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We just received a nice autograph album of Bertha Reid (1882-1970) which has a fine illustrated cover and a number of lovely multi-color illustrations in its pages. The autographs and poems the writers wrote date from 1893 through 1902. The poems are nostalgic about friends, remembering, and many are religious in tone. Born in North Dakota, Bertha lived during some of her teenage years with an aunt in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. She attended high school in Michigan and then moved to Canada where she graduated from the Conservatory of Music at age 18, accomplished in piano and violin. She was one of Alberta's leading musicians for over 50 years. Here are some highlights of the album. The first autograph and poem is from her mother to My Dearest Daughter. 

  We literally ran out of carts last week. As fast as a huge donation of periodicals is being cataloged, more are arriving. We had 8 carts full now there are 11. Even my spare archives carts were seized. These are all railroads or fishing periodicals. We now have the motherload on both topics.

As an archivist I was taught that there are living and dead primary source collections. Dead collections  never grow or have anything added to them after you initially processed and described them. They are finite. Usually the donor (a person or organization) dies or otherwise ceases to exist and their collections are donated by family, friends, or members, or even someone who purchases the collection at a yard sale.  Living collections are donated while an organization or person is alive and functional. As the creator continues to exist and create materials they are routinely donated as additions to their collection in the archives. In the Clarke we have living and dead primary source collections. During my career I have been pleasantly surprised that some collections which were dead for decades, have suddenly revived, similar to although not as excitingly as Jon Snow's gasping, amazing revival. I think much of the revival of dead collections is due to primary source descript...

As fall term approaches, many changes continue with policies and buildings, some of which are due to COVID-19, some not. Here are some building renovation projects on campus. I wonder how many of these projects will be completed in the next week? The big windows in Finch were removed. They still haven't been replaced. Honestly, even the windows being removed is an aesthetic improvement. Java City in the library building is either being updated or wrapped to protect it from damage while the doors around it are updated. I think the bathrooms are being updated as a place to shelter in case of emergencies. In the UC the food court is under renovation (again) and will open later in the term. What was once the Burrito Bowl, and has been repeatedly remodeled since I was hired, is becoming Your Style. It is not yet open, but it looks like it will be soon. It was closed all summer. Except for Star Bucks it will probably be the only place in the UC where you can get food when the term starts...

We received yet another miscellaneous collection of political campaign objects, encompassing both state and national politicians. We have political collections with a wide variety of political campaign objects in them, including clothing, like shirts and hats, banners, bumper stickers, pins, flags, stickers or decals, name cards, dolls, statues, bobbleheads, household and personal care objects, like combs and nail files, photographs, brochures, postcards, calendars, notebooks, balloons, pencils, etc.  There are 3 main archival challenges with these collections: 1) stickiness of bumper stickers and pins. The foil part often falls off making the backs sticky or items are stuck or melted together due to chemical change over time. 2) pokey pins that can send you to an ER for a tetanus shot. As an archivist I am constantly getting papercuts and occasionally, despite my best efforts. Most of the time it is from various objects people used before paperclips were widely available. Straight...

 The August REALM report is interesting, particularly the beneficial import of good ventilation. See https://www.oclc.org/realm/research/research-briefing-20210812.html?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=REALM+New+outputs+8-12-21&utm_campaign=&utm_term=REALM%20Project%20Email%20Updates

  Expand Your Professional Development with New Courses Technology Management for Archivists  September 9, 16, 23, and 30 Encoded Archival Context (EAC-CPF)  | September 13 Accessioning and Ingest of Digital Records | September 29-30 Crosswalking Metadata  | October 5 Email Archiving  | October 13-14 Arrangement & Description Fundamentals | October 25 and October 27 Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Fundamentals) | November 8-9 Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Advanced) | November 10-11 Courses WILL count towards the in-person requirement for the A&D and/or DAS programs. Limited enrollment to ensure a quality online learning experience for attendees. SAA’s Management Track Hone your personnel, finance, facilities, and career management skills to advance in archives. Courses are available on-demand to fit your schedu...