Special Collections Mini-Conference
Join SLRC staff to engage with topics including archival collections, preservation work, copyright, and digital initiatives.
May 20, 2026
Central Library
400 Cathedral St
Baltimore, MD 21201
Schedule
Wednesday, May 20th, 2026
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Breakfast & Welcome, 2nd Floor, Creative Arts Center
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: 1A: From Chaos to Collection - The Dr. Hiltgunt Marget Zassenhaus Collection
Natalie DeMuro, Librarian II/Archivist, Special Collections Department
Dr. Hiltgunt Margaret Zassenhaus, MD (1916-2004) was a German born philologist and doctor best known for her work aiding Scandinavian political prisoners in Germany during WWII (19391945). After her death in 2004, her books, papers, awards, and other materials were donated to the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and in 2025, the finding aid for her collection went live on EPFL's page. Using the Zassenhaus collection as an example, this session will provide an overview on how to process historically valuable materials into accessible special collections. Learn about Zassenhaus and her work, and see her materials go from “boxes of stuff” to a discoverable collection with a finding aid and digital collection.
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: 1B: From Vault to Visibility: Collaborative Digitization of Special Collections at Digital Maryland
Kim Steinle-Super, Digital Imaging and Metadata Librarian, Digital Resources Department
Megan Kean, Digital Projects Manager, Digital Resources Department
Special collections materials hold distinctive local and cultural histories but are often difficult for researchers to discover and access. This session will explore collaborative digitization efforts between digital initiatives staff and curatorial departments, focusing on strategies for selecting materials, establishing scanning workflows, creating effective metadata, and navigating rights and access considerations. Presenters will also discuss expanding discovery through shared systems such as OCLC WorldCat and the Digital Public Library of America. Attendees will gain practical insights into building sustainable partnerships and increasing the visibility of unique archival collections.
11:00 AM - 12:35 PM: Building Tour
Tour Group A
- 11:00 - 11:20: Stop 1 - Maryland Department
- 11:25-11:45: Stop 2 - African American Department
- 11:50 -12:10: Stop 3 - DeWayne Wickham Room
- 12:15 -12:35: Stop 4 - Special Collections Department
Tour Group B
- 11:00 - 11:20: Stop 1 -African American Department
- 11:25-11:45: Stop 2 - Maryland Department
- 11:50 -12:10: Stop 3 - Special Collections Department
- 12:15 -12:35: Stop 4 - DeWayne Wickham Room
12:35 PM - 1:45 PM: Lunch & Topic Discussion 2nd Floor, Creative Arts Center
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: Session Three (Topic Wrap-Up Panel Discussion)
Moderator: Liz Sundermann-Zinger, Executive Director of External Affairs & the Central Library
Panelists: Caprice Di Liello, Manager, Maryland Department; Eben Dennis, Manager, Special Collections Department; Kanaan Lewis, Librarian II, African American Department; & Tracy Thompson, Manager, Digital Resources Department
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: 4A: Preserving Memory and Community: Exploring Digital Maryland’s African American Funeral Programs Collection
Kaanan Lewis, Librarian II, African American Department
Tracy Thompson, Manager, Digital Resources Department
This presentation explores Digital Maryland’s African American Funeral Programs Collection, a collaborative community archive developed in partnership with the African American Department. Funeral programs serve as powerful historical documents that preserve personal narratives, cultural traditions, and community networks often underrepresented in official records. Presenters will discuss the history of the project, community-based collecting efforts with churches and funeral homes, digitization and access strategies, and the growing role of crowdsourced transcription in enhancing discoverability and public engagement. The session highlights how partnerships between cultural heritage institutions and academic departments can support the preservation of African American history while fostering respectful stewardship of sensitive materials.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: 4B: Copyright, Fair Use and Ethics in Special Collections
Eben Dennis, Manager, Special Collections Department
Working with special collections often raises complex copyright questions. Using case studies from the Enoch Pratt Free Library, this session explores access and use challenges involving orphaned works and third-party materials in collections and provides guidance on ethical practices that promote their responsible use. The program will also cover aspects of copyright law, such as fair use and the public domain, that balance public access to knowledge with copyright protection. Additionally, it will discuss how a simple Deed of Gift can address copyright concerns at the time of donation, helping to simplify the management of collections.
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Session Five: End-of-Day Tours (Optional)
5A: Memory Lab
The Memory Lab is a community-accessible digitization studio dedicated to preserving personal and organizational histories. Members of the public may book appointments to use professional-grade equipment at no cost, with guidance available from trained staff. Customers can contact bnn@prattlibrary.org to make an appointment.
5B: Digital Maryland
Digital Maryland is a collaborative digital cultural heritage program of the Enoch Pratt Free Library that preserves and provides online access to historical collections from libraries, archives, museums, and community partners across the state. Our digitization lab supports this work through high-quality scanning, metadata creation, and digital preservation services that transform unique physical materials into accessible online resources for research, education, and public discovery. Customers who want to partner with us or have questions about our program can contact DigitalMaryland@prattlibrary.org.
5C: Bindery
The Bindery is operated by staff who preserve rare and relevant materials. The Bindery staff fulfill the preservation request from the SLRC Public Services Department. To learn more about the Bindery, please contact the Special Collections Department at spc@prattlibrary.org.