Sustaining the Sacred Harp Museum: A Case Study in the Management of a Small Special Library Erin Fulton, University of Kentucky erinfulton@uky.edu SEMLA 2020
Founding director Charlene Wallace, 2016 Photo: Sasha Hsuczyk
COLUMBIANA (Denson ed. Sacred Harp , p. 56t) Led by Tom George, Sarah Trumbore, and Rod Ivey at the Burnham and Brown Memorial, Jacksonville, AL, 2019 Recording: Nathan Rees Photo: Robert Chambless
Sacred Harp (1844 – 97) ↓ ↓ ↓ Cooper revisions (1902 – 2012) White revisions (1909 – 11) James revision (1911 – 21) *Current use in TX, FL, MS, *Current use in MS and *Historical use in TX, north south AL, south GA, and some central GA AL, and Atlanta metro out-of-region singings *Historical use in TN and *Issued by Sacred Harp *Issued by Sacred Harp Book north AL Publishing Company since 2015 Company *Not in print since 2007 ↓ Denson revisions (1936 – 91) *Current use at most out-of- region and international singings *Historical use in north AL, west GA, and north MS *Issued by Sacred Harp Publishing Company
Sacred Harp (1844 – 97) ↓ ↓ ↓ Cooper revisions (1902 – 2012) White revisions (1909 – 11) James revision (1911 – 21) *Current use in TX, FL, MS, *Current use in MS and *Historical use in TX, north south AL, south GA, and some central GA AL, and Atlanta metro out-of-region singings *Historical use in TN and *Issued by Sacred Harp *Issued by Sacred Harp Book north AL Publishing Company since 2015 Company *Not in print since 2007 ↓ Denson revisions (1936 – 91) *Current use at most out-of- region and international singings *Historical use in north AL, west GA, and north MS *Issued by Sacred Harp Publishing Company
Museum Founders and Caretakers Charlene Wallace (b. 1929, d. 2019) Museum director, 1986 – 2016 Served as SHPC treasurer and acting executive secretary Hugh McGraw (b. 1931, d. 2017) Music committee, 1960 – 1991 (chaired 1973 – 1991) SHPC executive secretary, 1958 – 2002 Richard DeLong (b. 1963, d. 2020) Music committee, 1991 revision SHPC executive secretary, 2008 – 2011
Scrapbooks kept by Charlene Wallace, 1950s – 2012 Photo: Lance McCord
Church in Winston, GA, during annual Sacred Harp singing, 1970 Richard DeLong, photographs of singing venues, compiled 1986 – 8 (SB 1986 DeLongR)
The AV Room (AKA “Kitchen”), 2015
Annual Sacred Harp singings (Denson ed.) held in 2004 Data collection and image by Will Fitzgerald, 2005
Boston singer Ginny Ely at the National Convention, Birmingham, AL, 1987 Newspaper clippings open file, Sacred Harp Museum
I. Physical Space
Sacred Harp Publishing Company Inventory (on a very light day)
A “Duplicate Box” Inventory Spreadsheet
A Small Sampling of Denson Books
Provenance/State Information, 1971 Denson Book
Part of the VHS Collection
II. Call Numbers
Information Sources for Call Numbers
Call Number System (as employed in 2016 – 2018)
Conceptual Model: Location vs. Format vs. Resource Type Metric Reflected How Used In Record? In Call No.? Stable? Holding Physical location of Locating, retrieving, and No No No Location an item within the reshelving items; browsing museum related items Storage Storage Indicating general storage Yes Yes Mostly Format requirements of location both in catalog item (shelf, vertical record and on the item storage, etc.) itself Resource Predefined Accessing appropriate Yes No Yes Type categories in descriptive fields during cataloging software cataloging related to mode of publication, etc.
Minute Books
Sample Call Numbers (minute book, newsletter, flyer)
III. Subject Analysis
Rival Editions of Christian Harmony “Carolina Book,” 2015 ed. “Alabama Book,” 2002 ed.
Use of Natural Language in an Ambiguous Record
Sampling of Local-Use Subject Headings
Sample of topics covered in the Sacred Harp Museum Handbook
What We Learned
What We Learned • Custodial approaches will necessarily differ from larger libraries
What We Learned • Custodial approaches will necessarily differ from larger libraries • Approach problems from the perspective of patrons as well as staff/volunteers
What We Learned • Custodial approaches will necessarily differ from larger libraries • Approach problems from the perspective of patrons as well as staff/volunteers • Document practices — even stopgap practices
Charlene Wallace at a Georgia singing, ca . 1962 Undated scrapbook, Sacred Harp Museum (SB 0000 Gravest)
Museum caretaker Phillip Denney (and grandson) leading Sacred Harp at Wallace’s funeral, 2019 Photo: Robert Chambless
Sustaining the Sacred Harp Museum: A Case Study in the Management of a Small Special Library Erin Fulton, University of Kentucky erinfulton@uky.edu SEMLA 2020
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