Dr. James Naismith: his life and legacy. Three University Archives tell the story of the “Father of Basketball”

Poster Session

Schulte, Becky. University Archivist, University of Kansas;
Hanrath, Scott. Web Services Manager, University of Kansas Libraries;
Thiel, Sarah. Imaging Librarian, University of Kansas Libraries

Title: Dr. James Naismith: his life and legacy. Three University Archives tell the story of the “Father of Basketball”

Abstract: This project involves an international collaboration between the University Archives of the University of Kansas Libraries and McGill University, Montreal, Quebec and Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts (where Naismith graduated and the game of basketball was invented, respectively).

University Archivists from each institution will select and digitize items from their collections concerning James Naismith. The KU project team will build a permanent and public digital collection using Naismith image files from each participating institution. Images and metadata will then be made accessible through the KU image management system (Luna Imaging). The team will also create a virtual exhibition of selected Naismith image files using Omeka as the web publishing platform. Both a temporal and spatial timeline will be developed to show the relationships between the three institutions throughout Naismith’s personal and professional life.

This international collaboration will allow one-stop access to a unique archival collection representing James Naismith’s life and varied achievements spanning both time and space. Speakers will share best practices, workflows and project management decisions and results in their presentation of this rich and complex collaborative effort.