Elizabeth A. R. Brown Medieval Historians Archive: Collecting Guidelines
The following guidelines outline how the Elizabeth A. R. Brown Medieval Historians Archive will document the work of scholars of medieval history and medieval studies more broadly. They explain the factors that influence the selection of potential additions to the collection and provide guidance to donors about the types of materials the Archive collects.
This is a living document: it will evolve as a result of donor conversations. It may not include all the types of material every donor has, but it should provide a general idea of the types of documentation the Archive hopes to collect.
Introduction
The Elizabeth A. R. Brown Medieval Historians Archive supports the commitment of the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts to research and instruction and implements Elizabeth A. R. Brown’s vision as outlined in her gift to Penn of her own papers and the Medieval Historians’ Archivist Fund.
The papers of scholars contain significant information on teaching, research, and professional activities. Researchers can gain valuable perspectives on work in medieval studies through the documentation of each of these activities. An archival collection of scholars’ papers can allow the ongoing use of research materials they created as well as understanding of the careers, insights, and connections of the scholars themselves.
In addition to the papers of individual medievalists, the Medieval Historians Archive collects the records of medieval studies associations.
Collection Objectives
By collecting medievalists’ papers, the EARB Medieval Historians Archive strives to:
- document the unique contributions of significant medievalists and their associations
- bring the papers of significant medievalists together so that the correspondence and collaborations among them can be studied more easily
- supplement the Kislak Center’s other significant collecting areas, including the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies’ rich collection of medieval manuscripts
Appraisal Criteria
The Elizabeth A. R. Brown Medieval Historians Archive acquires the papers of medieval studies scholars selectively while also striving to document a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and research interests. For determining the significance of a body of work and its appropriateness for acquisition, the Archive relies on recognition by peers or national bodies for outstanding contributions to medieval studies:
- recipient of significant award [e.g. Pulitzer, Guggenheim, MacArthur, etc.]
- designation as a Fellow of the relevant professional society [Medieval Academy of America, for example]
- recipient of the top honor (medal, prize) within relevant professional society [MAA’s Haskins Medal, for example]
- leadership of a nationally or internationally recognized center or library for the study of the Middle Ages
- originator of a significant new area of research, leading to a recognized sub-field within medieval studies
- recipient of significant research grants
In addition, the Archive may acquire a medievalist’s papers if their body of work is closely related to existing collections in the Kislak Center.
The Archive may also collect the permanently valuable records of associations related to medieval studies. Associations that are interested in donating their records are invited to contact us to discuss the types of records they create, the types of records that may have permanent research value, how long the records are in active use by the association, and how often they might transfer records to the Archive.
Materials Collected
The types of materials collected, in any format, include but are not limited to the following:
Research
- research notes and data
- grant applications, proposals, and final reports
- unpublished articles and books
- drafts of publications if containing substantial comments or annotations
- images, including photographs, slides, and illustrations
- web sites for creator’s own digital medieval studies projects
Teaching
- course syllabi
- lecture notes
- exams, handouts, etc.
Scholarship
- speeches and lectures
- conference presentations
- professional correspondence
Autobiographical materials
- CVs
- Interviews
- oral histories
- unpublished memoirs
- diaries and journals
- photographs (identified)
Association materials
- board agenda and minutes
- formal reports
- publications
- awards made
- grants given and received
- annual financial reports
- conference programs
- membership information
- correspondence
- photographs and other media
- websites
Materials Generally Not Collected
In general, the EARB Medieval Historians Archive does not collect the following:
- reprints, offprints, or pre-prints – with the exception of single copies of a scholar’s own articles or articles by others with significant annotations
- copies of works published by others, including photocopies of journal articles, book chapters, web pages, etc. unless substantially annotated by the donor
- institutional personnel records such as those documenting recruitment and promotion
- professional correspondence related to specific individuals, such as letters of recommendation, tenure review assessments, or performance evaluations
- equipment or software, or instructions for equipment or software
- duplicative or redundant material
- three-dimensional objects, artifacts, or plaques
- institutional student education records (as under FERPA)
- medical and legal records
- receipts, junk mail, magazines, newspapers, and other materials that do not document the donor’s research, teaching, lecturing, and other projects in medieval studies.
Contact Us
Contact Meg Phillips, the Elizabeth A. R. Brown Archivist, to discuss potential donations and any questions about whether specific materials are appropriate for the Archive.
Contact the archivist