Abstract
Ephemera are rich primary sources too often overlooked within archival materials and at collecting institutions. This case study argues that archivists and librarians should recognize ephemera, specifically postcards, as powerful historical documents worthy of scholarly investigation. By analyzing a sample set of digitized postcards held at the New Mexico State University Library, we show how scholars can use postcards to develop evidence-based arguments. Through the images, printed texts, and hand-written inscriptions found on these early 20th century postcards, we demonstrate how researchers can examine the pro-development messages found in southern New Mexico postcards.
Author Biography
Dylan J. McDonald holds an MA in History from Boise State University and is the Special Collections Librarian at New Mexico State Univeristy. Jennifer Olguin holds a MS in Library Science from the University of North Texas and is the Rio Grande Historical Collections Archivist at New Mexico State Univeristy. Monika Glowacka-Musial holds a MLIS from the University of Arizona and a PhD in Anthropology from Temple University. She is the Metadata Librarian at New Mexico State Univeristy.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Recommended Citation
McDonald, Dylan J.; Olguin, Jennifer; and Glowacka-Musial, Monika
(2024)
"Ephemera as a Versatile Primary Resource: A Case Study of the Nancy Tucker Postcard Collection,"
Journal of Western Archives: Vol. 15:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/westernarchives/vol15/iss1/6
