Nancy Toombs is the interim manager of the Austin History Center, a 14-person, $1.2 million division of the Austin Public Library, with responsibility for personnel, planning, and fiscal aspects. Toombs represents the Austin History Center before library, city, and community groups. She writes, speaks and consults about Austin history, managing local history collections, and preservation of historical materials.
July 2021
Programming & Outreach
On July 9 th , “Above and Beyond the Fold: Finding Community in the Austin American Statesman”, a photo exhibit of a selection of photographs which uplift narratives of pride, laughter, and building intergenerational community within Austin’s communities of color was installed at ACE, as part of a final product of the TexTreasures Grant.
On July 14 th , Nancy Toombs gave a presentation at Westminster senior living facility
about the Moonlight Towers with 20 in attendance.
On July 23 rd , Ayshea Khan presented about AAPI family archiving to an intro to
Asian American history virtual class.
Collections
AHC staff have a number of collections being processed, including the Armenian Church of Austin Records (AR.2018.045)
Madeline Moya is working with the Austin American Statesman/Gannett on a substantial donation of negatives from this addition will mean that the AHC will have all of the AAS morgue from 1958 through 2006 when the newspaper began using digital images.
AHC received a donation of subject files, notebooks, and other administrative records documenting the history of the Austin Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) from its founding in 1959 to 2019.
Information covers board members, roles, publications, conferences, trainings, collaborations and awards.
AHC received news clippings, a scrapbook, programs, minutes, rosters and photographs documenting the Douglass Club of Austin, the oldest African American women’s service organization in Austin and Central Texas. The organization was formed in 1906 to provide an avenue for African American women to address the needs of their family, community, and nation, by addressing issues that improve quality of life.
Reference
The AHC’s expanded reference and e-document delivery service received and completed 262 requests this month, delivering 1,106 scanned items to researchers.
Madeline Moya worked on very large, very fun request with Erin Brookhart of APL’s gift shop to find APL branded printed materials from APL Collection for use in product development. Nancy Toombs, with the help of APL staff and retirees, located several old APL library cards for this project.