Grenada Heritage: Plantation Records 1737-1845 – In Detail

Grenada Plantation Records 1737-1845

The 1989 aquisition of Grenada Plantation Records dating from 1737-1845 held in the repository of the custodians Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division. Have, since the 10th September 2015, been digitised (but not yet transcribed) for the Grenada National Archives, the Grenadian People and Caribbeans world wide. The entire collection of 109 multiple paged documents (517 images) are available online at Digitalcollections.nypl.org.

Here the contents of the “Grenada Plantation Records from 1737-1845” are listed with their brief title. There are 67 Letters & Contracts and 42 Accounts & Surveys. Note that most titled groups comprise of several pages (images) in the collection.

Collection Data

Title: Grenada Plantation Records 1737 – 1845

Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1737 – 1845 (approximate)

Library locations: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division

Shelf locator: Sc MG 383

Topics: Sugar growing; Slave records; Slaves; Slavery; Plantation life; Plantations; West Indies, Grenada

Genres: Deeds; Slave records ; Documents ; Correspondence

Notes:

The Grenada Plantation Records consist 109 documents comprising of 519 pages of manuscript documents from the Lataste Estate, a sugar plantation in Grenada, West Indies, dating from 1737-1845. Many of the documents are in French, reflecting the fact that colonial control of Grenada changed hands several times during the time period of this collection. Included are deeds of sale, account records for running the plantation, inventories, survey reports about the property, total amount of rum and molasses produced, and detailed account books of profits and expenses, as well as letters and copies of letters, powers of attorney, a 1756 marriage contract, and a hand drawn folio map. Most of the letters were written by John Harvey and include correspondence regarding other properties, e.g. Estate of Rochambard and estates adjoining Lataste – Brienner and Chantilly. Inventories of slaves (last dated 1834, when slavery was outlawed) include information about illness, cause of death, first names, ages, and sometimes country of origin, color and conspicuous marks (such as amputations) and scars.

Ownership: Charles Apfelbaum (dealer) Purchase Jan. 1989 SCM 89-5

Custodian: The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture on behalf of the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division; The New York Public Library for the National Grenada Archives, the Grenadian People and Caribbeans world wide.

Physical Description
Extent: .8 lin. ft. (2 archival boxes)
Type of Resource: Text

Languages: French; English

Identifiers: NYPL catalog ID (B-number) : b18274611
MSS Unit ID : 21020UUID: 40eb7330-c6c3-012f-24cb-58d385a7bc34

 

Trevanion

Marriage Contract of John Baptiste & Laura Francoise le Mesle	James & Ang. Boyd to Wood & Trevanion	James & Ang. Boyd to Wood & Trevanion
James & Ang. Boyd to Wood & Trevanion	Two letters from Boyd & Bordeaux	Amyand to Bosangnet
Letter dated November 22, 1771	Note requesting a meeting to discuss father’s desires regarding estate	Le Mesle Lataste to White Cranicourts
Chamberlagne & White	I Amyand to W Price	Letter to John Harvey from London re: payments
Letter from John Harvey to Sir George Amyand	Letter	Letter from Waldo to Edward Horne
Letters re: Estate of Rochambard	Letter to John Harvey re: Agreement to purchase Rochambard Estate	Extract of letter from John Harvey to Wood & Trevanion
Letter from John Harvey re:Estate of Madame Regis	Letter from John Harvey to George Amyand re: Acknowledgment of purchase of estate	Letter from George Amyand to John Harvey re: Acceptance of conditions
Letter to Mrs. Regis re: Estate	Letter from John Harvey to Wood & Trevanion re: Terms of payment for estate	Letter to Madame
Letter from Wood to Trebel re: Payment to estate	Note from Waldo to George re: enabling Wood & Trevanion to give bond to Georg	Letter from George Amyand re: Bills to estate
Amount due on mortgage for Lataste & Teyffons Estate	Letter to John Harvey from Holford re: Payments	Copy of Letter to John Harvey
Letter of Attorney re: Deed of sale	Traduction faite par nous interprette juré au sage de L’Amirante de Guienne mot a mot suit la Tenuer Grenade	Contract of sale of Mr. DePradines to Mr. Peter Jacques before Mons Pasquier
Sale by the heirs of Jacque to P. Lataste	Vente et adjudication habitation du heritiere Jacques au P. Lataste	Jannier procés verbaux des operations de Latty arpenteur, pour reconnoitre les bornes de L’habitaŏn de la Veuve Jacques a la plaine des Santeurs de l’Isle de la Grenade
Mr. Harvey’s title deed for the plantation called Brienne in the plain of Santeurs	Procés verbaux des operations de Latty arpenteur, pour L’Etabliss emente des bornes entre la veuve Jacques et les voisins, quartier de la plaine des Santeurs de l’Isle de la Grenade	Sale of la Plaine by Madame Pou Jacq to Mr. Lataste
Sale of the Plantation called Brienner in the Plaine of St. Patrick’s from Mr. & Madam Pou Jacque to Mr. Lataste Recrite	Le Conseil Soussigné qui a vu le contract de marriage Du Sr. Jean Baptiste Lataste et Dem lle Louise Francoise	The Underwritten counselor who hath seen the contract of marriage of M. John Baptiste Lataste and Miss Louisa Francoise Le Mesle
Copy of letter to John Harvey	Copy of letter from John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Baronet	Release of the Brienne Estate from John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Baronet
John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Baronet	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Baronet	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Baronet
Copy of letter to John Harvey from London	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone
John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone
John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone	John Harvey to Sir George Amyand Barone	Letter from Messrs. James & Boyd re: Copy of marriage contract
Letter from Teyson to J Boyd	Mrs. Lemesle ve Lataste (widow)	Mrs. Lemesle ve Lataste (widow)
Letter from Madame Lataste to Messr. Clairment	Lataste & Teyson George Amyand	Mons. De la Toenaye – Description de Estate habítation de Chantilly
Robert Turner	Copy of letter to John Harvey	Contract dated 9 September 1764
1832 Plantation accounts of the Lataste Estate, property of Sir George Cornewall Baronet	The Late Sir George Cornewall Bart dated 31 December 1836	Request of the Guardians to the estate of the late Sir George Cornewall Baronet dated 19 March 1836
Trustees of the Lataste Estate, dated 20 April 1839 and 15 June 1838	The Account of Chas Baumer as Consignee for the Lataste Estate, dated 20 April 1839	Letter re: Last two years of the Grenada estate, dated 14 March 1836
Sir George Cornewall Bart from 1 January 1834 – 31 December 1834, Chas Baumer	Account of Chas Baumer for the Grenada Estate, July 1837	Abstract of the Island Expenses of Lataste Estate for 31 December 1841/a>
Plantations Accounts from the Lataste Estate for 1831	The The third account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate	The The second account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate
In Chancery between Williams Naper Cornewall, the second account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate	Messrs. Addie & Co. report approving manager of Estate of Grenada in pursuance of an order dated 4 August 1837	The The seventh account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate
The sixth account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate	The fifth account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate	The fourth account of Charles Baumer as consignee of Lataste Estate
Account of Charles Baumer dated 1837	Account sales of thirty (?) dated 3 July 1837	Invoice of Sunday Stores shipped on board the Apollo, Geo. Milne, London dated October 1836
London – Charles Baumer dated 31 March 1838	London – Invoice of Sundry (?) stores shipped on board the Apollo dated October 1836	Account sales of thirty sugar imported 13 July 1835
Account sales of forty sugar imported 1 September 1832; account of Sir George Cornewall Bart	In Chancery between William Naper Cornewall, the first account of Charles Baumer	Verbal process of the survey of the land ceded by Mr. de Pradines (?) to M. Defours taken by the Sieur Moreau surveyo
Plan des Habitiationes de la Riviere Calebasse et de la Plaine de Santeurs en l’Isle de la Grenade	Lataste Estates – General Account	Lataste Estate, 1834
Lataste Accounts, 1835	Lataste Estate, 1838	Island Expenses – Lataste Estate, 1839
Oddie & Lumley – Copy Account of Mr. Whorwood as island manager of Lataste Estate, 1842	Classification of Negroes on Lataste Estate in possession of MC Mitchell, attorney	General summary for years 1830-1835
Lataste Accounts, 1830	At the requisition of the Widow Jacques on 3 December 1739, at the requisition of Margaret Asselins (?) of the deceased Peter Jacques – the underwritten Surveyor Royal surveyed the habitation	At the request of the widow Jacques in the Quarter of La Plains in the Parish of Santeurs
Copie d’une plan figurative de l’habitation attaché au contract de vente en faveur de Jean Harvey	Account of bills drawn by Mr. John Harvey on account of his presence of the Estate from Lataste	Land survey

 

Grenada Heritage: Plantation Records Digitised and Online

Grenada Plantation Records 1737-1845

In 1989 a dealer, Charles Apfelbaum, made an aquisition of Grenada Plantation Records dating from 1737-1845 for the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture on behalf of the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library.

The originals of these documents are held in the repository of the custodians Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.

Happily, since the 10th September 2015 for the National Grenada Archives and the Grenadian People and Caribbeans world wide the entire collection of 517 images has now been digitized and is available online at Digitalcollections.nypl.org.

