COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS (Service Opportunities in New Orleans)

Give Back.  SAA last convened in New Orleans in August 2005.  At ARCHIVES 2013 we’re back—in alliance with the Council of State Archivists—to show our support for the city and celebrate how far it’s come since Katrina.  We’re proud to provide opportunities for attendees to give back while in New Orleans by participating in hands-on archives and community projects.

Please note that the average high temperature in New Orleans in August is 91 degrees, the average low is 75 degrees, and the humidity is often in excess of 90%.  Be mindful of your health at all times!

Our committed team of volunteer organizers has arranged for the following opportunities to give back.  Please contact the individual noted under each project to sign up.  (Service projects may be cancelled if the number of volunteers is not sufficient to allow us to proceed.)  Deadline for volunteering: August 9.

City Park Archives [This project is now full.  Many thanks to our volunteers!]

Wednesday, August 14, 8:00 AM – Noon

Inventory Project at City Park Archives:  Volunteers will provide assistance to the City Park Archives (CPA) by beginning a basic inventory of the contents of many boxes of the CPA’s collections that have been stored in a local warehouse. Volunteers are asked to bring their own laptops to use during the effort. All work will be done in Microsoft Excel (or similar spreadsheet application). (Archivists Without Borders is co-sponsoring this service opportunity.)

Number of Volunteers Needed:  3 – 4

Getting There:  Volunteers will be met at the New Orleans Museum of Art and escorted to the City Park warehouse. Take the Canal Streetcar from South Peters Street (near Harrah’s Casino) to City Park/Museum stop and walk to the Museum.  (The streetcars require exact change of $1.25.)  More details will be provided to you before the project begins.

For more information or to volunteer:  Contact Bertram Lyons (a member of Archivists Without Borders) at bertramlyons@hotmail.com.  [This project is now full.  Many thanks to our volunteers!]

Scanning Project at Tulane University:   Volunteers will provide assistance to the City Park Archives (CPA) by carrying out an effort to scan disbound pages of minute books from the CPA’s collections. All work will take place using overhead scanners at Tulane University in the Special Collections Division. Original materials (disbound pages) will be delivered and picked up by local support staff from the CPA. Volunteers will be responsible only for scanning the pages in a safe and responsible manner.  (Archivists Without Borders is co-sponsoring this service opportunity.) 

Number of Volunteers Needed:  3 – 4

Getting There:  The Tulane University Library is located on the campus of Tulane University. Take the streetcar to the St. Charles end of Tulane campus and then walk through the campus to Freret, or take the Freret bus from downtown to the Tulane University Library. More details will be provided before the project begins.

For more information or to volunteer:  Contact Bertram Lyons (a member of Archivists Without Borders) at bertramlyons@hotmail.com.  [This project is now full.  Many thanks to our volunteers!]

If you’re not able to participate in these activities but would like to make a donation:  City Park Archives, Friends of City Park, No. 1 Palm Drive, New Orleans, LA  70124.

Louisiana Historical Center (Louisiana State Museum) [This project is now full.  Many thanks to our volunteers!]

Wednesday, August 14, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (or later)

Architectural Records Project.   Record Group 408 comprises the resources used for the Friends of Cabildo (FOC) New Orleans Architecture series.  Seven books were created between 1971 (Volume 1: New Orleans Architecture: Lower Garden District) and 1989 (Volume VII: New Orleans Architecture: Jefferson City). The collection includes research notes generated by the editors and authors of this book series and is arranged by volume, then alphabetically by street addresses of homes, businesses, and apartments throughout New Orleans. The collection is made up of photographs, Photostats, blueprints, correspondence, and maps.  Volunteers will be asked to create a finding aid for each box, which will then be compiled into a Finding Aid for the entire collection.  Volunteers are asked to bring a personal laptop or tablet with them to the repository.

Number of Volunteers Needed:   4

Getting There:  The Old U.S. Mint, Louisiana Historical Center, is located at 400 Esplanade Avenue.  Take the Riverfront Streetcar (from Poydras Street near the Hilton) to the French Market stop.

