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Challenges in Organizing & Describing Records of an Evolving Organization: AAFCS

Learn about the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) and the challenges of organizing and preserving its historical records. Discover the organization's activities, Cornell-AAFCS connections, and the AAFCS Historical Collection Processing Project.

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Challenges in Organizing & Describing Records of an Evolving Organization: AAFCS

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  1. ORThe Challenges in Organizing and Describing the Records of an Evolving Organization Home Economics – More Than Meets The Eye

  2. Acronym alert! AAFCS = American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences AHEA = American Home Economics Association

  3. AAFCS Historical Collection Processing Project • Brief history of the AAFCS • AAFCS activities • Cornell-AAFCS connections • Processing the collection • Other collection-related work

  4. The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) • Formerly the American Home Economics Association • Headquartered in the metro Washington, D.C. area • 10,000+ members • “AAFCS strives to improve the quality and standards of individual and family life by providing educational programs, influencing public policy, and through communication.”

  5. AAFCS – the Beginning • Originated from the Lake Placid Conferences, 1899-1908 • Group of 11 “Founders” headed by Ellen Richards • AHEA officially established in 1909 • 700 charter members; 1200+ at the end of 1909; nearly 20,000 by 1949 • Growth = Change

  6. Headquarters Family Economics and Resource Management Senate Projects and Programs Assembly Public Policy Textiles Center for the Family Bd. of Trustees Council Nutrition Officers AHEA Foundation Education Bd. of Directors Communication Bd. of Trustees Members Business Executive Bd. Art State Associations Research Executive Cmte Extension Units Housing and Environment Annual meetings Accreditation Committees Sections & Divisions Family Relations and Child Development Certification Affiliatedorgs. Student groups International Relations

  7. Key Sources of Published History • The AHEA Saga by Keturah Baldwin (1949) • AHEA - A History of Excellence by Helen Pundt (1980) • Lake Placid Conference proceedings (1899-1908, 1973) • Bulletin of the AHEA (1912-42) • Journal of Home Economics (1909-present)

  8. Association Activities • Public affairs • Consumer interests and standards • International relations and programs • Education • Assistance in times of need

  9. (a few) Cornell-AAFCS Connections • Martha van Rensselaer • Flora Rose • Flemmie Kittrell • Helen Canoyer • Gwendolyn Newkirk • Carol Anderson • Francille Firebaugh F. Rose & M. van Rensselaer, ca. 1920

  10. AAFCS Historical Collection Project AHEA bumper sticker

  11. Project Background • 3-year project began in October 2004 • Funded by the AAFCS • Purposes: • To organize and preserve the historical records of AAFCS • To assist the organization in leveraging its history to celebrate its centennial

  12. The AAFCS Collection • About 400 cubic feet • Over 500 boxes • Materials from late 1800s to mid 1990s • Includes paper records, scrapbooks, books, videotapes, films, slideshows, photographs, textiles, and other interesting items

  13. The Challenges of Archival Processing • What is it? • Why is it there? • Where does it go? Future challenge • How do we save it?

  14. What is it? • The original box list • At least there was a list • But sometimes vague or inaccurate • The survey – one box at a time • Verifying collection contents • Identifying potential preservation problems

  15. Why is it there? • Are these materials together for a reason? • Is there a common source? • Do we need to keep it all? • Archival appraisal – deciding research/historical value, not monetary value • Disposition of published materials

  16. Where does it go? • The ideal of original order • Arrangement into series • The process of sorting • Information management tools • Database • Reports generated from the database

  17. Microsoft Access database

  18. Microsoft Word table (generated from Access database)

  19. Additional Responsibilities • Records management • More boxes?! • Working with Headquarters staff • Assisting researchers • In person, and via e-mail and telephone • Dean’s Fellowship in the History of Home Economics and Nutrition http://www.human.cornell.edu/che/Fellowship/index.cfm

  20. Additional Responsibilities (cont’d) • Donor relations • National Headquarters • Individual members • Presentations and events • AAFCS conference, Minneapolis, June 2005 • Donor event, Ithaca, October 2005

  21. AAFCS Donor Event, October 2005 - (L to R) Jennie Kitching, Francille Firebaugh, Sharon Nickols, Peggy Meszaros, Marjorie East, Queen Bowman, Carol Anderson, Sarah Keen, and Sarah Thomas

  22. Future happenings • AAFCS conference, June 2006 • Society of American Archivists conference presentation, August 2006 The Politics of Petticoats: The American Home Economics Association and National Standards for Textile Fabrics • Lake Placid Centennial, 2008 • AAFCS Centennial, 2009

  23. Questions? For further information, please contact: Sarah Keen, AAFCS Project Archivist sek38@cornell.edu

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