Details can be found on Plantation Records 1737-1845 – In Detail.

Call number

Sc MG 383

Physical description

.8 linear feet (2 archival boxes)

Preferred Citation

Grenada Plantation records, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library

Repository

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division

Location

Sc MG 383

Access to materials

Restricted access.

The entirety of this collection has been digitized and is available online.

The Grenada Plantation Records consist of manuscript documents from the Lataste Estate, a sugar plantation in Grenada, West Indies, dating from 1737-1845. The documents are in French, reflecting the fact that colonial control of Grenada changed hands several times during the time period of this collection. Included are deeds of sale, account records for running the plantation, inventories, survey reports about the property, total amount of rum and molasses produced, and detailed account books of profits and expenses, as well as letters and copies of letters, powers of attorney, a 1756 marriage contract, and a hand drawn folio map. Most of the letters were written by John Harvey and include correspondence regarding other properties, e.g. Estate of Rochambard and estates adjoining Lataste – Brienner and Chantilly. Inventories of slaves (last dated 1834, when slavery was outlawed) include information about illness, cause of death, first names, ages, and sometimes country of origin, color and conspicuous marks (such as amputations) and scars.

DIGITAL ASSETS

517 Images

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

SOURCE OF ACQUISITION

Purchase, Charles Apfelbaum (dealer), Jan. 1989

KEY TERMS

SUBJECTS

• Plantation life — Grenada
• Plantations — Grenada
• Slave records — Grenada
• Slavery — Grenada
• Slaves — Grenada — Social conditions
• Sugar growing — Grenada — History
• Sugar growing — West Indies, British — History — 18th century

PLACES

• Caribbean Area — History
• Grenada — History
• West Indies — Commerce — West Indies — History

MATERIAL TYPES

• Maps (documents)

USING THE COLLECTION

CUSTODIAN LOCATION

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor

ACCESS TO MATERIALS

Restricted access to originals.

Grenada Heritage: Our National Trust

In May 2013 the Grenada National Trust aquired the new web domain grenadanationaltrust.org and this month was finally launched:

The Grenada National Trust (GNT)

It was on the 12th April 1967 that an act of Parliament empowered the Grenada National Trust…

‘to protect Grenada’s cultural, architectural and natural heritage, to ‘preserve chattels of prehistoric, historic or artistic interest and the establishment of museums’.

this mandate was clearly prescribed by the following clauses taken from Ordinance 20 of 1967, which are as follows:

1. The listing of buildings and monuments of prehistoric, historic and architectural interest an places of natural beauty with their animal or plant life;
2. The compilation of photographic and architectural record of the above;
3. The preservation of chattels of prehistoric, historic or artistic interest and the establishment of museums;
4. Making the public aware of the value and beauty of the territory’s heritage as set out above;
5. The pursuance of a policy of preservation and acting in an advisory capacity;
6. The acquiring of property for the benefit of the Territory;
7. The promoting and preserving for the benefit and enjoyment of the Territory of submarine areas of beauty or natural or historic interest and for the preservation (as far as possible) for their natural aspect, features and animal, plant and marine life;
8. The attracting of funds by means of subscriptions, donations, bequests and grants.

Investment and Financing

As of 2015 the GNT receive a notional EC$10,000.00 annual subvention channeled through the Ministry of Education. To date, all other revenue comes via private or corporate donations, national lottery contributions and low level project specific funding from identified funding bodies.

The vast majority of the organisation’s output is project specific. For this reason, dedicated and specific attention will be paid to the identification and procedural fulfilment of funding requirements demanded by various international agencies. Appropriate expertise will be sought to take the organisation through the funding process.

The GNT will also seek to increase revenues through an increase in membership, both individually and corporately. There will be a series of national campaigns that will encourage the attraction of sponsorship and other private sector partnerships.

The Vision

The focus of the organisation’s vision statement is firmly set in what it delivers to all stakeholders and beneficiaries. It was agreed the statement should be easily understood and give clarity to the purpose of the organisation. The Vision Statement reads as follows:

“To preserve, protect, and promote Grenada’s heritage”

This Vision Statement appropriately captures the purpose of the organisation (Heritage) as well as defining the organisations relationship to that purpose (to preserve, protect and promote).

The Mission

To fulfil the organisation’s purpose, the following Mission Statement has been adopted by the Council to prioritise activities in relation to what the organisation will do, why it will be doing it and who the organisation intends to serve. The Mission Statement is as follows:

“Through professional collaboration, fund raising, education, advocacy,
public and private sector partnerships and nationwide community
involvement we will identify, conserve and promote Grenada’s heritage
assets for the continual enjoyment of our citizens and visitors.”

The GNT’s Goals

1. To conserve to international standards the heritage assets of the nation, through professional implementation and monitoring.
2. To maintain to international standards the heritage assets of the nation, through initiatives that encourage involvement of the people of Grenada in the beautification, upkeep and ultimate ownership of these assets.
3. To increase visitors both internationally and locally to all heritage sites in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique by providing access to safe, enjoyable and well managed sites.
4. To increase national awareness of the nation’s heritage assets, through dedicated marketing and PR initiatives that encourages involvement, and engages the us of all media platforms.
5. To create a highly respected, visual and active national heritage organisation, driven by efficient, motivated, professional staff and volunteers.
6. To develop the financial and professional capacity of the organisation to be effective custodians of Grenada’s heritage assets, including the generation of commercial income.
7. To take the lead role in representations to both government and other parties in matters directly relating to heritage conservation and well being.
8. To continually seek an increase in the organisation’s membership at both corporate and individual levels.

The GNT’s Board of Executives

 

The Trusts President – Darryl Brathwaite

is a businessman and public spirited individual having been Director on several Statutory Boards, President of the Chamber of Commerce and the Private Sector Senator in the Upper House. He came to the Trust to strengthen the project management aspect of it’s administration and has assembled a cadre of experts who are now ready to expand operations and increase collaboration with internationally based heritage organizations. In his own words the President said:

“I am always amazed and encouraged by the wide range of activities and responsibilities required of a custodian of national heritage, from historic buildings to places of natural beauty and the unexpected treasures to be discovered along the way.”

“I believe I have become President at an interesting time as we rescue memories from the past centuries and face the challenges of the new while representing continuity and far sightedness.”

“While there is an increased understanding and appreciation of precious landscape and architecture, there continues to be a growing concern about the impact of the constant expansion of urban areas, of roads and buildings. These twin concerns – the positive and the negative – are expressed in television and radio programmes, campaigns and protests, and also in the growing interest in the National Trust itself.”

“I hope that, like me, inspired by this valuable organisation, you will have the opportunity of exploring the huge variety of beautiful places in the care of the National Trust. Members and visitors will find some unexpected and new treasures, while others, I hope, discover a wealth of beauty and history on their doorstep and, as a result, perhaps be moved to support the work of the National Trust in preserving the best of our heritage for future generations to enjoy, and, you never know, even be inspired enough to understand the continuing need for an ‘organic’, sympathetic building tradition when it comes to the way we build the future heritage in our precious countryside today.”

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GNT’s 1st Vice-President – John Albanie

Albanie spent most of his earlier career at Reuters news agency before moving to Grenada in 1986 to form Caribbean Enterprises, serving in the UK, Switzerland, Middle East and USA. Prior to last posting of six years in the US, headed joint REUTERS-UNESCO project in support of CANA (Caribbean News Agency) based in Barbados. His previous career was as an Aero-design Studentship with Havilland Aircraft Company (Hatfield, Herts, England). He holds a commission in GD (Flying) Branch of Royal Air Force; subsequently in RAFVR Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Sales Department of DH125 business jet; and worked at “The Scotsman” newspaper (Fleet Street, London).

Also a member of Buildings and Monuments Committee of Grenada National Trust with special responsibility for liaison with UNESCO and of the Fortress Study Group (www.fsgfort.com) since 1998. Previously president of the Grenada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1990/2001). Owner of private site on which 18^thcentury British battery known as Fort Bedford was once located – in Levera, St Patrick’s (www.fortbedfordgrenada.com) with plans to turn it into a small military museum when the planned “Levera Eco-Resort development” is in place. “Grand Inquisitor” of the Grenada Hash House Harriers (www.grenadahash.com) 1986/2013; and Honorary British Consul 2008/2010.

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GNT’s 2nd Vice-President – Newton Alexander

Specialised in Curriculum Planning and Management,  Education Planning,  School Improvement and Staff Development, and Special Education Needs. He was previously a Teacher in UK, Thailand and Grenada.  His nterests and activities are in Farming. On retiring from Teaching, took over responsibility for rehabilitating family lands in St Patrick’s Parish which had been left unattended as a result of ageing family members. Fully committed to and passionate about Preserving and Protecting our Nation’s Heritage, including neglected sites and historic resources located outside the town of St George.

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GNT’s Treasurer – Carole Noble

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GNT’s Secretary – Victoria Williams

Although born in Trinidad, Victoria has been actively involved in Grenada through her various business interests which include the estate agents Coldwell Banker (propertyingrenada.com). She considers her knowledge of the island’s grass roots is encyclopaedic and from all this she has developed a keen interest in the island’s heritage. Her family’s involvement with the history of the island includes providing the land for Point Salines International Airport (now Maurice Bishop Airport).

