Volume 1, No. 4

South Florida Collections Management Center

Re:Collections

Summer 2011

What’s New . . .

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails” (William Arthur Ward). While the quote above is not new, it is being used here because of sails. On this topic, the compactor 2 & open shelving storage units of the SFCMC have new tyvek dust covers. While reminiscent of sails, the covers provide additional protection for the stored objects.

NPCA Visits SFCMC

Ben Robbins and Jackie Crucet of the Sun Coast Regional Office of the National Parks Conservation Association visited the SFCMC on July 29th as part of an ongoing effort to learn more about the South Florida parks’ cultural resources. Nancy provided an overview of the SFCMC’s history, issues, and needs as well as a tour of the collections. The SFCMC looks forward to working with NPCA to support the collections and to educate others about them, as well as what we do and why.

SFCMC Staff Spotlight

The South Florida Collections Management Center welcomes new STEP archives technicians Cheryl Price, Colleen Williams, Dianely Martin, and Larry Shockley.
Cheryl Price, a native of Chicago, has lived in South Florida for over 30 years. She is pursuing a master’s degree in public history from Florida International University (FIU). Dianely Martin, a native of South Florida, received her BA in anthropology from Florida State University. She is pursuing a Museum Studies Certificate at FIU. Larry Shockley comes to the SFCMC from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. He finished his History MA from Marshall University and is due to complete a C.R.M from West Virginia University this fall. He also plans to enroll in the MLIS program at Florida State University this spring. Colleen Williams is an MLIS graduate student focusing on archives from California. While in the Everglades, she is enjoying finding and trying exotic fruits she'd never heard of before!

SFCMC Curator Receives AJL Award

Curator Nancy Russell received the NPS’s 2010 Appleman-Judd-Lewis Award for Excellence in Cultural Resources Stewardship and Management for her work developing the SFCMC and for the DRTO cannon mounting project. Nancy attended an event in Washington, D.C. on August 16th where NPS Director Jon Jarvis presented the awards to the three recipients. Nancy notes that many people were key to the success of both projects and while she is happy to share the honor and credit, she is keeping the cash to herself. (NPS photo by Rick Lewis)

Collection Corner

To date, the SFCMC has received almost 60% of specimens and/or cataloging data from researchers who collected during the Biscayne NP BioBlitz in April 2010. Lots of work remains. Two specimens collected during the Bioblitz qualify as “rare” according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) http://fnai.org/ranks.cfm. The first is a beetle, Branchus floridanus, collected by Warren Steiner, entomologist at the Smithsonian Institution; Dr. Steiner will be publishing shortly on this subject and will provide information for park records. The second specimen is a minute snail, last seen about 100 years ago, Vertigo hebardi, collected by John Slapcinsky, malacology collection manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History. John braved mosquito infested poisonwood on Elliot Key to look for “something that is too small to see”. However, it was worth combating the whining and biting of the mosquitoes because he says that “under a microscope it is a very attractive little snail”.

Archives in Action

The archives team has been busy working on EVER and DRTO records, thanks to funding from the Flexible Park Base Program. Records being cataloged include all of DRTO’s archives backlog (we hope!), EVER Records of the Superintendent’s Office, Planning & Compliance Program Records, and the science records. John Roberts, senior archivist for the NPS Museum Management Program, visited the SFCMC on May 12th, to brainstorm arrangement strategies for the 600+ linear feet of Everglades science records we have to date. In FY2012, DESO, EVER, BISC and BICY all get additional archives funding. And the work goes on!

New Park Permit Coordinator

Didier Carod, environmental protection specialist, is the new research permit coordinator for BISC. A longtime park employee, Didier is new to the challenges of the permit system. The “old hands” (PJ Walker, Steve Schulze, Siobhan Millar & Jennifer Stafford) have one word (run!)—we mean welcome!!! We look forward to working with you.

Park Projects

The SFCMC cannot do its job without our park partners. Three recent projects deserve special mention as those that could not have been done without you. First, DESO staff renovated the theatre and installed new exhibits in the visitor center. Small parks can accomplish big things, lots of folks pitched in, and the exhibits look great! Likewise, BICY staff did the project management for the new swamp buggy exhibit facility (almost complete at press time). Finally Ray Kuba at BICY built a fantastic new exhibit plinth for the canoe at the Welcome Center. Thanks everyone!

Mark your calendars! The SFCMC is hosting “Effective Oral History: Interviews, project management and practical applications” from October 31-November 4, 2011, at the Krome Center in Homestead. WASO Oral History Coordinator LuAnn Jones is organizing the course; instructors include historians, ethnographers, a curator, archivists and a solicitor. Get hands-on training about project planning, legal and ethical issues, recording technologies, interview preparation, interviewing, processing interviews, and using oral history for interpretive programs, exhibits, web sites, and publications. Register now on DOI Learn (course number NPS-2011-1031-EVER). Tuition is $400.00 due in FY12 and space is limited to 30 people so sign up now!

New Park Permit Coordinator

Didier Carod, environmental protection specialist, is the new research permit coordinator for BISC. A longtime park employee, Didier is new to the challenges of the permit system. The “old hands” (PJ Walker, Steve Schulze, Siobhan Millar & Jennifer Stafford) have one word (run!)—we mean welcome!!! We look forward to working with you.

DRTO Cannon Documentary Film

SFCMC volunteer Mark Newbill is creating a documentary film about the cannon mounting project completed in 2010. Mark, a graduate of the University of Miami, has brought his talents, friends and resources to the project. The as-yet-untitled film details the cannon project, from conservation through to mounting the 25-ton gun on a full reproduction carriage. It will premier in October—stay tuned for the dates, times and locations.