Current and past projects by Sonya Coleman that engage the public around archives and libraries in creative ways.
Sonya is the primary staff person for this crowdsourced transcription project at the Library of Virginia. From the research and conception stages in 2013-14, to implementing the site, to the ongoing digitization of collections, she has been involved in every aspect. She continues to lead public transcribe-a-thons monthly.
Sonya was an integral part of the strategic planning team for the Library of Virginia's most recent 5 year plan. She coordinated the exchange of user feedback with an outside consultant. She lead the design effort to publish the plan as an attractive booklet and website (EN and ES).
Through ongoing archival outreach work, Sonya has lead the MARAC Virginia Archives Month Committee to design, produce, and distribute a 2021 calendar featuring images from 19 repositories. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Society of American Archivists' Archival Workers Emergency Fund and the Books Behind Bars organization.
Sonya lead the redesign of the Library of Virginia's blog. She focused on updating the Wordpress site, incorporating more types of content from all areas of the Library, and setting up processes and procedures.
Sonya was instrumental in founding this participatory art contest for Virginia Archives Month. Through REMIX, we raised awareness of and engagement with archival resources through archives fairs, pop-up displays at cultural events, and digital outreach.
Sonya was the lead instructor for the Museum Leaders in Training teen class at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in 2017. She instructed teens in using interviews, scholarly research, online data, and other sources to document the life of Richmond African American artist Benjamin Wigfall.
Of course, nothing happens without a great team! Though I have had a leadership role in each of the projects highlighted above, I want to recognize the many wonderful colleagues who have supported and assisted these efforts at the UVA Health Sciences Library, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Library of Virginia. My work with MARAC (Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference) Virginia Caucus has been supported by the efforts of archivists throughout the state. Working as part of a collaborative team is among the most rewarding professional experiences I've had.
The Making History: Transcribe team after presenting at the Digital Archives in the Commonwealth Summit at George Mason University, 2018.