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GNT’s Executive Member – Peter Wallace

Wallace was born, raised, trained and worked in UK but eventually moved to lived and worked in Grenada back in 2005.  As an Architect he has been a principal in private practice since 1979 his practice having been listed by Building Design magazine as in the UK top 100.His conservation work includes works on the Tower of London, Dover Castle, a Medieval Merchant’s House, Walmer Castle (for the late Queen Mother), Hastings Battlefield, St Augustine’s Abbey, and a wide range of period houses from Medieval to Modernist and for clients such as English Heritage, Dept of the Environment and various corporations as well as private individuals.   This has developed in him a thorough knowledge and deep understanding of traditional building materials and methods along with their modern equivalents.   Not surprisingly this comes along with an intense interest in the history of architecture and the built heritage.   He also found time to do a little commercial work too.

Currently Peter has an architectural practice – Atlantic Partnership (atlantic-partnership.com) and an involvement with real estate foe Coldwell Banker (propertyingrenada.com).

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GNT’s Executive Member – Roger Byer

Byer served as combat medic in the Vietnam war and has written a book about that experience. Graduated as a commercial pilot from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He previously worked as a pilot in the Caribbean with a charter company, a regional airline and as Prime Minister’s personal pilot.  He states that he is committed to the development of Grenada’s Heritage, particularly the Town of St. George with its unique fortifications.

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GNT’s Executive Member – John Angus Martin

Many if us already know ‘Angus’ as the currently director of our Grenada National Museum. He was born and grew up in St. George’s, Grenada, where he attended the St. George’s Roman Catholic Boys’ School (now known as the J. W. Fletcher Memorial Boys’ School) and Presentation Brothers’ College before immigrating to Brooklyn, New York with his family in 1978.  He graduated in 1986 with a BSc in Biological Sciences and a minor in Anthropology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Long Island. He spent the next three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone, West Africa, teaching at an agricultural institute and as an agricultural extension agent to subsistence farmers in rural villages. He holds master’s degrees in History, and Agricultural and Applied Economics from Clemson University, South Carolina. He has worked as a Reference Archivist at the Cushing Memorial Library, Texas A&M University and a Country Desk Officer in the Africa Region of the US Peace Corps. His travels have been important in his study of Caribbean slavery and colonialism. His next project, French Grenada: Island Caribs and French Settlers, 1498-1763 explores the rise and demise of the French in Grenada.

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GNT’s Executive Member – Michael Kirton

Special Projects Manager at Grenada Distillers Ltd from 2003 – Present (13 years).

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GNT’s Executive Member – Craig Keller

Keller was education at Regis University. Working in Grenada Real Estate as the Managing Director of Isla Consulting & Advisory Inc is part of more than two decades of experience in luxury real estate and resort development, project management, and tourism initiatives.

Previous positions held were with Levera Resort Development, Contrack International, USAID.  In addition to successful projects within the United States, he also delivered a range of capital projects in a variety of countries, including, Grenada, Jamaica, Honduras, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Haiti.

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GNT’s Executive Consultant and Acting ED – Michael Adams

Michael was born in the UK but is of Grenadian descent. His core disciplines are in the fields of planning, marketing and communications and oversees the Trusts outputs in these area. He has been a past Director on the Board of Tourism and brings a wealth of international consultancy experience to the Trust. Michael says:

“As soon as you approach Grenada, whether by air, land or sea you know immediately, that this is going to a memorable experience. However, when you scratch beneath the surface there is a rich heritage that begins to tell stories that are embedded in Caribbean culture. Remnants of times that have now passed but practices that remain. Our tangible and intangible heritage, is the envy of the Caribbean, all of which have the potential of being world class attractions. Our Tri-Island state is special and we need to protect it.”

What the GNT are doing:

Trust to manage The Priory, St. George

The Grenada National Trust is pleased to announce that during the read more

Leapers Hill must be preserved

The story of the Caribs last stand and their leap to certain death is known read more

Grenada’s unique forts are a major attraction

The significance of our fort systems is often glossed over by all but a few. read more

Museum exhibitions and talks enthuse Grenadians of all generations

Since the arrival of Curator, Mr. Angus Martin, read more

Grenadines to be recognised as World Heritage Site

Together with our sister Trust in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we read more

Launch of the Grenada NationalTrust 5 year strategic heritage plan welcomed

The process of developing the 5 year strategic heritage read more

Grenada’s Endangered Archives (part 9)

Caribbean archives under threat: Grenada

Unbeknownst to almost any Grenadian a submission was put to Unesco for funding towards the further “Digitizing and Preservation of Grenada’s National Archives” and in July of 2014 Unesco approved a tiny sum of US$22,000.

Back in June 2012, a year after Grenada’s National Archive official closure (though it hadn’t functioned since 2004), a group in Reading (UK) known as the “Diasporic Literary Archives Network” (diasporicarchives.com), headed by Alison Donnell (Professor at the University of Reading), held a two-day opening Workshop on the “Questions of Location, Ownership and Interpretation“. At this workshop a presentation was given by Merle Collins and Alison Donnell which bought a good deal of attention to the situation of archives caught up in problems of a material and political nature, such as Grenada’s not having at the moment an accessible building for its archive.

The group continued discussions about how best to work with and support local initiatives to improve library and archival facilities in Grenada. On behalf of the Network, David Sutton sent an expression of support that was warmly received by Minister Franka Alexis-Bernardine.

At the same time Merle Collins announced the establishment of a not-for-profit organization called Grenada Libraries, Archives and other Heritage Support Group (GrenLib), that could raise awareness and funds in the diaspora. Articles have been drawn up with signatories in Grenada, New York and Washington. An inaugural fundraising event, Grenada Cultural Extravaganza, was held in New York in November 2013.

A “Grenada Library and Archives Committee”, organized from within Grenada, was purportedly established with both Merle Collins and Alison Donnell as members with one meeting to date. Ms Collins talked to her international Grenada diaspora organization which has members from Canada, the U.K. and various parts of the U.S.A, and Grenada’s Diaspora Office.

Follow-up work took place at the Caribbean Studies Association 38th Annual Conference in Grenada in June 2013, were Lillian Sylvester (Director of Libraries, Grenada Library Services), Collins and Donnell presented a panel on “Valuing the past: libraries, archives and the ‘development’ of literary culture in the Anglophone Caribbean” which focused special attention on Grenada.

Two years later, in 2014, Glenlib held their first annual “Diaspora Give-Back Fundraising Event” at the University of Maryland with the Friends of Grenada Library, Archives and other Heritage Committees.

In September that year another Workshop was held in which Cheryl Sylvester (Faculty Librarian at St George’s University) highlighted the situation in Grenada:

“…it is not just a shortage of professional expertise that prevents full exploitation of archival material, but the fundamental absence of a building suitable for housing a national library and archives since the damage caused by the hurricane of 2004. A transnational campaign to replace the former Public Library, supported by the Friends of Grenada Library, Archives and other Heritage Committee (GRENLIB), is attempting to fundraise for a new building, but for Sylvester, a higher level of government commitment is required if the building is ever to become a reality.”

“Whilst there remains no national archive building in Grenada important holdings remain at risk of being lost, stored in inadequate conditions and liable to environmental degradation.”

Further, at the Society of American Archivists’ August 2014 Issues & Advocacy Roundtable (IART), Ms Sylvester discussed the “Threat to national archives and library in Grenada” and reported:

• Since 2011, the library/archives building has been closed, with the collection stuck inside, and the collection (including records of the 1983 American invasion) is at risk
• Library building was already in a state of disrepair when Hurricane Ivan did further damage in 2004; archives on top floor was damaged (shelves are being eaten away by termites)
• In the meantime, political supporters of the library lost power
• The previous Minister of Education sought several alternative locations, didn’t work out because of internal wranglings
• There’s been a change in government, but the situation remains the same
• Director of Libraries role is uncertain – unclear whether the government still considers the role to be active
• A request to the SAA that they consider joining other international information
  professional organizations (ICA, Association of Caribbean Academic Libraries, etc.) in writing to the Minister of Education, who has responsibility for libraries and archives
• Other advocacy efforts related to this issue:
  • last year, a paper was presented at the CARBICA conference about archives that need attention
  • In March 2014 a paper was written on the state of archives in Grenada
• Next steps: Sarah Quigley said I&A would be glad to draft a letter and send it to our SAA Council Rep (and the appropriate SAA committees), remembering the SAA had already donated through CARBICA US$1,000 back in March 2005 to the Grenada Archives Mission.

In its 2015 mandate on “Caribbean archives in the Caribbean: a new future” Alison Donnell (DLAN), said the group is committed to finding ways of sustaining and supporting this work into the future. The Network expects also to continue its solidarity work with archivists in Grenada in 2015 and beyond.

In January 2015 at the “Politics of Location” workshop held at Yale, Helena Leonce (Trinidad Archivist) gave an update in which she stated “The Caribbean region has embarked on a number of digital initiatives, in an attempt to keep abreast with the technological advances that are taking place in the world. Plans to digitize literary archival material have also been given great consideration.”

