Can Open Access Save Us?

Just about every time I open a journal or read a blog online, I see something about e-books saving newspapers and magazines. Both magazines and newspapers–and really all scholalry communication–are going the way of all flesh, we’re told, but e-book reading may provide a stay of execution, however short that may be. It got me to thinking if there might be something else that would provide a similarDies Irae proroguement for scholarly communication in general. That’s when it occurred to me it could well be open access (OA), or at least as I envision it here.

Matt Christopher Papers - Accession 1092

The Matt Christopher Papers consist of published manuscripts, published short stories (1943-1994) (drafts, synopses, plot outlines, and magazines, comics, and newspapers with articles and short stories), galleys (1954-1990s), leather bound author’s editions (1954-1991), and publisher’s editions of Matt Christopher’s children’s books (1954-2004). The collection contains many unpublished manuscripts and drafts outside the children’s book field (1954-1997), unpublished poems (1938-1993), unpublished screenplays (1940-1997), and unpublished short stories (1954-1997). Also included are taped (audio and video) interviews of Matt Christopher, as well as, puzzles for children (1988-1992), research materials and notes (1954-1997), sports rule-books (1954-1995), and writing guides (1909-1995), personal (1949-1997) and business correspondence (1952-2002), contract agreements (1952-1993), royalty statements (1954-1999), and biographical information (1917-2004), memorabilia (personalized baseball bat, framed pictures and award certificates, etc.), fan mail (1964-1999) and his personal book collection (1847-1995) (some signed by authors).

Jimmie E. Nunnery Family Papers - Accession 1353

The Jimmie E. Nunnery Papers consists of correspondence, death certificates, certificate for administrator of estate, court petition for name change, birth certificates, other various certificates, photographs, high school diploma, plaques, marriage license, legal agreements, wills, newspapers, invitations to graduation, passport, property maps, genealogical information, school programs, recipes, church brochures, boy scout patches, report cards, drawings, records from the House of Representatives, stationary, SC legislative manuals, florist magazine, Kodak movie film, various books, American flag, recording tape, cemetery booklet, family bulletin, high school yearbook, and a scrapbook of time spent in the House of Representatives.

Henry Radcliffe Sims Papers - Accession 9

The Henry Radcliffe Sims Papers consist primarily of personal and business correspondence and offers a good source of information on the Sims family's varied interests in South Carolina, especially their businesses in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The correspondence generally deals with Henry Sims' brief military career; his presidency at Winthrop; his efforts along with his brothers' help to establish a radio station at Orangeburg; his constant concern in the Sims Publishing Company; his interest in the political and educational welfare of his nephews; his devotion to his family; and his association with various South Carolina legislators. Areas of research would perhaps include, among others, biographical information on Sims and his family; their contributions to South Carolina, especially in the area of publications (ex. Times and Democrat’s historical development). There is also material relating to Sims’ nephew, Hugo Sims Jr., and the latter’s 1946 campaign for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Correspondents include Olin Johnston, Burnet Rhett Maybank, John T. Riley and Strom Thurmond.

Bond Family Papers - Accession 809

The Bond Family Papers includes biographical and genealogical information, correspondence, legal documents, financial papers, records relating to the Bond Bicycle shop, photographs, certificates, scrapbooks, memorabilia, maps, newspapers, magazines, and music sheets. There are also papers relating to the Cantwell family, deaths of various family members, travel, Winthrop College, the Internal Revenue Service, interior decorating, clubs and organizations, and the Roman Catholic Church.

George C. Martin Papers - Accession 271 - M117 (149-150)

The George C. Martin Papers includes Civil War correspondence between George Canning Martin and his wife, Sarah Jane, from May 1862 to August 1864. Subjects include camp life, the progress of the war in North Carolina and Virginia, and the physical and mental condition of the Confederate soldiers (such as ill health, poor food, and depression). Also included are tax receipts, pension records, newspapers clippings (1863), a commonplace book belonging to Robert Smith, and a memoir (author unknown).

The Itinerant, or Wesleyan Methodist Visiter - Accession 214 - M95 (121)

The Itinerant, or Wesleyan Methodist Visiter is a newspaper of the Methodist Church that was published every two weeks in Baltimore, MD. The bound issues in the collection extend from November 10, 1830 to October 12, 1831.

Rock Hill History - Accession 42 - M17 (27)

The Rock Hill History is a handwritten history covering the period from the founding of the city of Rock Hill, SC in 1852 to 1890 and describes the city’s founders, merchants, industries, schools and churches, teachers, newspapers, libraries, and banking and railroad facilities.