From the Archives: West Ender Video Newsletter; Digitization & Cataloging

The West End Museum’s Archives are not just a source of material for use in our exhibits and social media. Authors and reporters, researchers and students, and old and new West Enders alike use this incredibly deep resource. Providing access to photographs, letters, news clippings, videos, and other artifacts that convey the rich history and culture of Boston’s West End serves a key element of the Museum’s mission. Here’s some recent news about the Archives:

West Ender Video Newsletter

In a major feat, the Archives Committee has made the West Ender Video Newsletter (WEVN) — all volumes (over 175 episodes) — available on YouTube. Volunteer Lyra Piscatelli invested hundreds of hours transferring every tape in real-time to ensure transfer quality.

Hosted by Jim Campano, West End Museum co-founder and West Ender Newsletter publisher and editor, guests include former West Enders, authors, professors and students, local politicians, and community activists. They discuss all things West End – from personal memories and community institutions (like the Elizabeth Peabody House and West End House) to the vital lessons of urban renewal and so much more. Many episodes also contain archival photos and footage of the old neighborhood.

Available in VHS format at the Boston Public Library West End Branch in the 1990s, Museum volunteer and WEVN Producer Joe Fortunato later turned the studio tapes into DVDs and, with the help of a Mass. Cultural Council grant, the Museum created a corresponding guide to the content. But people still had to visit the Museum in person in order to view the videos. Now, you can access and watch all of the shows on the Museum’s YouTube channel. While there, please take a minute to subscribe. This will help us reach a channel level with more options and control. Please note that the video titles are in the process of being updated to reflect guests and topics.

Digitization & Cataloging

Simmons College graduate student Verity Ahlin has joined the Museum as volunteer archives manager. She and Museum Director Duane Lucia are working to upgrade the archives and make them more accessible to staff, researchers, and the public. The ultimate goal is to digitize and catalog all archival materials to ensure their survival for years to come. Digital accessibility is a top priority, and the committee has returned to using the museum collection management software Past Perfect to achieve that objective. The Museum is committed to constantly improving its archives and recognizes the generosity of those who have donated materials throughout the years. If you have archival materials you would like to donate, please email archive@thewestendmuseum.org or call 617-723-2125.