It’s 2011 and our work here is done (sort of).  We successfully completed all the finding aids and MARC records for all the designated ephemera collections for all four institutions.  But the California Ephemera Project (CEP) lives on in that the project is designed to accommodate additional entries  to existing finding aids and new finding aids from other repositories with California ephemera collections.  We will be posting information about CEP and how institutions can add their finding aids to the CEP pool in the next Society of California Archivists (SCA) newsletter.  A few of us from the project will also be presenting a panel discussion on the CEP at the SCA Annual Meeting in April.

Last week the California Historical Society (CHS) hosted An Evening with the Ephemera Collection, a public event which drew a large crowd to view a small exhibit of Valentine’s Day-related items and a sampling of ephemera from all four participating CEP institutions.  Attendees were so enthusiastic that CHS is planning an Irish-themed program in March featuring its ephemera collection.  There was also mention of the project in the Matier & Ross column in the San Francisco Chronicle and a feature on KGO Ch. 7 news  (http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=7938302).  Most importantly, we’re hearing from reference staff that patrons are already finding their way to ephemera materials through the OAC finding aids.  A job well done everyone.  Congratulations!

We’ll be leaving this blog up to use as part of our SCA session discussion, so please leave us your comments over the next few months.

Visit the CEP website at:  www.californiaephemeraproject.org

Wendy