SVREP Update: Promoting the Collection
As our team continues to process the SVREP collection, next year our focus will be geared towards completing the finding aid and promoting the collection. Luckily, we have had a head start by working with the communications team here at UTSA to be featured in a video segment that highlights the SVREP Collection. This video will be featured on the USTA website sometime in the near future in order for students, faculty and the community to have an inside look into our process for archiving the collection, and why SVREP and the work of Willie Velasquez are worth preserving.
Working exclusively with UTSA’s Sombrilla Magazine under the direction of Michelle Mondo, senior editor and Vanessa Davila, associate editor and videographer, we collaborated for over 3 months to obtain the necessary footage. Michelle and Vanessa shadowed and interviewed Jennifer, Karina, and myself processing material, completing daily tasks, and documenting our map flattening process. They were also able to conduct interviews with many important individuals that have been involved or featured in the collection including Amy Rushing, Dean Hendrix, and Lydia Camarillo.
I found the entire process of documenting our method both interesting and challenging. I wanted to ensure that the viewer was able to understand the purpose of an archive, but also why the collection was significant. I found it challenging during my interviews to articulate my thoughts without sounding or appearing nervous, or starring into the camera. I discovered that I preferred a “working interview” in which the camera documented our team completing tasks while we simultaneously answered questions. By the end, I did feel more comfortable in front of the camera, and I was able to gain a valuable insight into the amount of hard work that goes into creating such a video.
When the collection is complete, we hope that students, researchers, and the community will be able to access the SVREP collection to their full ability. This includes creating publications from original research, contributing to relevant exhibitions, and attracting additional activism collections to be housed at UTSA Special Collections. We also plan to host activities within the community and participate in conference presentations in order to further promote the collection when it becomes available to the public.
We are excited to unveil the finished product so please look back for updates both on our blog and on the UTSA website. A special thanks to Michelle Mondo and Vanessa Davila for their amazing hard work!
Check out this preview of a full-length feature on Special Collections’ activism archives.
**UPDATE** The full length video was recently posted and can be viewed below on both links:
http://www.utsa.edu/sombrilla/fall2016/story/history-irreplaceable.html
***This project is generously funded by the NHPRC**
The Top Shelf 
Reblogged this on stillness of heart and commented:
A sneak peek into the intellectual and physical efforts to fully appreciate a priceless historical collection.
What you are doing matters. Think about those in the future who will have access to this information. Good for you. Muriel Kauffmann, history buff