Developing and Administering Ethnic and Cultural Heritage Collections
Current Faculty: Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty
This course will examine the principles and underlying practices of developing and administering rare and distinctive ethnic and cultural heritage collections within the framework of mainstream American libraries and museums. Emphasis will be placed on how to protect and advocate for historic and contemporary cultural heritage collections against multiple threats such as systematic racism, institutional bias, decreased funding, and increasing marginalization within predominately white institutions.
A significant portion of the student’s time will be engaged in lectures, class discussions, and fieldwork at local Los Angeles special collections repositories. Hands on activities include examining archival and rare book materials that illuminate opportunities and challenges administering ethnic heritage resources.
Please note this is a seminar course and therefore, a forum for discussion that seeks to inform and advise participants who are addressing challenges and opportunities around cultural heritage collections in their current professional institutions, the instructor may modify the course topics to suit current events and expressed student interests, needs, and expertise. For example, special attention may be given to challenges faced by ethnic heritage institutions during the national pandemic.
Years Taught: 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021
Previously taught under the titles: Developing & Administering Collections of African American Resources (alternative title: Building Research Collections of African American Materials in 2017)