UMass Dartmouth's Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese American Archives welcomes new librarian archivist
DARTMOUTH – Chelsea Fernandes is the new librarian archivist for UMass Dartmouth’s Ferreira Mendes Portuguese American Archives and the Luso-Afro-Brazilian Archives Collections.
Fernandes, who brings an extensive experience in managing digital collections, will be overseeing the digitization efforts of collections within the Archives.
She previously served as a digital services librarian in charge of the institutional repository at Bridgewater State University, where she recreated several online exhibits that were in danger of being lost, according to a UMass Dartmouth press release.
“It is such a pleasure to welcome Chelsea Fernandes to the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives,” Dr. Paula Noversa, faculty director of Ferreira Mendes Portuguese American Archives, told O Jornal. “The librarian archivist is essential to the Archives because they are tasked with curating the collection.”
Dr. Noversa said Fernandes suits the Archives well.
“Given her professional training in Archives Management and experience in document digitization, Chelsea is well prepared for the position at the Archives,” she said. “Chelsea is a charming and enthusiastic person, and I look forward to working with her."
Fernandes holds a master’s degree in Archives Management from Simmons University and is pursuing a second master’s degree at Boston University in the School of Theology.
“She is interested in the transmission of information in the ancient world, when cultures began to shift from oral to written traditions, and how this technology changed religious practices,” according to the UMass Dartmouth press release.
Named for the pioneer Portuguese-language radio and newspaper personality Affonso Gil Mendes Ferreira, the Archives currently house the largest collection of historical material documenting the experience of Portuguese immigrants and their descendants in the United States.
Among its holdings are genealogical records, newspapers, books, recordings, family photographs, scrapbooks, business records and correspondence that document social history, illustrating the collective experience of immigration, settlement and life in the United States.
“The primary goal of the Archives is to preserve and make these rich and growing resources easily accessible to anyone interested in Portuguese-American history and culture,” according to UMass Dartmouth officials. “The Archives and Special Collections staff are working on an initiative to ensure the long-term preservation of its growing collections of digitized and born-digital records using the Preservica platform.”
The Luso-Afro-Brazilian Archives includes collections documenting the region's Cape Verdean and Brazilian American population. The most significant collection is the records of the Brazilian American Cultural Institute.
Fernandes was hired after a long search. She will replace Sonia Pacheco, who held the position from 2009 to 2022 and currently serves as Social Sciences Librarian for The Claire T. Carney Library at UMass Dartmouth.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese American Archives welcomes new librarian archivist
