Special Collections Post 1

As college students, we are taught to always seek out the best internship opportunities that are out there, no matter where they are, but who knew that there is an exceptional opportunity for students to gain archival experience right on UMBC's campus? Throughout winter break and the spring semester, I have been interning at the Special Collections Department, which is a small, hands-on section within the larger library. The collections in the department span from the Jule Eisenbud collection on Ted Serios and thoughtographic photography, to photos of the Little Rock Nine, and a variety of comic books. Needless to say there is something for people of all interests within the department. Over winter break, I helped measure and describe the Hughes Company Cirkut Negatives Collection of over 400 Cirkut negatives, which are produced by cameras specifically designed to create panoramic pictures. The Cirkut negatives range in length from 20 inches to 100 inches, with some of the longer negatives being full 360 degree panoramic views. The collection features everything from company picnics, to industrial plants, to construction at Fort Meade, between 1916 and the mid-1940s. With these panoramics, it became unnecessary to piece together multiple photos to get a continuous view, when in 1904 William J. Johnston patented the Cirkut camera. Cirkut cameras are able to take panoramic shots as the camera moves clockwise and the film inside moves counter-clockwise. While Cirkut cameras are no longer used regularly, the pictures created using them give us detailed windows into the past. By working directly with the negatives, I learned how to properly make a detailed container list describing the negatives and any flaws they have sustained. I was also taught how to properly handle the negatives and pack them in their boxes to better preserve them for future researchers.