State Historical Society of Iowa Trustees Collections Committee

The June 2025 State Historical Society of Iowa Trustees Collections Committee will be held virtually via Zoom. Please use the link on this page to join. Advance notice is encouraged, but all public comments will be heard.

Agenda

1. Call to Order
   1. Approve Meeting Agenda - June 10, 2025
   2. Approve Draft Minutes - January 14, 2025 meeting
2. Old Business 

3. New Business 

   1. Deaccessions (Museum)
   2. Deaccessions (Library & Archives Bureau)
   3. Deaccession Proposal Documents -
      https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12fbBE4R1iOENS6uwOsIvtlJHU5477ZY2?usp=sharing
      1. Historical Library – Des Moines - Boston Transcript Genealogical Clippings
      2. Historical Library – Des Moines – Family History Reference Files
      3. Historical Library – Des Moines – Duplicate State Publications
      4. Historical Library – Des Moines – Iowa and Non-Iowa Serials and Newspapers
      5. Historical Library – Des Moines – Single Issue Iowa and Non Iowa Newspapers
      6. State Archives – Des Moines – 1915 Census Enumerator Index Cards
      7. Historical Library – Iowa City – Iowa and Non-Iowa Books and Serials
      8. Special Collections – Iowa City – Iowa City Fire Department Personnel Records
4.  Collections Updates
   1. Museum
      1. Jodi Evans and Kay Coats worked with Iowa PBS to highlight objects in the collection with a connection to the American Revolution. The videos will be used as part of America 250 programming. Examples include a locket containing George Washington's hair and a powderhorn used by a soldier whose descendants eventually settled in Iowa.
         In collaboration with the education team, Jodi and Kay provided primary source material for an Iowa History course being developed in partnership with the Iowa Department of Education. Photographic and video highlights include Abraham Lincoln's reading glasses, a component from the Cyclone Computer, and James B. Morris's World War I uniform jacket.
   2. Library & Archives Bureau
      1. Iowa City:
         1. Dubuque Leader newspaper Collection: In August of 2024, the State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City accepted a large donation of the Dubuque Leader newspaper in print. Some previous microfilm existed but was only a partial run. Staff worked with the Iowa Labor History Society to fund new microfilming of this paper. In May of 2025, the new film was delivered, cataloged, and shelved. We have now ensured the preservation of the newspaper’s entire existence (1906-2024) with a couple small gaps.
         2. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 6 records, 1944-1989: This large collection had been waiting in the backlog to be processed for many years. It is 14.5 linear feet and tells the stories of Iowa workers in Lee and Des Moines Counties working at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Mason & Hanger-Silas Mason Co., Gleason Corporation, Chevron Chemical Company, Dupont, and the St. Louis Diecasting Corporation.Our grant funded intern, Beatrice Kearns, just finished processing it in May of 2025. Staff coordinated the processing and assisting creation of a full MARC catalog record.
      2. Des Moines:
         1. Jessica Nay and Kelsey Berryhill worked in collaboration to provide objects and stories for the Iowa PBS and Iowa Department of Education projects.
            ▪ State Archives Storage Renovation and Shelving Replacement Project
            ▪ Iowa State Prison - Ft. Madison Collection Processing
            ▪ CLIR Recordings at Risk Iowa Conservation Commission Film Preservation Grant
5. Upcoming Meetings
6. SHSI Updates
7. Public Comment 
   A public comment period will be held for those providing advance notice to Board Chair Anthony Jahn (515.666.9144 or Anthony.Jahn@iowa.gov). Advance notice is encouraged, but all public comment will be heard.
8. Adjournment