The DLAN’s principal investigator (and Director of Research Projects in the University of Reading Library since 1982), David Sutton, reiterated what Cheryl Sylvester had told him about the situation of Grenada’s National Archives:

“A digitization project has been started which is on-going. This project was initiated by the UNESCO Secretariat through IFAP. The aim is to digitize old records at the library.

Progress Report

• Government gazettes from 1880’s to 1920 are completed;
• West indian chronicle 1880’s to 1890’s with gaps;
• Blue books 1900’s & colonial letter registers from 1800’s begun.

Also an attempt was made with the Alister Hughes newsletters and the revolutionary documents at the fort were nominated for Unesco ‘Memory of the World’ registers but this clearly failed because the newsletter had already been digitized on DLOC (Library of Congress website) and so is therefore no longer under threat.

The Revolutionary documents have to be cleaned and inventoried so that proper documentation can be carried out to enable their digitization.“

However Cheryl Sylvester completely overlooked the US$60,000 work that Dr Laurence Brown team from University of Manchester had initiated in 2010 with the help of “Endangered Archives Project” of The British Library and completed in February 2014 which had 2500 pages of twelve volumes digitized material at the Supreme Court Registry (from 132 identified).

[See https://grenadanationalarchives.wordpress.com/…/grenada-nat…/]

Remember to check out the latest by joining our Facebook Group at Grenada’s Endangered Archives
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Grenada Heritage: Vital Records

HELP TO GET GRENADA BMD INDEXED AND ONLINE

Family History and Genealogy Records

When will Grenada be able to Discover their family history.

Since 1974, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has been extracting records of births/baptisms and marriages from filmed records in its collection for countries around the world. Most of these extracted records are indexed by name in the International Genealogical Index (IGI) available on www.familysearch.org.

However, IGI / FamilySearch has *NOT* indexed much of Grenada’s vital records.

Fortunately as of October 2017 serveral of the Grenada Church Family Registers have been digitized and are (with heavy restrictions) now available to view online. Recently the LDS have offered more locations from which to view these records through their Family History Centres and their Affiliates, however in the Caribbean, there none on Grenada and only one (often broken) computer each on Barbados, St Vincent. You may also get access from the one on each island of Trinidad, Martinique, Guadaloupe, Antigua, and St Kitts, and the five that are reportedly on Puerto Rico. Of cause from the UK, Europe, North America, Canada and Australia you will have hundreds of access points.

The Family History Library Film numbers on file for the seven parishes (St George, St John, St Mark, St Patrick, St Andrew, St David and Carriacou) of Grenada are:

1.1 No. 1523145 – Births for 1866 to 1874
1.2 No. 1523169 – Births for 1874 to 1888
1.3 No. 1523187 – Births for 1888 to 1892
1.4 No. 1523204 – Births for 1893 to 1905
1.5 No. 1523217 – Births for 1905 to 1910
1.6 No. 1523259 – Births for 1911 to 1916
1.7 No. 1523339 – Marriages for 1903 to 1910
1.8 No. 1523352 – Marriages for 1910 to 1918
1.9 No. 1523353 – Marriages for 1919 to 1922
1.10 No. 1523361 – Marriages for 1922 to 1932†
1.11 No. 1523537 – Deaths for 1866 to 1890
1.12 No. 1523656 – Baptisms 1784 to 1932, confirmations 1901 to 1931, marriages of Anglican, slaves, St Pauls, St Luke, St Peter, special, burials, burials of slaves and St Pauls, [not indexed nor digitized]
1.13 Land Registers

The problem is that Grenada’s civil birth records do not name the child it is only the Church Baptism registers which do this. Sadly, too, the only THREE Family History Library (FHL) films that HAVE been indexed are from birth registers:-

Film number 1523145 – This is a copy of parts of the Civil Register of Births from all seven parishes for 1866 to 1875 in twelve items corresponding to batch numbers I02551-1 to 1 to 12.

Film 1523169 – Births from all seven parishes for 1875 to 1882 (eleven batch numbers I02552-1 to 11).

Film 1523187 – Births from all seven parishes for the years 1882 to 1891 (eleven batches I02553-1 to 11).

THE SERIOUS PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THAT THESE FILMS, THOUGH NOW DIGITIZED, HAVE NOT YET BEEN INDEXED:-

Film 1523204 – Births from all seven parishes for 1891 to 1905.
Film 1523217 – Births from all seven parishes for 1905 to 1910.
Film 1523259 – Births from all seven parishes for 1910 to 1916.
Film 1523537 – Birth registers – five items 1 through 7 for 1900 to 1935 more specifically –
August 1910 to December 1910 in Carriacou
January 1911 through to June 1915 in All seven parishes
January 1916 through to December 1916 in All seven parishes
Film 1523362 – Index to 3 marriage volumes for 1903 to 1932.
Film 1523339 – Marriages from all seven parishes for 1903 to 1910.
Film 1523352 – Marriages from all seven parishes for 1910 to 1918.
Film 1523353 – Marriages for 1919 to 1922 and 1924 to 1928.
Film 1523361 – Marriages from all seven parishes for 1928 to 1934.
Film 1523537 – Death from all seven parishes for 1928 to 1934.

Film 1523394 – Births from all seven parishes for 1905 to 1924 has not been digitized nor indexed.
Film 1523396 – Births from all seven parishes for 1905 to 1935 has not been digitized nor indexed.
Film 1523429 – Births and Deaths from St John and St Andrew parishes for 1900 to 1932 has not been digitized nor indexed.
Film 1523408 – Deaths all seven parishes for 1909 to 1936 has not been digitized nor indexed.

THE FOUR MOST IMPORTANT FILMS NOT INDEXED NOR DIGITIZED

These four films are the ONLY source of the christian name of a child in Grenada.

Film 1523692 – This most important film and ONLY record of a childs birth-name is of Baptisms, Births, Marriages, Burials all seven parishes for 1798 to 1931 has not been digitized nor indexed.

Film 1523752 – This most important film and ONLY record of a childs birth-name is of Baptisms, Marriages, Marriage Banns, and Burials all seven parishes for 1861 to 1931 has not been digitized nor indexed.

Film 1523767 – This most important film and ONLY record of a childs birth-name is of Baptisms, Marriages, Burials St Mark, St John and Carriacou parishes for 1900 to 1931 has not been digitized nor indexed.

Film 1523656 – This most important film and ONLY record of a childs birth-name is of Baptisms – it also covers other Confirmation, Bann, Marriage, and Burial registers from the Archdeaconry of Grenada in the Anglican Rectory registers (manuscripts) of the districts of St. Luke, St. Peter and St. Paul in the parish of St. George’s, Grenada for the years 1784 to 1971. So this is film covers:-

Item 2 – Baptisms and burials for 1784 to 1804.
Item 1 – Baptisms, marriages and burials for 1806 to 1831.
Item 3 – Baptisms, marriages and burials for 1812 to 1815.
Item 4 – Baptisms, marriages and burials for 1816 to 1831.
Item 5 – Slave baptisms, marriages 1817-1834, burials 1833-1834.
item 6 – Baptisms and marriages for 1831 to 1837.
Item 7 – Baptisms, marriages and burials for 1837 to 1844.
Item 8 – Baptisms for 1844 to 1892.
Item 9 – Baptisms of the district of St. Luke for 1851 to 1884.
Items 10-11 – Baptisms for 1892 to 1932.
Item 12 – Confirmations for 1901 to 1931.
Items 13-14 – Marriages for 1844 to1930.
Item 15 – Marriages for St. Luke and St. Peter 1909 to 1933.
Item 16 – Banns for 1903 to 1931.
Item 17 – Special marriage register 1912 to 1942.
Items 18-19 – Burials 1844 to 1930.
Item 20 – St Paul Marr. 1861-1902, Bapt. 1860-95, Bur. 1861-1971.

FamilySearch do run ‘projects’ to continue the indexing of FHL films on file. However they insist:-

“Information about upcoming collections is not made available prior to publication due to various factors that can affect the publication time line, such as contract agreements with record custodians or partnership societies, final assembly considerations, server capacity, geographic considerations, prioritization of collections at risk, delivery type, and so forth”.
Further “…there is no specific time frame for the publication of indexing projects, since they are governed by the same considerations as indicated above“.

This terrible situation may only be overcome by having everyone making a request that the entire GRENADA COLLECTION be added to their online collections, to do this please follow these instructions:-

1. Go to the FamilySearch website (http://familysearch.org).
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the Feedback button.
3. Click on Share your ideas, and post to request ALL OUR FILMS BE INDEXED AND PUT ONLINE.

Or use a direct link to FamilySearch “Send Us Feedback” website. Then click on Share your ideas and post your request.

Note: Posting does not guarantee that familysearch.org will be able to acquire the collection or have rights to publish it, but the requests will be seen by those who make decisions about which collections are published.

A further note: Much earlier French records from the era 1765-1790 of Grenada’s history have now been digitized and can be freely viewed online via the British Library EAP website at link, link, link, link, and link.

Grenada’s Endangered Archives (part 7)

Grenada’s endangered archives programme (EAP295)

Update: Transcription from Grenada’s Archives Published

Dr Laurence Brown (University of Manchester) has published a 73 page transcription of images from “Court of Oyer and Terminer for Trial of Attained Traitors record book 1796” [part of Grenada’s endangered archives digitised series EAP295/2/6/1]. It includes notes, the transcription and an alphabetical list of names from 1796.

