ARCHIVES AND HISTORY Delaware Academy of Medicine Archives – 2021 Report Sharon Folkenroth Hess, M.A., Collections Manager
IMPROVING ACCESS TO THE ARCHIVES Since the onset of the pandemic, Academy/DPHA employees transitioned to working remotely with little disruption. The Archives, however, were closed to both employees and the public. Though the Archives reopened in spring 2021, the ChrisitanaCare campus halts non-essential visitation during periods of increased COVID-19 hospitalizations. Ongoing and frequent outbreaks rendered the collections and exhibits nearly inaccessible to the public. Unfortunately, global health crises are when historical research and perspectives on medical science and public health are needed most. The documents and objects within the Archives provide the essential social and cultural context to understand the complex and often disparate responses to the pandemic amongst Delaware’s population. To continue our vital mission to share the history of healthcare and medical science in Delaware, the Archives has committed to digitizing all objects, art, and archival collections and creating an online museum by 2023. Work on the project began in January 2021. This project is divided into two distinct phases: stewardship and public access. In November 2021, the Archives applied for and received additional funding from the Delaware Humanities’ ARP RECOVER/RENEW Grant. The $11,000 received from the grant will cover staff hours needed to complete the first phase of digitization. Phase one is expected to finish in December 2022.
Figure 1: from the recently photographed Homeopathy Collection
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