For more information or to volunteer:  Contact Elizabeth Scott at escott@smcvt.edu. [This project is now full.  Many thanks to our volunteers!]

If you’re not able to participate in these activities but would like to make a donation: Louisiana Museum Foundation, 1000 Bourbon Street, #B429, New Orleans, LA  70116; http://www.thelmf.org.  

Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana  [CANCELLED]

Tuesday, August 13

9:00 AM – 11:30  AM

SAA’s Archivists of Religious Collections Section welcomed more than two dozen volunteers to its service project at the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank in August 2012.  Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana seeks to lead the fight against hunger in south Louisiana through food distribution, advocacy, education, and disaster response. The food bank serves nearly 263,000 clients annually and distributes food in partnership with 240 local agencies.  Volunteers will assist with sorting and packaging food.  Note:  The warehouse is not air conditioned. Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes.

Number of Volunteers Needed:  Up to 30.

Getting There:  Meet in the lobby of the Hilton New Orleans Riverside no later than 8:15 am.  Busing will be provided.

For more information or to volunteer:  Contact Anne Thomason at annera23@gmail.com or 765-983-1743.  [Unfortunately this project has been cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.  Many thanks to those who did volunteer to participate!]

If you’re not able to participate in this activity but would like to make a donation:  http://no-hunger.org/.

Lower Ninth Ward

Wednesday, August 14, 8:15 AM – 4:30 PM

Would you like to learn more about the history and culture of the Lower Ninth Ward?  And would you like to contribute to the rebuilding of this devastated neighborhood as part of the process?  Established in February 2007, Lowernine.org coordinates volunteer labor as a way of reducing construction costs for neighborhood homeowners in need.  The day of service will begin at lowernine.org’s office at 8:15 am and will end at 4:30 pm. The work could involve light construction, painting, demolition, or landscaping.  Bring lightweight clothes, a hat, sunscreen, close-toed shoes, and extra water.  It will be hot.  Lunch will be available (for a fee) at the House of Dance and Feathers, a backyard, neighborhood museum.  Bring your own or enjoy a neighborhood po-boy, fried chicken, etc.  Fats Domino’s home is nearby!  For more information about the organization:  www.lowernine.org.

Number of Volunteers Needed:  No limit.  The work fee for lowernine.org is $35 per person.

Getting There:  Organized transportation will be dependent on the number of participants and the availability of vehicles, but it could mean an additional, modest cost.

For more information or to volunteer:   This service opportunity is being coordinated by Bill Ross, Special Collections Librarian at the University of New Hampshire. He has made numerous service trips to the Gulf Coast since Katrina and teaches an undergraduate seminar on New Orleans.  As part of the class, students spend their spring break with Bill working in and around the Crescent City. In March 2013, they spent a memorable week living in the Lower Ninth and working with lowernine.org.  In fact, they will be back in 2014.  To contact Bill:  Bill.Ross@unh.edu or 603-862-0346.

If you’re not able to participate in this activity but would like to make a donation:  http://www.lowernine.org.

St. Bernard Project

Wednesday, August 14, 8:30 – 11:30 am

With the help of more than 41,000 volunteers, St. Bernard Project (SBP) has rebuilt more than 445 homes in the Greater New Orleans area since 2006.  SBP’s mission is “to ensure that disaster-impacted communities recover in a prompt, efficient, and predictable way.”  Volunteers need not have construction skills, but work includes demolition, cleaning, painting, sanding, etc.  It will be hot.  Bring lightweight clothes, a hat, sunscreen, close-toed shoes, and extra water.  For more about St. Bernard Project:  http://www.stbernardproject.org/about-us/

Number of Volunteers Needed:  Up to 25 per shift.

Getting There:  Meet in the lobby of the Hilton New Orleans Riverside no later than 7:15 am.  Busing will be provided.

For more information or to volunteer:  Contact Colleen McFarland at ColleenM@MennoniteUSA.org or 574-523-3039.

If you’re not able to participate in this activity but would like to make a donation:  http://www.stbernardproject.org/