[eap295_2_6_1_transcription.pdf]

Download

Note: A page is missing between 037 and 038 (it was never copied). It containes trial information for 8th August 1796.

Remember to check out the latest by joining our Facebook Group at Grenada’s Endangered Archives
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Grenada Heritage At Risk: Carriacou cemetery vanishes

Rising seas swamp a cemetery on Carriacou, Grenada.

The Good News

One of Grenada’s most important commodity is Tourism.  All our other resources are equally important and of cause should be regarded hand-in-hand with our Tourism Resources.  On the 9-11 of July 2014 the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) held the 3rd Symposium for Innovators in Coastal Tourism here at St. George’, Grenada. This event brought together over 150 ‘green’ experts and practitioners, including hoteliers, real estate developers, operators, investors, and others within the tourism industry committed to (or considering) new sustainable models of marine, coastal, and island tourism development and management.  Over 40 of these international tourism experts spoke on various aspects of sustainable coastal and marine tourism and the event was even represented for us by our Minister of Tourism and Alexandra Otway-Noel, who bolstered Grenada’s enthusiasm for a sustainable future through tourism, and stating action is already underway. View the Symposium Proceedings.

The Down Side

Sadly none of this covered our Historical or Heritage acpects of the island of Grenada – a very important commodity for tourism, our island community and the education of our young.

“Natural.” “Eden.” “Genuine.” “Safe.” “Paradise.”  “Pristine.” “Unspoiled.”

Russ Jarman Price was telling the audience at this international symposium that these and many other words had been offered to describe our island nation of Grenada. Collecting such descriptors was one step in the process that his team used in coming up with its new “Pure Grenada” marketing campaign. The new brand had provoked local controversy, even though the “pure” theme is intended to help spur Grenada into becoming a model of sustainability for the region – you will see it used all over Grenada’s new tourism site.

The conference represented the Grenada’s next step in staking out that claim: A three-day symposium on Innovations in Coastal Tourism, held this month at St. George’s University in Grenada. CREST, the U.S.-based Center for Responsible Travel, organized it. Symposium discussions moved along two closely related tracks: How to practice coastal tourism more responsibly in a world of rising seas, declining ocean quality, and growing tourism pressures, and more specifically, how to do so in Grenada and the Caribbean. (Shockingly Jonathan Tourtellot also spoke at the symposium, but the compete Caribbean development fund covered his travel expenses.)

Jarman Price was sensitive to the audience, the majority of cause Grenadian – the Ogilvy’s campaign “Pure Grenada: Freedom to Wonder” had been systematically thought out. For those who don’t know he is the Executive Creative Director for Inglefield/Ogilvy & Mather Ltd (the Caribbean part of global advertising giant Ogilvy) and a local resident.

Many have encouraged Grenada for several years to adopt a geotourism approach focused on its numerous unique qualities (though they constantly forget Heritgage) and the Pure Grenada was characterized as a geotourism rebranding campaign when Ogilvy introduced it in February of this year. National Geographic Society have defined geotourism as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” A great fit for Grenada.

Unfortunately, things had not gone smoothly back in February.

Symposium speakers Andy Dumaine and Todd Comen check out a bin of nutmeg husks, from which mace is made, at the Belmont Estate.

Jarman Price admitted, the new brand rolled out “in isolation,” with the usual inadequate community preparation. Partly because of that—rebrandings often get public push-back anyway—a storm of controversy arose. Many Grenadians objected, mistakenly assuming the new slogan was intended to replace Grenada’s long-standing identity as the “Spice Island,” a nod to its many nutmeg trees. After much politically hyped debate, PM Keith Mitchell himself had to intervene, yielding the camel-like compromise “Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean” – oh how we continue to show our ignorance!

Make of that what you will. The intent of Pure Grenada was to underscore what is considered the real reason to visit: The island is one of the last to offer a broad and authentic Caribbean travel experience. Grenada still has beauty, a benign climate, rich culture and heritage, good beaches, still-viable nature on land and in the sea, and relative freedom from intrusive mass tourism.

Can Grenada Pull It Off?

The question is whether our country can retain and build on that distinction. Like other islands, Grenada copes with numerous challenges—overfishing, sand mining, unemployment, irresponsible development, care-less attitute to heritage, limiting-unencompassing education. Take for example the terrible loss of our wave-swamped cemetery on our sister island of Carriacou – it has become an emblem for the Caribbean’s accelerated sea level rise. Certainly since the financial crisis, but truely even before the 1970’s, our government has basically been financially broke, and many of us Grenadians are therefore eager to grab at any economic opportunity, sustainable or not – with no care for the longer term stategies to protect our island and including our heritage for our youth (those who will become custodians in long after we’re gone).

Sockingly at the Symposium we were reminded that someone on Carriacou had chopped down about seven acres of mangroves to make room for a big new marina!  That environmental insult, which most certainly contributed to the demise of one of ancient cemeteries, was mentioned repeatedly at this symposium—a pimple of the face of Pure. In ignorance apologists often argue for a “balance between growth and conservation” in such cases. Sustainable marketing consultant Andy Dumaine grumbled when he heard that: “It’s not an either-or”.  Other endangered cemeteries are the  Mt. Airy cemetery in St. Paul’s and the church yard cemetery of St. Paul’s Anglican Church (the graves are literally sliding down an embankment into a ravine).

Indeed, Dr. Angus Friday, our current ambassador to the United States and Mexico, encouragingly believes sustainability is economic opportunity. He sees Grenada as taking a global lead in renewable energy and conservation for small island nations. While diplomatically not mentioning those missing mangroves, he argued, “Our natural capital is principal in the bank. We need to weave this into our DNA”. This implies that Good businesses don’t invade principal.  Is Friday in the minority when he hopes that Grenada can develop in a way that disrupts the standard model of Caribbean tourism—“Become the Airbnb of responsible travel”.

Let us hope it can be done and the symposium itself seemed quite successful. (Presentations here.)

At a geotourism meeting the next day, it became clear that many of our boutique hotel owners that dominate the Grenada tourism market don’t want to see huge all-inclusive resorts or more big cruise ships. But tourism growth is so much more than these two areas.  At a rural exposition on another day, many of our local artisans and ‘entrepreneurs’ took the opportunity to show off wares unique to our island, keen to grow their businesses through ‘responsible tourism‘. They had set up their booths at Belmont Estate, which itself has become one of our well-known agritourism attractions in the Caribbean.

Local entrepreneur Modesty makes Grenadian-themed fashions and hopes to add employees.

And what about those spices? Grenada’s big three are nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon. One visitor  remembers landing at the Grenada airport long ago, entering the terminal, and immediately smelling these telltale scents. However the Symposium visitor detected no such pleasant odor when they arrived this time.  What an opportunity missed, and an other aspect of our heritage dies!  Research tells us that the brain’s wiring for memories and for smells are directly linked one another. Why not once again suffuse the airport arrival and departure halls with delicious fragrance?  Do that, and every time for years after, when we former visitors smell cinnamon on a roll or nutmeg in the eggnog, we’ll remember:

Ah, Grenada.

 

	Contibutor Jonathan Tourtellot of National Geographic Traveler
	CREST is a non-profit research instituteat Stanford University (Washington, DC) founded in 2003.

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Grenada Heritage: May Day – Save Our Archives

Getting Ready for May Day 2014

15 April 2014 · in Continuing Education, Digital Preservation, Disaster Planning, Outreach and Advocacy, Policies and Procedures, Preservation, Society of Archivists. ·

To download your this logo or similar ones, please visit SAA’s website at http://www2.archivists.org/initiatives/mayday-saving-our-archives/mayday-logos

It’s that time of year again for archivists–the annual May Day event where we highlight the necessary activities for disaster preparedness. The news is full of disaster that strikes, whether natural or man-made. Once the safety of the people involved is secure, our thoughts as archivists go towards the records–both paper and digital, to ensure that that they are recoverable. Often we are so busy with reference requests, processing, visiting alumni events and classes, that we think we’ll get to the disaster plan later.

“But on 1st May – this year and every year – you can do something that will make a difference when and if an emergency occurs. That’s the purpose of MayDay – a grassroots effort whose goal is to save our archives.” (SAA Website)

We are at the mid-month, so we don’t have long until 1st May, but it is plenty of time to plan to do something simple to honor MayDay 2014. Here are some suggestions from SAA:

1.  Create or Update your Contact Lists.
2. Review or Establish Basic Emergency Procedures
3. Conduct a Disaster Drill
4. Conduct Scenario Exercises
5. Invite Your Local Firefighters to Visit Your Repository
6. Survey the Building for Risks
7. Make Sure All Collections Are in Boxes
8. Make Sure Boxes Are Off the Floor
9. Identify the Most Critical, Essential, Important Records
10. Inventory Emergency Supplies
11. Review Your Emergency Preparedness Plan
12. If Your Repository Doesn’t Have an Emergency Preparedness Plan…MayDay is a good time to get started.

On 1st May, we will be reviewing our Emergency Preparedness Plan and submitting it to review. In our new Records Retention Schedule, we are noting which records are “vital” in the event of a disaster.

