This summer I had the wonderful opportunity of interning at Western Reserve Historical Society, within the archives department. Established in 1867, WRHS has served as a staple in preserving and sharing the unique history of Northeast Ohio through the Cleveland History Center, Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, and Library. Currently, the site's film collection located in the research library consists of over 1000 cataloged items, with new materials being added daily. The overall film holdings span from the 1920s to the early 1980s. Material topics vary greatly, featuring commercial films on the iron industry, footage of historical Cleveland landmarks, and amateur film work from local Northeast Ohio families. Truly, the collection offers something unique to everyone. As a proud Clevelander myself, I loved whenever I discovered films in the collection in which I recognized iconic places and landmarks that I had grown up around. It made me feel more connected to the materials I was working with as well as broadened my understanding of the place I call home.
Western Reserve Historical Society
Upon starting my internship, my daily tasks included an extensive collection assessment and film inspection. Many items were unidentified and needed contextualized, as well as treated for varying levels of condition. To gain a better understanding of the state of WRHS’ holdings and to refine spreadsheet metadata, I performed film inspection on as many of the items as possible. During this process, I simultaneously created an extensive workflow, featuring examples of technical issues found throughout the collection that could also be used for future reference as the institution catalogs new items. In my inspection process, I also evaluated the copyright status of as many films as I could identify during my time there and recorded that process for other interns within the workflow as well. I have enjoyed my internship experience with WRHS this summer and have learned a lot about the importance of preserving our local culture and memories. Northeast Ohio has a rich history that is truly still all around us today, everywhere you look. It is my hope that more people will learn about and engage with WRHS’s wonderful media holdings and appreciate Cleveland’s past as we look to the future.
