#archivesmonth

[southwestcollectionarchives]

Archives Month has nearly come to an end, but archival work continues! If you want a little more information about the Southwest Collection, here's a copy of our brochure which describes our mission, collecting scope, and other aspects of the collection.

For research inquiries or to schedule a visit, please contact [email protected] or [phone].

[multcoarchives]

To celebrate Archives Month, the County Archives is sharing one of the oldest items in its custody: the 1849-1854 deed record book (multco055 vol 48). The deeds were recorded for parts of Washington County, which later became Multnomah County. Multnomah County (the 13th in Oregon Territory) was created on December 22, 1854, formed out of two other Oregon counties – the eastern part of Washington County and the northern part of Clackamas County. Its creation was a result of a petition earlier that year by businessmen in Portland complaining of the inconvenient location of the Washington County seat in Hillsboro and of the share of Portland tax revenues leaving the city to support Washington County farmers. County commissioners met for the first time on January 17, 1855. The county is named after the Chinookan word for the "lower river", multnomah, matlnomaq, or máɬnumax̣ being interpretive English spellings of the same word. In Chinook jargon, Ne-matlnomaq, means the "place of matlnomaq" or the (singular) Ne-matlnomag, "the lower river", from the Oregon City Falls toward the Columbia River.

From multco055 vol 48

#archivesmonth

[southwestcollectionarchives]

October 16th is #AskAnArchivist Day! If you have questions for our archivists, we welcome you to message us directly or leave your question in the comment section below. We look forward to hearing from you!

For research inquiries, please contact Reference Services at [email protected].

[multcoarchives]

Electronic Records Day observed today on 10/10 (a nod to binary code) is all about getting the word out on the huge amount of digital information we create and how vital it is to manage and save it properly. Government archives, like the Multnomah County Archives, preserve documents that validate what the government has done: what worked, what failed, and what lessons might be learned. Access to these documents can inform decision-making and policy creation.

How are you preserving your own digital footprint? Use this 4 step method to protect your most important digital files, from family photos to vital documents.

1. Locate your digital files stored on electronic devices, in the Cloud and on external storage devices. With so much data created daily, focus on what you would most regret losing.

2. Organize and name your digital files which will make them easier to find and manage for years to come. Use short descriptive file names, arrange your files in folders in a logical hierarchy, and delete duplicates.

3. Back up using the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of your data which includes the original file and 2 backups located on Cloud storage or an external drive.

4. Maintain and migrate: Monitor your storage annually to check a few files to ensure they are still readable, and every 5-7 years migrate at-risk file formats to more stable, modern formats.

You can find more information about digital preservation online or by contacting archivists and records professionals in your community. We’re happy to point you in the right direction for handy resources that can help you better manage your electronic records. Image from the digitized video “Library Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1994) one of the many electronic records you can view at www.multco.access.preservica.com #ERecsDay #archivesmonth

[rehearsingformysmalltalk]

A Day in the Life of an Archivist

Every time i start a new job i like to describe what i do to make myself feel something. Call it a jotting down of the thoughts:

This month I started a new job—I am the new municipal archivist for the City. Basically, my responsibility is to consult with city workers on a never-ending quest for historical material. What is historical material? I will spare you philosophical waxing here so, basically, it's any document that could be used in the future for research. There are particular guidelines that help me identify what "thing" is more historical than the other. Equipped with my guidelines, a notebook, and good people skills, I spend a lot of my time following leads and talking to city employees to generate leads. A lead requires good, thorough review of stuff so that the collection process is seamless. At a certain point, things get culled and the most useable stuff gets funneled into the archives. I’m basically a professional thrift shopper.

My partner me a dumpster diver for records. A great comparison, however unfortunate. What I love about this job is that I am a floating butterfly. I go everywhere, I see everything, and I talk to everyone.

Currently, a typical day for me can involve getting summoned by several different offices to help them "clean up" or "get rid of stuff" or "send stuff to the archives" (their words) all over town. By 8am I will, for example, be walking through a warehouse in South Austin inspecting files and/or objects for damage; by 12 I will be in my office downtown drafting a plan to salvage it; and by 4:30 investigating the contents of reels of magnetic tape found in East Austin. I talk to people everywhere about everything with the goal of fitting everything into History. "how will these budget reports serve city planners in the future," I may ask one day. "How will these photos of houses torn down in the 50s serve genealogical researchers?" I may ask another.

Only one month into this job, a client has reached out interested in my appraisal services. So away I go.

June 2024: a visit to the energy dept.

A big part of my job is learning a whole lot about what the city even does. What does a “city” “do?” What even is a “city?”

Appraisal is one of the most important parts of the job. Appraisal is when you inspect a group of given materials (and it can be anything) received to determine the source (and this is important). Provenance plays a major role in the validity of a document. An easy way to understand it is by thinking - if you don't know where this document came from, it doesn't matter that it says, "you have won one million dollars." Provenance is everything.

[multcoarchives]

October is Archives Month! The Multnomah County Archives preserves the history, organization, functions, and activities of the Multnomah County government from its formation on December 22, 1854 to the present day. These are the records of our history as a community. Our goal is to expand public awareness and access.

This image is from the Columbia River development drawings, 1970. Creator Robert N. Royston, an American landscape architect and a University of California, Berkeley, professor. He was recognized internationally for his public projects in addition to designs for residences and gardens. More of his work is also preserved at the Environmental Design Archives at University of California, Berkeley. While this specific plan was not executed, it lives on in the archives.

You can view more from this collection on our digital collections website: https://multco.access.preservica.com

[usnatarchives]

The National Archives holds over 13.5 BILLION pieces of paper, and some fascinating pieces can be found in The Center for Legislative Archives. In recognition of #AmericanArchivesMonth, explore the records available within The Center: https://archives.gov/legislative. The Center for Legislative Archives preserves and makes available the historical records of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and other legislative branch organizations and commissions.

The Center uses these historical records to enhance public understanding of Congress through reference and public outreach.

We'll share more about The Center and highlight some of their records throughout week!

[usnatarchives]

Time for some Archives Bingo, the Friday The 13th version! What gives archivists the superstitious shivers? Spoiler alert: it’s not a black cat. 🐱‍👤

From the terror of smelling vanilla (a sign of paper deterioration) or the fear of working with a 19th century ledger (you might become covered in red rot), our archivists told us what they consider to be harbingers of archival doom in the stacks!