Be sure to see the latest post from HERA, “Disaster Prevention on the Fly,” and if you can, attend the free webinar on Thursday, 17 April at 1:00pm (EST) The Supercharged Management System: Applying the Incident Command System in Cultural Repositories by David Carmichael, ‎Director, Records and Information Management at Atlanta Housing Authority. Here’s the description of the class:

Every cultural repository needs two management structures: the day-to-day, business-as-usual hierarchy, and a “supercharged” management structure that takes over temporarily during a crisis or whenever events threaten to overwhelm normal business routines. Emergency responders have used just such a supercharged structure for years: the Incident Command System (ICS). Whether you are preparing for fires and floods—or planning a major public event—the Incident Command System is a proven management tool that safeguards lives, property, and priceless collections. Learn how to put it to use at your cultural organization!

So be thinking about what activity (or activities) you will be conducting at your school, and send them to SAA at MayDay@archivists.org. They would like to track who participated, what they did, and how it might help another similar institution. Be sure to also post in the comments here what you did at your school. Maybe we can get our list to grow every MayDay!

Resources

• Heritage Preservation National Task Force: Includes links to resources, both online and in print, in preparing and responding to disasters.
• Watch Heritage Preservation’s Facebook page for weekly disaster preparedness tips throughout the month of May.
• HP’s Alliance for Response: Alliance for Response is a national program on cultural heritage and disaster management. Through a series of local Forums, it builds bridges between the cultural heritage and emergency response communities before disasters happen. Find a group near you!

Heritage in Danger: Death of Grenada’s Archives

THE EARLY YEARS

In Grenada the Library and Information Services began as early as 1846, with the passing of a bill by the Legislative Council, for the establishment of a library and museum. In 1853, a subscription library was thus declared open downstairs the Registry Offices, St. George’s.

In 1892, the library was moved to an old warehouse building located along the water font of the Carenage, St. George’s, a two storey nineteenth century brick and stone structure with red-tiled roof. By 1896 it was financed from the general revenue.

As early as 1906 it was noted by the then governor that considerable expenditure was required for their proper care of Grenada’s historical documents. This was followed in 1911 with N. Darnell Davis’ “Note on the West Indian Records” in which he said that the documents in the registrar’s office in St. George’s appeared to be carefully kept, but that in the secretary’s office insects were destroying some of the bound volumes, “notably in the case of Governor Melville’s papers, which had not long previously been recovered by purchase, from a London second-hand bookseller“. Note: N. Darnell Davis (1846-1915) was a colored Grenadian working in the civil service in British Guiana.

As a result of the Survey of Library Services in the Caribbean (commissioned by the Carnegie Corporation) and the recommendations by the English librarian, Ernest Savage, the library services changed in the 1940’s but still did not encompass an Archives.

The subsequently formed Eastern Caribbean Regional Library brought about new life to library services in the region, and in Grenada at that time large grants from government’s expenditure were made available to the library. In 1949, it therefore moved from a subscription library to a free public library.

In 1955 Sheila A. Buckmire was taken on as a member of the staff and she began slowly making efforts to add the Archival function to the library services. A Colonial development Fund of EC$10,624 for the purchase of books for a “bookmobile” was donated in 1961, allowing the introduction of twenty-three (23) service points across the island by May 1961.

1970 the Peace Corp assisted with training through librarians from their organization and one member of staff was subsequently awarded a UNESCO fellowship to pursue undergraduate studies at the University of the West Indies.

Then when 1980 was declared the “Year of Education and Production” by the short lived People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) the library budget increased and copies of all government documents were deposited at the Public library and the National Archives then took on more substance. That same year a request was made of UNESCO to aid with a report on “Grenada Archival Development” by Clinton Vane de Brosse Black (Jamaican archivist) in co-ordination with consultant Mrs. Carol Collins (Librarian, University Guyana) to produce the 20 page outline of recommendations – despite being greatly hampered by the lack of time offered by then Government Officials.

With a grant from the European Economic Community in 1986 some renovations where undertaken at the Public Library/Archives increasing accommodation somewhat.

It was in 1992 that the building celebrated its 100 years of library services and its name was changed to the Sheila Buckmire Memorial Library in her honour – she had served for thirty-seven (37) years by the time she passed – and now functions as the National Library and Archives. The National Archives, housed in one room of the library, contained both archival material as well as material of potential archival value, but there is no archivist and rather primitive means of preservation and storage are employed.

MORE RECENT YEARS

Grenada’s current head librarian and director of library services, Samaria Lillian Sylvester (gls@caribsurf.com), oversees the remaining eight (8) libraries in Grenada and two in Carriacou. However the Archives needs have been placed on the back burner and receive little help.

In 2001 Lillian found that Grenada’s school principals were struggling to encourage their young pupils to read and so encouraged the group “Boaters for Books, Inc” (Florida, USA) to hold a meeting at the Grenada Public Library with Kathy Oberle, Bobbie Nemerson, Dodie Helgerson resulting in the Boaters for Books contributing books to the island. This was at a time when Lillian also administered a mobile-book-library, which traveled the parishes of Grenada, dropping off books at schools re-circulating the books weekly.

This same year the Caribbean Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (CARBICA) was formed they are part of the larger network the International Council on Archives (ICA) works closely with UNESCO and abides by the ICA’s Code of Ethics and has its own Constitution.

In partnership with the Department of Libraries of Grenada the CARBICA was invited in May 2003 to Grenada to hold a seminar on “Records Management –The key to Informed Decision Making. Can we afford not to have it?” setup for the senior civil servants from 26 ministries and departments of the Grenada Civil Service. Its focus was on the relationship between good governance and adequate record management, crucial to protect the rights of citizens and for democratic accountability.

For it Lillian wrote a Country Report in which she recommended an amendment to existing legislation/enactment for the initiation of new legislation which could establish support for the national library and archives:-

“…By the year 2010… one the goals would be to provide through a co-ordinated system of Public, School and Community Libraries; Archives and Documentation Services; the information required for recreational, educational, social, cultural and economical needs of the nation”.

In September 2004 Grenada had lost dozens of classrooms, and thousands of books, when Hurricane Ivan bore down on the island flooding the archives and filling the floor of the vault with 6 inches of water, though some small effort was made at the time to patch the roof no other efforts were made to restore the building or protect the valuable historical documents it held.

St. George’s University faculty librarian is T. Cheryl Sylvester (cheryl.sylvester…), who was educated at Mac Donald’s College in Sauteurs, St. Patrick’s, Grenada and spent two years (1997–1999) at the University of Toronto in Canada to gain a Master of Information Studies (M.ISt.) in Libraries and Archives, went on to get her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) at University of the West Indies at Mona Campus in Jamaica. She later (November 2006) took on the post as Faculty Librarian at St. George’s University and for a time be elected Secretary at the CARBICA.

It was in October 2005, the Executive Board of CARBICA still very concerned about Grenada’s Archives, discussed a “rescue plan for the records”. They contacted Cheryl Sylvester and Lillian Sylvester to discuss how to assist in safeguarding the documentary heritage of this island after the disaster. The Society of American Archivists (SAA) through the Margaret Cross Norton Fund at the time provided some small financial assistance for CARBICA to make a report on the situation in Grenada.

Yet another time that funds were found to report on the situation of Grenada Archive’s – this too seemingly fell on deaf ears.

In November 2005 CARBICA sent Yulu Griffith Klein, archivist at the National Archives of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Grenada to make an assessment of impact of hurricane Ivan on records and archives in Grenada by December. In her recommendations Klein accentuate the need to manage records properly taking into consideration their important role for the right as citizens, accountability and national memory. Furthermore she stresses the importance to dispose of a records disaster preparedness plan and the need for co-operation between sectors.

Klein recommended a consolidation of the various repositories under a new public agency, the National Archives of Grenada, for which the Government House in Grenada can form the core. Her report is being circulated in Grenada and to some other organizations e.g. the SAA (who donated US$1,000) and ICA, however no copy exists online.

Although the Carenage building was not officially abandoned it was closed and the archive continued to suffer.

Still, in March 2006 the Boaters for Books once again presented 200 books for Grenada for distribution to needy schools, libraries and community centers by Lillian and newly appointed Emmalin Pierre (daughter of the taxi and tour driver Darius).

In the September 2010 Budget the then Government continued to ignore the National Archives problem and merely suggested they would house only the Government Archives in a new four story Office Complex to be sited on the old Cardats building on Lowthers Lane.

At the 38th Caribbean Studies Association Annual Conference in June 2013:-

Lillian Sylvester offered a report on “Libraries in Grenada in the twenty-first century” which discussed the survival of the islands libraries given Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) realities, and outlined a little about the Grenada situation given present realities.

Cheryl Sylvester outlined a project, in conjunction with Institute of Caribbean and International Studies (ICIS), which aimed to rescue documents in crisis in Eastern the Caribbean. Entitled “Eastern Caribbean Documentation & Archival Imaging Centre: A proposal too late or too early?” the plan had four phases and started with four Grenadian collections: the Lord Pitt of Hampstead collection, the collection of Alister Hughes, the Governor General‘s collection and the Dougaldston Estate records. However, it was revealed that just a few months into its conception, the project faced a number of problems – lack of funding, the absence of a National Archives premises, the occurrence of Hurricane Ivan, the death of Mr. Alister Hughes and subsequently, the effective collapse of ICIS. As a consequence, the project proposal remained in state of suspension. Given these challenges including the closure of the Grenada Public Library and Archives, the endowment of Mr. Hughes‘ collection to University of the West Indies and the worsening economics, is was argued “what options remained in light of the challenges faced?”.

