Dear interns and collaborators of the Rutgers/Puerto Rico Archival Collaboration (PRAC),
It has been a year since the Mellon Foundation partnered with our work and allowed us to expand it. We now have over 45 “regular” interns working year-round on the various collections we collaborate with. Tomorrow, ten summer interns will begin, many of them coming from the United States and supported by PRAC. We have a large group of PRAC “graduates” who have gone on to study outside Puerto Rico or moved on to other jobs. And we have a waiting list of young people who have applied to participate in PRAC.
We have accomplished a lot.
We’ve expanded our collaboration to several archives and collections, while others are still in negotiation. We’ve recovered from some setbacks such as NEH budget cuts and their impact on the Puerto Rican Foundation for the Humanities. We’ve had to revise some policies, and others will continue to be adjusted as we go. Dozens of collections have been organized and thousands of items digitized. We’ve offered workshops and training sessions, and collaborated with researchers from various generations.
This summer, we will focus on the following initiatives:
- In August, we’ll publish several blogs written by interns.
- In July, we’ll host a lunch for the interns.
- In August, we’ll hold a reception in honor of Hilda T. Ayala, Director of the General Archive of Puerto Rico.
- StoryMaps and Omeka workshops.
- And our own book series: rescued theses published as “Lost Books.”
In the coming year, we hope to develop these programs:
- A Digital Humanities project based on maps and the presentation of historical data in a model that combines timelines and maps.
- Refining our mentoring of interns and promoting their professional development.
- Workshops with experienced historians.
- Incorporating new cameras into the digital workflow.
- Republishing our digital library in a more professional and accessible format.
- Publishing more detailed exhibitions with documents and document analysis.
- An added focus on analyzing and promoting the use of the collections we work with.
- Interpretative articles by renowned Puerto Rican historians.
Our main challenge is that we’ve processed so much material that we haven’t had time to pause, analyze, and promote the use of these materials.
I want to thank everyone for the work and support you’ve given to Rutgers/PRAC, especially the professors, archivists, and librarians who, in various capacities, manage interns or advise PRAC. Our staff—Sofia Feliciano, Paula Roque, Victor Gonzalez Sosa, and Niharika Pathak—have handled different aspects of the work with impressive skill and professionalism. Without them, none of this would be possible.
I invite you to continue participating in, supporting, and helping to bring visibility to this important work. And please visit our website regularly for details on all of these efforts: prac.rutgers.edu
Aldo A. Lauria Santiago
Director
Professor
Rutgers University, New Brunswick