Collection Contents and Current Challenges

FSJ Friends,

As promised, I want to keep you updated with what is going on with our curation project! So far I have been doing a lot of research which for some may not be so exciting… But, it is an important part of the process and I love it!

When I first began this project, I asked myself a variety of questions, “What does the collection consist of? What state of curation is the collection currently in? Where are the various pieces of the collection located? What collection management system does the Museum and Project use? Are there better ways to organize the collection for easier tracking and access? How many people are currently aware of the collection?”

I thought it was best to investigate some of the questions first so that I could identify areas where improvement could occur in the future. With that said, let me share some of my own knowledge and a few recent findings!

First, how many of you are aware of the variety of items in the Fort St. Joseph collection? As I mentioned in my first blogpost, it consists of the many items related to Fort St. Joseph such as the—familiar and obvious—archaeologically recovered materials. However, there is so much more!! Specifically, the collection consists of artifacts and animal bones, geophysical data, historical documents and translations, maps, field notes, photographs, soil samples, carbon-14 samples, and numerous publications.

You may now be thinking, “Wow, I had no idea! Where are the contents located? Can I request research access? Are some items from the collection on display?” For those who missed my previous blog, the collection is held at the Niles History Center, where some items are on display and many are available for research purposes.

Figure 1. Christina Arseneau, far right, and Mollie Watson, to her left,
tell WMU field school students about the Fort St. Joseph Museum
 and the FSJ collection. Photo by Crystal DeRoo.

While exploring these first initial questions, however, I have found some of the downfalls of the collection’s current curation state. Like many small museums, money (required for routine updates and full-time staffing) can seem impossible to find. As a result, aspects of collection management often takes a back seat to other more pressing needs. The FSJ collection has been no exception which is one of the many reasons for this curation project and fellowship.

While the Niles History Center now has a full-time director, Christina Arseneau, a part-time assistant director, Molly Watson, and assistance from WMU student Project intern, this was not always the case. Due to the previous lack of resources, much more time and materials are now required to improve the collection’s state. When reading various blogs, articles, and books about reorganizing or rehousing collections, one of the first items discussed is the need for funds to acquire the necessary materials and assist with staffing costs. The second item is time; time to assess the situation, identify solutions, and implement best practices.

Figure 2. Meghan Williams, the current
WMU student Project intern, has been
assisting in digitizing field notes. 

With that in mind, I may ask for assistance and advice from time to time. The best part about the Project’s friends and the scholar community in general is that we love to share our ideas, resources, and findings!

So I will now put out a call for advice and recommendations…

One problem that I have identified thus far is the collection’s organization and management system. Recently, the Project suffered from some computer issues and much of our data on Past Perfect was lost. Undecided on whether to take time to identify and fill in the missing pieces, Project members, myself included, are researching other cataloging systems. I am also investigating other online options for storing and sharing data. In the past, the project has used tDAR but found it difficult to remain up to date without funding and specified staffing.

Any thoughts? Recommendations? Resources I need to add to my list? I would love to hear your opinions on this matter or anything else curation or Project related! Please feel free to contact me at hartleyerikak@jccmi.edu. I have also began coordinating some visits to other repositories to discuss their curation practices!

Stay tuned for more updates and findings,

Erika Hartley