Finally Merle Collins (collinsm@umd.edu) covered “Grenada Library and Archives – Some triumphs, Challenges, Needs” which talked about challenges for the department from her perspective as a regular, long-term user and ‘Grenadian’ poet.

A DECADE SINCE CLOSURE

Little or nothing has been achieved to build a new more appropriate Archive premises and even under its hat as simply a National Library hasn’t motivated the building’s repair or replacement.

Eighty-eight acres Land at Hope in Saint Andrew’s on the east-coast was gifted in 2012 by the Congress Government for the construction of a Grenada UWI campus. Although this is away from the main city and will house its own library, no plans are in place to add a purpose built Archival Department building which could be used for in the Caribbean for the training of future Archivists and Document Preservation, Restoration and Digitization techniques.

In 2013 budget speech Keith C. Mitchell, overlooking the Archives issue, merely stated:-

“Attention will be given to developing a policy on libraries for Grenada. In the meantime, provisions have been made to relocate the Public Library and the St. Patrick’s Library and to strengthen several Community Libraries“.

By the 2014 budget report even this had been dropped.

Then in 2014 Lillian was presented with thousands of dollars worth of reading and educational books for dissemination to school libraries around the island, purchased with funds collected from the UNESCO International Jazz Day Educational Programme event, sponsored by the Organization of American States (OAS) entitled “Jazz It Grenada” which was hosted by the Cruisers based at the Prickly Bay Marina on Thursday 3 April 2014.

During the March 2014 Diasporic Literary Archives Network fourth workshop in Trinidad in Cheryl Sylvester, speaking about the situation in Grenada, said:-

“It is not just a shortage of professional expertise that prevents full exploitation of archival material, but the fundamental absence of a building suitable for housing a national library and archives since the damage caused by the hurricane of 2004. A transnational campaign to replace the former Public Library, supported by the tiny group Friends of Grenada Library, Archives and other Heritage Committee (GRENLIB), is attempting to fundraise for a new building, but clearly a higher level of government commitment is required if the building is ever to become a reality.

While there is now no national archive in Grenada important holdings are still at risk of being lost, stored in inadequate conditions and liable to environmental degradation.”

For the current status check-out our page at Grenada’s Endangered Archives.

Caribbean Research: Library Resources

Caribbean Library Associations

1. LIAJA – Library and Information Association of Jamaica:  The initiative to establish a library association was led by Mr. A. S. Bryant, the first Director of the Jamaica Library Service, as such a body was regarded as an ‘essential part of library organisation in the island.’ Accordingly in 1949, a year after the Jamaica Library Service was established, the Provisional Library Board approved the convening of a meeting of all persons working in libraries or having an interest in library development. The meeting was a success as 94 persons met at the St. Catherine Parish Library on July 14, 1949 and passed a resolution that the Jamaica Library Association be formed.
2. ALJAS – The Association of Librarians in the Jamaica Library Service (ALJAS) was formed in 1975 by a group of “forward thinking” Librarians who sought to provide an avenue through which matters relating to the particular concerns of the group could be most suitably addressed.
3. CIIP – The Cayman Islands Information Professionals (CIIP) is the first professional library and information science association in the Cayman Islands. It was founded in 2013 by information specialists, living and working in the Cayman Islands.
4. ACURIL– The Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) originated as part of a movement for Caribbean cooperation at the university level, initiated in the late l960’s by the Association of Caribbean Universities (UNICA). At that moment Sir Philip Sherlock, of the University of the West Indies, at Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, was its Secretary General.
5. COMLA – Commonwealth Library Association: COMLA supports library associations in the Commonwealth by promoting the interests of libraries and librarians and facilitating networks for information delivery and exchange. Its membership comprises national library associations and major library institutions in countries that do not yet have an association. From 2002 librarians have been eligible to become individual members.
6. LATT – The Library Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) was incorporated by Act No. 11 of 1985, which was assented to on 21st March, 1985.
7. CARALL – Caribbean Association of Law Libraries: Established in 1984, the Caribbean Association of Law Libraries [CARALL] continues to be the only forum that focuses solely on the Caribbean law libraries and law librarians. The Association is committed to regional co-operation and networking among the libraries. It gives the Law Libraries of the Caribbean an opportunity to forge links, discuss  common problems and the information needs of their clientele and create ways in which greater regional Law Library co-operation could be achieved.
8. LAB – Library Association of Barbados:
9. LAB – Library Association of Bermuda: an active organization of enthusiastic professional librarians and paraprofessionals from all types of libraries in Bermuda. Whether it’s a small or large library, school media centre, college library, law or medical library, the goals of the members are the same. The librarians in Bermuda strive to enhance learning and to ensure access to information for every person on the rock.
10. Caribbean Research Databases

 

Blogs by Information Professionals and Para-Professionals at any level.

1. RDA – RDA Blog or Resource Description & Access Blog is a blog on Resource Description and Access (RDA), a new library cataloging standard that provides instructions and guidelines on formulating data for resource description and discovery, organized based on the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR), intended for use by libraries and other cultural organizations replacing Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2)
2. Concierge Librarian – A blog by Mardene Carr; For all things libraries and a little extra.
3. I work at a public library – A blog that shows what makes a public library amazing is that we welcome everyone.
4. Librarian Problems – Inspired by other reaction .GIF tumblrs, William started Librarian Problems as a way to anonymously vent common librarian frustrations as well as point out his own quirks as a librarian.
5. Opinionated – A true expression of Krystell Scott’s opinions, thoughts, and emotions.  Additionally, it provides tips on various topics (every now and then).

 

 

Library Groups on Facebook

Are you on Facebook? Do you know of all of the library Facebook Groups that you can join and instantly connect with hundreds, in some cases thousands (and in one particular group over 10,000) other librarians?

No? Well, have no fear! The 5 Minute Librarian has compiled some of the top groups in many different areas of public librarianship. This list is no where complete (it is really hard to find these groups without knowing someone who is in them), so please post in the comments any additional groups to be included on this list!

Also note no regional groups have been included since they would only apply to a small number of readers, but local groups are out there! Look up your colleagues and see what groups they are part of – that may be the easiest way to find them.

ALA Graphic Novels & Comics in Libraries MIG

https://www.facebook.com/groups/284091538417404/
American Library Association’s Group dedicated to Graphic Novels & Comic Books! Also find us on ALA Connect: http://connect.ala.org/graphicnovels
403 members

ALA San Francisco 2015 ALATT Chapter

https://www.facebook.com/groups/660268200730240/
A fun back-channel for ALA San Fran 2015. Positivity-only zone. All librarians welcome. #mih #makeithappen #alatt15 2015 Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA: June 25-30, 2015
255 members

ALA Think Tank

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ALAthinkTANK/
Librarians! Social media’s space for them! We #makeithappen and #partyhard TOGETHER! We>MeDISCLAIMER: WHILE we love the American Library Association, we are IN NO WAY affiliated with them. ALA, in our case, stands for “Awesome Librarians Associated” because everyone here is awesome. You do NOT need to be an American Library Association member to be here. You don’t even need to be American!
11,186 members

Business Librarians

https://www.facebook.com/groups/buslib/
This group is dedicated to informing librarians with reference and research specialties in all aspects of business and finance of new developments and trends in business librarianship. We welcome business librarians (academic, public, corporate, etc), adjunct members like vendors of business-related research materials, and librarians of all sorts who just want to learn a little more about business research.
150 members

eLearning in Libraries

https://www.facebook.com/groups/459190367552515/
This is a group for anyone who is interested in developing e-learning for library purposes. We will share ideas and engage in discussion about e-learning. Public, academic, school, and special library staff are all encouraged to join. E-learning can include screencasts, tutorials, videos, and any other training delivered in an online format, and may be for library staff or patrons.
113 members

IFLA – LSN, Library Services to People with Special Needs

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ifla.lsn/
The Section for Library Services to People with Special Needs provides an international forum for the discussion of ideas, sharing of experiences and development of tools designed to promote and improve the effectiveness of library and information services to special needs groups, and the promotion of national and international cooperation at all levels.
831 members

League of Librarian Gamers – for Librarians who Play

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MTGLibrarians
A group for librarians who play games of all kinds – board games, card games, RPGs, video games, tabletop games, Magic: the Gathering, miniatures, dice games, classic games. If you’re a Librarian, and you play games, join this group!
370 members

Librarians in the Northwest

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibrariansNW/
A virtual meeting ground for librarians and library professionals in the Pacific Northwest interested in talking about how to #makeithappen in their library spaces.
670 members

Libraries & Information Technology: Making FarmVille Work Better

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1411955635742429/
A place for those who work in public & academic library IT departments to network & share advice. This is a closed group, so feel free to be candid.
114 members

Libraries & Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibrarySocial/
This is a group for anyone working professionally in social media for their library, or those curious about what it’s like.
2,746 members

