Where do significant collections come from? They start when ordinary people develop a passion for a subject or object. They begin to add more items, filling in gaps and improving examples they have. They become subject matter experts in a narrow field. Small collections grow into larger ones until eventually dealers and institutions get involved. Lincoln Cushing has worked as a professional archivist in university special collections as well as private archives, and is now an “archival midwife” shepherding collections from private to public spheres. Cushing will share his experiences and explore how the processes and ethics of paper-based collections have evolved in the digital age.
An in-person and virtual presentation by Lincoln Cushing, librarian, archivist, author, and lecturer