History Center to Host Virtual Program Exploring Library & Archives Collections
The Detre Library & Archives at the Senator John Heinz History Center will present its seventh annual Treasures in the Archives program on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.
The Detre Library & Archives, located on the sixth floor of the History Center, houses one of the largest collections of historic materials in Western Pennsylvania.
This virtual program will feature rarely heard stories shared by the archivists who work with these collections every day.
This year, archivists will explore the following topics:
Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives Director Eric Lidji will discuss the art of “field gathering,” or collecting archival materials in real time. This technique has been crucial for documenting local Jewish history over the past two years, first after the Oct. 27, 2018 synagogue attack and now as the Jewish community navigates the coronavirus pandemic.
Project Archivist Catelyn Cocuzzi will discuss scrapbooks and their lasting historical value for preserving family stories, as told through a collection of 18 scrapbooks created by Patricia K. DeRoy. DeRoy’s keepsakes tell the story of one of the oldest Jewish families in the Pittsburgh region.
Project Archivist Claire Moclock will share her work on the Kennywood Park Records, one of the largest collections of historic materials from an amusement park in the country. She will discuss the challenges in preserving such a large and multifaceted collection that spans more than a century of Kennywood Park history.
Treasures in the Archives is free, though donations are appreciated. Advance registration is required. Click here to register.
Live captioning and American Sign Language interpretation will also be provided.
Archivists from the Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center will share rarely heard stories behind the collections under their care during Treasures in the Archives, a free virtual event taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. (Image: Scrapbook pages of DeRoy Family Trip to Hawaii and California, 1967. Patricia K. and Ralph L. DeRoy Papers and Photographs, Detre Library & Archives, MSS 1200, Senator John Heinz History Center.)