The next collection we will explore is our Postcard Collection. Most of this weeks selections were curated by our intern, Sean. 

The Postcard selection is an important one, because it illuminates a few issues related to theatre history research and archiving. For most of the 20th century, the postcard was a popular tourist purchase. Postcards were both a quick way for a traveler to share news of their journey, and a handy way for localities to advertise their attractions. Many of these towns saw their theatres as memorable locations and used their images to promote and memorialize their towns.

Another important issue this collection brings up is one specific to our collection. As can be seen in the second image, earlier workers in the archives choose to put labels directly on the objects themselves, making a direct modification to the collections holdings. This decision is not an obviously poor one, but trained archivists would advise to not place labels directly onto photos, papers or objects. The most advisable action in this case would have been to place the labels onto the outsides of the thin plastic bags in which the postcards are held. 

(credit: American Theatre Architecture Archive, Theatre Historical Society of America)