Holland Society Member and de Halve Maen Editor David Voorhees is also the Director of the Jacob Leisler Institute in Hudson, New York. David has kindly shared the Leisler Institute’s Director’s Report with us, reproduced below for the interest of our Membership.
Jacob Leisler Institute Director’s Report January 2, 2018 Although the holiday season and bitter cold weather impacted the Jacob Leisler Institute as it has most of the rest of the nation, we found ourselves entering 2018 in a stronger position than ever. December began with the Institute open for a public reception between 4:00 and 6:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 2. A number of curious visitors made the event worthwhile, and we plan to hold a similar open house at some point during the Spring, when the weather is better. Throughout the month, volunteer Tina Lesem continued to work on indexing the Institute’s book collection. About three hundred books have been cataloged in the Zotero program thus far. It was determined to follow the Library of Congress [LOC] call numbering system. At the suggestion of consultant Mary Collins, we have decided to follow to LOC recommendations and use a card stock tab, such as a long strip of archival / acid free paper, with the call number written on the top. The strip is taller than the book so the call number is visible when the book is on the shelf. Tina also worked with Trustee and archival preservationist Jeff Rigby on obtaining materials for the preservation of our archival materials. We began purchasing acid free folders, hanging files, and polypropylene sleeves. On December 11, Tina and I drove down to Manhattan to retrieve a load of materials and files that I had in storage in New York City. These materials are now being organized, cataloged, and archived. In mid-December, the Leisler Institute welcomed Gary Laube of Westhampton, New York, as the newest member of its Board of Trustees. Mr. Laube is a direct descendant of Col. John Young, who was one of the chief justices on Jacob Leisler’s 1691 trial. He has a passionate interest in colonial New York and, in particular, Jacob Leisler, and has made important contributions to colonial New York research. Mr. Laube steps into the Trustee position vacated by the retirement of Charles Zabriskie Jr., who remains active with the Institute as Trustee Emeritus, providing us with invaluable advice. At the suggestion of Trustee Jeff Rigby, who provided suggested models, Ruth Piwonka and the Trustees have been working on donor template forms that can be adapted for varying situations and varying types of donations to the Institute. It is also suggested that we also develop a leaflet/brochure for prospective donors that details some of the information for deeds of gift. The Institute continues to work with Andrea Gatzke of SUNY-New Paltz History Department in obtaining student interns. A call for interested students has been placed in the SUNY system. Tomorrow morning, January 3, at 9:15 a.m. Matthew Tombers is interviewing me on his “Morning Show” radio program on WGXC about the Leisler Institute. The date and topic for the introductory lecture of an Institute series in conjunction with the Hudson Area Library is now set. I will start off the lecture series on February 22 with a PowerPoint presentation about the Jacob Leisler Institute: what it is, what it covers, and what type of materials are available in our Library and manuscripts collection. The title for my presentation is: “Libelers, Monsters, and Rebels: The Jacob Leisler Institute and Research into New York’s Neglected English Colonial Period.” The fundraising campaign raised $ 5,270.00 in the month of December. David William Voorhees Director
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