with the community
 Heritage Celebrations will take place from January- March
2015
 Chapters will receive recognition at the 52nd National
Convention in Houston, Texas
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 Northeast Document Conservation Center, Free Resources
http://nedcc.org/free-resources/overview
 National Archives and Records Administration, Preservation Section
http://www.archives.gov/preservation
 American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
http://www.conservation-us.org
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 State Libraries and other State Archival Agencies
 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated - National Headquarters
 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated - South Atlantic Region
Heritage & Archives Committee
 Conservation/Archival Supplies
Gaylord: http://gaylord.com/
Light Impressions: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com
University Products: http://www.universityproducts.com/
 Publication
Newsletter: Archival Today
http://www.gaylord.com/archivaltoday.asp
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 State Archival Agencies
 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated - South Atlantic Region
Heritage & Archives Committee
 Katie Gray, Certified Archivist; The Charleston Archive @ Charleston
County Public Library; http://charlestonarchive.org
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 How can we help you?
 Please contact us at
nationaldstheritageandarchives@yahoo.com for any
additional information
 Thank you for attending the National Heritage and
Archives Workshop
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