{"id":5230,"date":"2019-06-28T10:41:16","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T14:41:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lizzieborden.org\/CuratorsCorner\/?p=5230"},"modified":"2019-06-28T11:05:08","modified_gmt":"2019-06-28T15:05:08","slug":"building-a-biographical-database","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fallriverhistorical.org\/CuratorsCorner\/2019\/06\/28\/building-a-biographical-database\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a Biographical Database"},"content":{"rendered":"

The FRHS archival collections contain thousands of bound volumes and several hundred thousand manuscripts, either individual examples or fonds, all pertaining to various aspects of Fall River history; they date from the 18th<\/sup> through to the mid-20th<\/sup> century. Fonds, by the way, defines a group of documents of the same origin pertaining to the same subject \u2013 a collection of business records, or school enrollment cards, for example.<\/span><\/p>\n

Significantly, the FRHS archival collections are ever-growing and one never knows when, or where, additional items \u2013 or collections of them \u2013 will turn up, oftentimes from the most unlikely sources; it never ceases to amaze me.<\/span><\/p>\n

To name just a few categories of material housed at the FRHS: Business<\/em>, of which there are ledgers, account books, and manuscripts; Civic<\/em>, with records of nearly every department; Church<\/em>, documenting many faiths; and Clubs and Societies<\/em>\u2013 organized and private, and of every description.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each of these records contains lists of names \u2013 oftentimes very extensive \u2013 handwritten in elaborate flowing script, that in many cases may well be the only extant evidence of that individual\u2019s life in Fall River, the only record of the part they once played in day-to-day life of the city.<\/span><\/p>\n

But as mere names on paper they are of very little use \u2013 the vast majority of these records were not indexed when originally compiled, and sorting through them in search of a particular person is a by-chance, catch-as-catch-can affair, a veritable needle in the haystack situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Did I mention that it is time consuming? In fact, it borders on excruciating.<\/span><\/p>\n

But it can be done: Recently the BBC visited the FRHS to film an upcoming episode of the popular genealogy-based television series Who Do You Think You Are<\/em>? A local researcher spent days combing through Troy Mills account books dating to the 1870s looking for any record of a particular family \u2013 the ancestors of rather a famous Brit \u2013 who had immigrated to Fall River seeking a better life.<\/span><\/p>\n

The researcher found the information \u2013 quite a bit of it, actually \u2013 prompting the BBC\u2019s visit to Fall River a few weeks ago, but it was a fortuitous chance occurrence, and lady luck undoubtedly played her part. Experience has shown me that it most often does not work out that way.<\/span><\/p>\n

We cannot yet reveal the identity of the \u201cfamous Brit\u201d \u2013 confidentiality, you know.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, the information contained in these myriad records \u2013 important as historical documents \u2013 is, in fact, of little use until it can be made fully accessible. It must be catalogued, with the individual names entered into a searchable biographical database. Once that is done, the information is immediately transformed into a far more valuable historical record, of ready use to researchers, scholars, and genealogists.<\/span><\/p>\n

And so, for decades, material was collected by the FRHS and archived, awaiting the day when the tools were in place to begin the extensive process of cataloguing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, the time has finally come: This work is underway.<\/span><\/p>\n

The museum software system currently used by the FRHS for collections management contains a People Biography<\/em> field that allows for linking individual biographical records and contextual information for specific items \u2013 artifacts, archival materials, photographs, publications, and the like.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For example: If cataloguing a Durfee Mills rent receipt book, the names of each tenant listed in the document would be entered in a \u201cPeople\u201d field built into the object record, thus creating an associated People Biography<\/em> record. The linked People Biography <\/em>record contains preset fields that allow the cataloguer to record pertinent biographical information, add digitized photographs, and\/or create customized fields when necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fabulous! A Godsend, really.<\/span><\/p>\n

A hypothetical scenario:<\/span><\/p>\n

William H. O\u2019Malley worked as a weaver in the Durfee Mills and rented an apartment from the company in 1868; when cataloguing that particular volume, his name was entered into the \u201cPeople\u201d field in the object record, automatically creating an associated People Biography<\/em> record, where pertinent information gleaned from the volume was recorded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fast-forward: 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

O\u2019Malley\u2019s great-great-granddaughter visits the FRHS doing genealogical research.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her question:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes the FRHS have any material pertaining to William H. O\u2019Malley? He lived in Fall River briefly in the 1860s and I cannot find him listed in the city directory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Enter the name into the People Biography <\/em>search bar and \u2026 there you have it.<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If not for the collections management software \u2013 and the time spent entering the associated names \u2013 the answer would have been: \u201cNo, there is nothing accessible in the collection.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, this is an extremely valuable tool, opening up a wealth of possibilities for the FRHS in archival collections management, thus allowing the museum to fulfill a fundamental role in making heretofore obscure records accessible to patrons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Great stuff, that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past two months, the following collections have been fully catalogued, and associated People Biography <\/em>records have been created:<\/span><\/p>\n