Recently, I wrapped up a summer internship with the Archives of Michigan. It was a pleasure to be a part of an organization whose mission is to preserve Michigan heritage. New initiatives at the Archives are creating expanded access to the vast collections of photographs, government records, private collections, and audio and visual records. As part of my contribution, I assisted in adding to and editing the online database, which currently includes nearly 1,400 images of civil war soldiers, photos and data on all of the Michigan governors, and - my personal favorite - an amazing collection of cased images. The latter collection includes daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes. Some of the more unusual images include an exterior of a hotel, a horse and carriage, and Chief Okemos. The database is powered by CONTENTdm, a PHP driven application. After taking some time to familiarize myself with the site structure and content, I was able to redesign the site to give it a more personalized appearance.
In addition to my work with the digital collection, I spent a great deal of time on digitizing a new collection of images by Michigan photographer, Doug Elbinger. In partnership with Elbinger Studios, Inc., the Archives is digitizing more than 40 years worth of images including presidents, politicians, governors, and celebrities such as The Beatles and Tina Turner. One of the goals of the collaboration is to create an exhibit and book about Michigan politicians, which will debut in the lead up to the 2008 elections.
I extend my gratitude and appreciation to the Archives staff and State Archivist, Mark Harvey, for including me in these projects and providing me with both knowledge and skills that I can apply to my future endeavors as an Information Science professional.
(The Anecdotal Archivist is Mark’s blog where he provides a unique view into the daily thoughts and activities of a state archivist.)