Library Coffee Shop Talk

https://www.facebook.com/groups/188470881170938/
Enjoy your hot beverage and enjoy a light virtual conversation with other library minded folks.
144 members

Library Employee Support Network

https://www.facebook.com/groups/toxic.libraries
A place where librarians can gather and talk about abusive workplaces anonymously and safely and also get support and advice from colleagues. Email LESN.share and admin will post your comments anonymously. *OR* You can post from our anonymous Facebook account (ask one of the admins for the password).
462 members

Library Entrepreneurship & Maker Services

https://www.facebook.com/groups/startup.library/
More and more, libraries are becoming places of active, connected learning. We have also stepped up to the plate to help the jobless and career-changers in our communities rejoin the workforce. This group is where we will be discussing new ways that libraries can support makers, job hunters, the business-curious, freelancers, career changers, builders, startups, entrepreneurs, and existing businesses. Let’s make business and maker support as visible as storytime. Library Entrepreneurship & Maker Services is an official Member Interest Group of the American Library Association:http://www.ala.org/groups/mcoms/migs Visual resources are being collected here:http://www.pinterest.com/libent/
552 members

Library Related People

https://www.facebook.com/groups/libraryrelatedpeeps/
This is a Facebook group that welcomes all library related people. If you work in any library related capacity, intend to do so, or are plain interested we want you!
2,667 members

LibraryAware Lab

https://www.facebook.com/groups/lalab/
Let’s talk and share the library advocacy and marketing challenges and successes. Here we can ask each other questions and get a little more information so we can get to better solutions. LibraryAware Lab is a place to discuss, share, collaborate, and learn about what works and what doesn’t work.
588 members

MakerSpaces and the Participatory Library

https://www.facebook.com/groups/librarymaker
An open space for collaboration and sharing about MakerSpaces, digital media labs, and participatory/community spaces in libraries. Let’s share ideas, failures, successes, and resources!
2,422 members

Massachusetts Library Association Fans

https://www.facebook.com/groups/masslib
Connect with members of the Massachusetts Library Association. Cheer library successes and innovations. Advocate for adequate funding for libraries.
549 members

Museums + Libraries

https://www.facebook.com/groups/878024828888385/
A forum for library & museum professionals to exchange ideas & be all up in each other’s business. John Cotton Dana is our mascot. Cross-pollination is our jam.
138 members

Outside the Lines

https://www.facebook.com/groups/getoutsidethelines/
Outside the Lines is a weeklong celebration – Sept. 13-19, 2015 – demonstrating the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. Participating in Outside the Lines? This is a place to share ideas for events, campaigns and guerrilla marketing tactics for this fall’s celebration of libraries. Inspiration, suggestions and questions welcome! Find out more at http://getoutsidethelines.org/
411 members

Paging America: Advocate for Your Public Library!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/113676302125880/
How do you support your public library? Let us count the ways! Share your advocacy tips, tools and genius ideas with library advocates and patrons around the world.
119 members

Programming Librarian Interest Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/698178656926704
To bring together all types of librarians interested in public programming for their patrons. Programming is an intrinsically essential library service. The Programming Librarian Interest Group helps librarians advocate for programming at their own institutions, share program ideas and successful strategies, and provides a space for professional development by librarians who do programming officially and unofficially as part of their job duties. The group is also be a vehicle for ALA members to connect more dynamically with ALA’s Public Programming Office.
1,367 members

R-Squared Risktakers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/rsquaredconf/
The R-Squared Risktakers group is a place to share how you’ve put your ideas from #rsq12 into practice. Share risks, challenges, triumphs and creative ideas. Whether you were at the conference or just love disrupting conventions, this is a place for free exchange.
219 members

The Shareable Clique

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShareableClique
A Facebook Group for libraries and book lovers to share their viral content that can be reshared on other Facebook accounts. What works well at your library that may work well at other libraries? Share your successes, increase your outreach, and help other libraries build their audiences!
127 members

Storytime Underground

https://www.facebook.com/groups/storytimeunderground/
Storytime Underground is a collective of youth services librarians and professionals who firmly believe literacy is not a luxury. Our mission is threefold: We support each other; we promote each other; and we train each other.
2750 members

Storytimes And More on the Go

https://www.facebook.com/groups/storytimesandmoreonthego/
A place for Children’s librarians and staff who conduct outreach to come together and share ideas. Outreach is and has become so much more than just storytime for many libraries. Reaching out into our communities and letting them know what’s available to them is such a valuable tool for all libraries. We are on Pinterest ~ http://pinterest.com/storytimesa/ ~ and on Twitter ~https://twitter.com/StorytimesToGo ~ Please follow us!
439 members

Technology Training and Libraries

https://www.facebook.com/groups/215892381802232/
A resource for technology training for staff and the public. This is a place where ideas and resources can be shared.
1,162 members

Teen Librarians

https://www.facebook.com/groups/618059348208569
921 members

Teen Services Underground

https://www.facebook.com/groups/407834692712782/
Our mission is to support, promote, advocate, and build a community space to highlight the importance of teen services in minding the gap. We know how hard teen services can be and we want to help!
345 members

Teen Think Tank

https://www.facebook.com/groups/192137410961794
328 members

Troublesome Catalogers and Magical Metadata Fairies

https://www.facebook.com/groups/161813927168408/
A place for catalogers, metadata librarians, and those who admire them. Grab your wands and raise some Hell. ;c)
1,234 members

WordPress and Librarians

https://www.facebook.com/groups/wordpress.librarians/
This group is for librarians using WordPress.
820 members

Special thanks to Patrick Sweeney, Laura Hollister, and Austin Stroud for their help in compiling this list!

Note: Member numbers are collected from 6 Feb 2015. Please check back later for any updates! Inactive groups will be removed yearly.

Remember — sharing is caring! If you join a new group due to this list, please tweet, email, or post about this blog post. It’ll warm my little librarian heart that the hours I spent on this list were indeed helpful!

 

Free Library Tools

Here are just some software that you can use in your libraries.

SpiceWorks IT Helpdesk – Spiceworks is free network management software and help desk software designed for networks with up to 1,000 devices. It combines help desk software, network inventory, network monitoring, IT reporting, network configuration management, built-in TFTP server, a Community user-generated IT knowledge base, request for quote feature, ink and toner replenishment purchasing, SNMP v3 management, Active Directory management, bandwidth monitoring, UPS power management software, help ticket merging, multi-threading, Green IT support, SQL server monitoring, warranty renewal tracking, and IT community Q&A into one easy-to-use application. –CNET

OneDrive or Google Drive –  They are good for online storage and collaboration between staff and other stakeholders.  OneDrive is preferred because a personal user get 15gb of storage that can be upgraded or for companies with the Microsoft service (like Office 365) benefits from unlimited storage.  The disadvantage with Google Drive is that you get 15gb that is shared between the various apps such as gmail and google+.

OneNote – This program organizes project information, but it takes time to master its many functions. The tabbed interface is intuitive with a mix of information panels and note-entry areas. Readability is good with full control of screen color and fonts. The program takes input in many forms such as documents, onscreen handwritten notes, and media files. Microsoft OneNote’s outline and search functions collate and outline the project data – CNET.  This software works across platforms and is available on your tablet, phone, computer and on the web.  All entries made using OneNote is sync to you Microsoft account;  If you lose your phone, tablet or laptop, your information is not lost with it.

LimeSurvey – an open-source survey application, lists a number of features, including csv import/export and basic statistical analysis.

Greenstone – a suite of software for building and distributing digital library collections. It provides a new way of organizing information and publishing it on the Internet or on CD-ROM. Greenstone is produced by the New Zealand Digital Library Project at the University of Waikato, and developed and distributed in cooperation with UNESCO and the Human Info NGO. It is open-source, multilingual software, issued under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

Moodle – a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a Free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.

Invenio – a ​free software suite enabling you to run your own ​digital library or document repository on the web. The technology offered by the software covers all aspects of digital library management from document ingestion through classification, indexing, and curation to dissemination. Invenio complies with standards such as the ​Open Archives Initiative metadata harvesting protocol (OAI-PMH) and uses ​MARC 21 as its underlying bibliographic format. The flexibility and performance of Invenio make it a comprehensive solution for management of document repositories of moderate to large sizes (several millions of records).

HTTPS Everywhere — extension for the Firefox, Chrome, and Safari web browsers that enforces the use of HTTPS when using web sites that support it.  For example, if a patron uses a library computer to access their bank, HTTPS Everywhere can reduce the chance that another user could sniff that patron’s password.

GIMP– Gimp is a powerful image editing software and is a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

INKSCAPE – Inkscape is a free multiplatform vector drawing software and is widely used by graphic designers for custom logo designs or vector drawings. Inkscape is a free alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

XMIND – With Xmind you can create your own flow charts, and organization charts. Useful for your everyday meetings.

OpenOffice – OpenOffice is a free alternative to Microsoft Office suite. The powerful all-in-one  software enables you to create and edit your documents.

LibreOffice – LibreOffice is a productivity suite for Windows, Macintosh and GNU/Linux. It is a free alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite providing document production and data processing.

You can find more resources, technology and otherwise @ Concierge Librarian