Library Visit-Archives-The Amistad Research Center

            The Amistad Research Center is an archive and library located on the Uptown campus of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and is open to researchers by appointment. It is a 2022 Winner of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The exterior of the building that houses the Amistad is exhilarating in its grandeur and its location along St. Charles Avenue and across from Audubon Park. Parking on the TU Uptown campus is limited and can require a serious walk but if your appointment is early there can be found on-street parking in front of the park that is extremely convenient. Public transportation runs along St. Charles Ave. with multiple stops in the vicinity. The building itself is older and has not been extensively renovated or updated recently and smells of old books and dark academia. The Amistad is located on the right half of the lower level with clear signage on the glass double doors leading to the reading room. The reading room is the size of a large children’s area with a glass-enclosed gallery on the second floor, comfortably carpeted and lined with bookshelves housing reference books with open access for researchers. Large, rectangular tables and cushioned chairs are arranged in a grid for researchers to have ample space to access materials. The location and setup of the room are easily accessible for individuals with transportation and mobility concerns. The only obvious physical inconvenience is the bar height of the research desk which holds the librarian and archival assistants at an intangible distance. Mid-sized lockers are located to the right of the desk to hold researcher’s personal belongings. Pencils, notebooks, laptops, and cell phones are permitted at the research tables. No food, drink, or ink pens are permitted to prevent possible damages to the materials. Under the executive heads of the Amistad, organization is split between Research Services and the Archives Division. The Archives Division employs a staff of eight including two archivists and three curators.

            Accessing the materials begins prior to your appointment. The Amistad’s vast collection of books and periodicals are cataloged through the Tulane University library and accessible through the university’s website. Over 25,000 books make up the Amistad collection. Contacting the archive staff via phone or email with a list of the materials you are interested in viewing ensures that those materials are available and allows staff to pull the materials and have them ready to go when you arrive. Most documents are stored in labeled, acid-free folders in standard sized archival quality storage boxes. Oversized materials are stored in large archival quality boxes with each item interleaved with acid-free paper to prevent damage. Researchers access one box, one folder at a time. Photography is allowed without flash and a preprinted notice is given to place in the corner of each document to be photographed to identify the location and ownership of the document. This small detail was thoughtful and convenient. The archivists working were extremely knowledgeable and engaged in the material and interested in each researcher’s individual work. Suggestions for further information and possible locations on and off site were readily made and extremely beneficial. Archivists followed up via phone and email before and after the visit to ensure researchers had a productive experience. The nature of the Amistad designated most of the site inaccessible to all but archival staff. Any patrons with specific accessibility or functional needs were readily accommodated by a willing staff. The exhibition hall of the Amistad has been closed since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Online exhibits and imprints from past in-person exhibits strive to fill the void that temporary closure has created in addition to its existing digital charter.

            The collections at the Amistad center around African American and Civil Rights history in the United States and particularly in Louisiana. These include manuscripts, published works, periodicals, a permanent art collection of African American artists, and extensive digital projects including Social Framework: Photographs by Marion Palfi 1945-1960, Print Culture of the Civil Rights Movement, 1950-1980, the NOLA Hiphop and Bounce Archive, the Treme Oral History Collection, and the Just for the Record Collection. The focus of the archive is most obvious through interaction with the website. Their website is an excellent resource in and of itself, providing detailed information and access that allows patrons and visitors to interact with the collections before setting foot in the reading room. The time and care invested in the construction and maintenance of their website could rival much larger institutions. The website houses multiple digital resources. Conversations in Color is a series of speaking events by activists, artists, and educators that seek to engage members of the community in diverse subject matter. There is also a staff run blog discussing topics across a spectrum. The entire site is engaging and a positive example of the influence and impact that an institutions digital platform can exert. For more information, or to explore for yourself all the Amistad has to offer, check out their website: HOME | Amistad Research Center | Independent Archive