Visit to the New Catholic Times Donation

Today I went to visit the New Catholic Times donation, which is stored in the library offices. Right now, the collection is sitting on a desk in seven different cardboard boxes with tops. I took notes for each individual box. I will transcribe them here, so they can easily be references for my digitization proposal, which is due in the following week,

BOX 1--

• photographs range from 1970's to 1990's- mostly gelatin silver
• some photos are in better shape than others--some are yellowing, staining, fading
• in Manila folders loosely by location or subject--they are stored vertically, causing the photographs to curl (they appear RC and this is bad for them)
• Some subjects: Israel, Ireland, Italy, El Salvador, Movements, Life Issues, etc.
• large subjects such as Latin American and Eastern Europe
• "Marriage" subject shows up in two boxes
• some subjects have LOTS of photos and some have only 2 or 3

BOX 2--

• negative and proofs
• DISORGANIZED--some have contact sheets, some don't-- contact sheet have negs stapled in an envelop next to it
• some sheets are marked with the ones that are going to be printed or that were probably favourites
• do any prints in the other boxes correspond to the negatives or contact sheets?
  
• SEVERAL envelops of loose negatives, they are not properly housed
• orange book at the bottom of negatives and contact sheet
• some have roll number on them such as #1463
• SO MESSY, needs organization, there stacks of loose contact sheets

BOX 3--

• Manila folders with gelatin silver photos
• in loose groups--not necessarily arranged by story
• subjects: Abortion, Church & State, Dance, Catholic Groups, Africa, Balkans, Human Life Research (Also Africa--Algeria, with 4 photos in it, why a separate group from Africa?)
• combine groups? organize better? House?
• digitize all? or only important ones?
• some are badly stained--be sure to consider digitizing or finding original of quickly deteriorating ones
• digitize negs first?
• if find photo essays, they should be kept together

BOX 4--

• First Section-- Film (all prints of movies stills) SEVERAL-- some grouped in envelops by film
• mostly bishops, priests, pop-- hierarchy Catholic Leaders
• Media/media Literature--can be the same? better group names?
• Several Bishop folders: American N-Z; Bishops- worlds; Canadian Bishops (better organization???)

BOX 5--

• Mostly Persons folders, or icons
• many are staining or yellowing
• no organization to the folders
• another large film folder in the back--condense
• some persons are religious affiliated, ordinary or celebrity--NO DISTINCTION between folders
• mostly gelatin silver-- at least on B/W copier prints and 1 colour
• many prints have writing, stamps or captions

BOX 6--

• Less folders-- many aren't labeled or appear to be labeled wrong
• Subjects: Homelessness, Kenya, Christmas
• So much AFRICA--should there be one subject with sub categories
  
• not many photos, mostly gelatin silver (some are fading)
• what kind of organization could we have? Many of these are labeled on the wrong side or crossed out

BOX 7--

• more Manila folders of prints organized roughly by topic/subject
• SUBJECT: seniors, Phillipines, unemployment, Nuclear Power, Nicaragua, workers, New Foundland/Labrador, youth, United States
• poor categories redundant
• most in envelops are NOT part of an essay together
• staining, fading discoloration
• World Economic Protest 2002--color photos, latest envelops
• There are some color photos in this folder
• Poverty subject--no place names so can't add them to world places, very tricky and problematic with these subjects
• do we know any photographers???

This collection needs organization. This is the first and foremost problem that needs to be addressed with this collection. More issues and ideas will be addressed in this digitization plan.