Publication Date
5-2017
Abstract
In December 2014, the South Carolina Historical Society relocated nearly 5,000 linear feet of manuscript material and more than 3,000 rare books and monographs to a shared space within the Special Collections department at the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library. Exploration of the antecedents and evolution of this partnership between a private non-profit manuscript archive and a public academic repository can demonstrate lessons learned from the process of condensing archival spaces and personnel to create a deeply rich repository for research and inquiry. In the absence of a formula or analytical framework for the envisioned collaboration, stakeholders at each institution relied on standards, best practices, and case studies in the fields of archives and libraries, while breaking new ground in the realms of management and long-term stewardship of and access to archival materials. In this article, contributors from both partner organizations discuss the deployment of project management strategies, creation of workflows to prepare facilities and relocate collections, communication, coordination of publicity, and solutions to challenges encountered during the initial twenty-four months of the partnership. Contributors also offer takeaways that may prove helpful to other archivists and allied professions facing analogous change scenarios.