Panel 14: Luso-Hispanic Resistance and Resilience: Primary Sources in the Collections of the Library of Congress (2016)

Luso-Hispanic Resistance and Resilience: Primary Sources in the Collections of the Library of Congress

SALALM 61, Panel 14, May 13, 2016, 9:00am-10:30am
Moderator: Katherine McCann, Handbook of Latin American Studies
Rapporteur: Hanni Nabahe, University of Arizona

Presentation 1:
The Mexican Revolution and the United States Website (Library of Congress)

Speakers: Barbara Tanenbaum, Consultant Hispanic Division; Tracy North, Social Sciences Ed., Handbook of Latin American Studies

Tracy:

Overview of this conversion project—there has been an earlier iteration on the website, but the formatting (style, template, etc) has recently been updated, which required meetings to discuss where the site would live, look, and most appropriate location within the LoC’s website. It will be listed with the exhibitions even though it was never a physical exhibition. However, much of the process resembled designing a physical exhibition.

Template: one with content, the other with metadata—resulted in a 250pg document

This is the first online exhibition for the LoC. It was renamed so it would be listed under M in the list of physical exhibits.

Barbara:

Around 2007, Barbara noticed the importance of 2010 for the Independence and Revolution. Not much is held on the Independence, so the decision was made to focus on the Revolution. However, donor approached where either ill or not interested. It was decided to collaborate with San Antonio. Ultimately the decision was made to use a website for the exhibit vs doing a physical, which changed the audience to student and scholars instead of the general public. It was also noted how many materials on the Revolution are available in all areas of the LoC. Extra funds from the previous year’s exhibition budget allowed it to be translated so it could be bilingual.

Challenges: the exhibition would not be a very happy one, which is what is one of the goals at LoC. Highlights from the online exhibit:

Prelude section:

  • Letter by Guerrero with war’s budget
  • Posada (one of the best collections, after Hawaii)

Porfiriato:

  • Corridos (you can listen to a couple—Arhoolie allowed the use of their materials as long as they were referenced. Audio only available for streaming, not download)
  • Map of the Tragic Ten Days, GIS was used (#24 is highlights the Spanish translation)

Huerta:

  • Atlas of the Mexican Revolution with stats (shows off the way the LoC is doing full-text digitization)
  • Salvador Toscano filming of the Revolution—video of “Vaccinating to Keep the Disease Down” (side note: Pancho Villa signed a contract with a movie company—that is why he didn’t fight at night since it could not be filmed)
  • Notable battles of the Revolution
  • Women in the Revolution:
    • Viewpoints (includes video)
    • Individual Women (Four Prominent Soldaderas – shows a clipping that tells of a female leader)

U.S. Involvement

  • LoC holds the presidential papers up to Hoover (after FDR, they have their own libraries)
    • Taft’s letter about being glad he didn’t have to send troops when Madero was murdered
    • W. Wilson refused to recognize Huerta

The End of the Revolution

  • For the exhibit, it ends in 1917 with the writing of the Constitution (includes digitized Diario Oficial of the Constitution of 1917)
  • Alvaro Obregon vision for the nation
  • Six original plays by Brigit O Caro (sp?) , in the original typescript

Presentation 2:

Examples of Resistance and Resilience by Writers in the Archive of Hispanic Literature on Tape

Speaker: Georgette Dorn, Chief Librarian, Hispanic Division

As articulated by Poets and Fiction

750 audio recordings

Cultural, ethnic, political

Authors include Nicolar Gillen (Cuba), Jorge Icaza (Ecuador), Juan Rulfo (México)

Repository was started in 1943 by Francisco Aguilera, specialists. Librarian of Congress asked him to record poets--includes 9 Nobel Laureates and other notable poets.. Georgette Dorn came next. Recorded on magnetic tape, most recorded off site in foreign countries and events. Since 2011, recordings are done in digital format and done at the Packard campus.

Recordings are in a number of languages, including Catalan, Guarani, Papamento, Zapotec, etc.

In 2015, Catalina Gomez & interns developed a project to digitized the archive, now available on the website with 5 being added every month.

Highlights (in slides):

Nicolas Guillen (Afro-cuban), Jorge Icaza (Indigenista), Juan Rulfo (Indigenista)

Presentation 3:

Documenting Resistance and Resilience in Brazil: The Library of Congress Field Office in Rio de Janeiro

Speakers: Carlos Olave, Head, Hispanic Reading Room; Igor Fazano, Acquisitions Specialist, LC Rio Office

  • Monographs: 8065 acquired just in 2015

Many materials from NGOs since they are not allowed to have websites or publish their materials. Can be searched on LC.

  • Serials: 2000+ titles, 225 offered to CAP
  • Cordel: 13,000+

Unique way of reporting materials (booklets/pamphlets)

  • BPG: (posters)
  • Web Archive

Collection analysis (as seen on slides):

  • 1st slide: scandals
  • 2nd slide: marginalized people
  • 3rd slides: subjects that are interrelated
  • 4th slides: quilombos (settlement inhabited by escaped slaves)

LC has a very comprehensive collection thanks to the places where the Rio office is able to collect from, and because they are based in Brazil.

Questions to Presenters:

  • Laura (didn’t catch last name), University of Georgia

Brasil resources only in LoC, because of legal issues. Cordels are available off site and

  • Male, University of Pennsylvania

How do you acquire materials?

They approach all kinds of organizations—payment is not required, but time is

Voyager is more complete since there is more loaded there than in OCLC, those are preliminary record (cataloging backlog)—for materials not found on OCLC, you can contact LoC directly to request those be addressed

  • Tracy North:

Social media—her division is being fed to the main LoC Facebook feed and to the new Area Blog, 4 Corners of the World (Katie discussed this for a few minutes)