The Hidden History of Modern Language: Revitalizing the Archives of the Modern Language Association

FAIN: PW-259079-18

MLA (New York, NY 10004-2434)
Barbara Chen (Project Director: July 2017 to June 2019)

The arrangement and description of 42 linear feet of organizational records of the Modern Language Association dating from 1896 to 2010.  These archival materials would also be rehoused and a collection finding aid produced.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) seeks National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Humanities Collections and Reference Resources grant support for a project titled The Hidden History of Modern Language: Revitalizing the Archives of the Modern Language Association. The MLA aims to process, preserve, and catalog materials in its core archival collection, called the General Chronological Series (GCS), 1896–2010. Cataloging will result in both a searchable database and a classic finding aid hosted on the MLA archives Web site. This project will transform a hard-to-access and little-known repository of historical documents into a widely accessible, twenty-first-century digital archives and rich educational resource and will result in the creation of what may be the first publicly accessible archives on the study of modern languages in America as a unified subject.

Associated Products

MLA archives catalog (Catalog)
Title: MLA archives catalog
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: The MLA archives catalog is a digital catalog inventorying its collection. Currently, the catalog consists of one records group, MLA Records, the largest group in the archives. It holds paper records generated by the Modern Language Association (MLA), 1896–present. Records primarily include correspondence, memoranda, and similar documents related to administration of the association. Some personal correspondence between executive directors, presidents, staff, and members is included. Early association history is missing from the collection. This is likely due to the association’s lack of an official headquarters until 1928. The focus of this cataloging project is the General Chronological Collection (GCC), which was one of the largest collections in the archives and remains the most topically diverse. As of 29 January all cataloged materials were once stored in the GCC. Those that were misfiled in the collection, due to previous labeling as “miscellaneous,” mislabeling, misfiling, or lack of a label were pulled from the GCC and arranged in their proper collection.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: http://mlaarchives.libraryhost.com/
Primary URL Description: Direct link to catalog.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that contains the link to the catalog, as well as the finding aids.
Catalog Type: Other
Publisher: Modern Language Association / ArchivesSpace / LibraryHost

MLA Records finding aid (Web Resource)
Title: MLA Records finding aid
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the MLA Records. For ease of navigation, the record group and collections have been broken into individual finding aids. All collection finding aids related to this project are arranged within this record group.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100734/2288701/MLA-Records-Group.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page hosting the finding aids.

Office of the Executive Director Collection finding aid (Web Resource)
Title: Office of the Executive Director Collection finding aid
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the Office of the Executive Director Collection. Contains the Assistant / Associate Secretary Series, Executive Director Series, and President Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100735/2288710/Office-of-the-Executive-Director-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the OEDC finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

Administration and Finance Collection (Web Resource)
Title: Administration and Finance Collection
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the Administration and Finance Collection. This collection contains the Administration Series, Finance Series, and Grant Funding Agencies Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100736/2288719/Administration-and-Finance-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the Administration and Finance Collection finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

General Chronological Collection finding aid (Web Resource)
Title: General Chronological Collection finding aid
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the General Chronological Collection. Contains the History of the Archives Series, Headquarters History Series, Government Acts Series, Scholars Essays Series, General Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100737/2288728/General-Chronological-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the GCC finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

Outreach Collection finding aid (Web Resource)
Title: Outreach Collection finding aid
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the Outreach Collection. Contains the Annual Convention Series, Award Series, Marketing and Sales Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100738/2288737/Outreach-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the OC finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

Committees, Commissions, and Organizations Collection finding aid (Web Resource)
Title: Committees, Commissions, and Organizations Collection finding aid
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the Committees, Commissions, and Organizations Collection. Contains the MLA Committees, Commissions and Other Entities Series; Regional MLAs Series; Allied Organizations Series; Organizations of which the MLA is a Member Series; Other Committees and Organizations Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100739/2288746/Committees-Commissions-and-Organizations-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the CCOC finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

Programs and Research Collection (Web Resource)
Title: Programs and Research Collection
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the Programs and Research Collection. Includes the English and Foreign Language Series, English Series, and Foreign Language Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100742/2288769/Programs-and-Research-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the PRC finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

Scholarly Communications Collection finding aid (Web Resource)
Title: Scholarly Communications Collection finding aid
Author: Liza Young
Abstract: Finding aid for the Scholarly Communications Collection. Contains the Committee on Scholarly Editions Series, Publications Series, and MLA Style Series.
Year: 2018
Primary URL: https://www.mla.org/content/download/100743/2288778/Scholarly-Communications-Collection.pdf
Primary URL Description: Direct link to the SCC finding aid.
Secondary URL: https://www.mla.org/About-Us/About-the-MLA/MLA-Archives/Explore-the-Archives
Secondary URL Description: Link to the MLA archives Web page that hosts the finding aid.

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