Jottings

On April 16 th the DAAL proudly debuted The Danish Pioneer Connecting an Immigrant Community, an exhibit that was funded by the Nebraska Humanities Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The DAAL partnered with the current owners of The Danish Pioneer, as well as with the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa, for historical content and development of the exhibit.

What do we have in the Archive, and how can we make it more accessible? While last year was spent organizing our physical location, we want to spend this year working on internal operations and outreach.

What a difference a year can make! Last year during our Fall Volunteer Week we were surrounded by empty space. A few tables were set up and some people were even working on the floor. Since then we have had major changes in facilities, business and personnel.

Dr. John W. Nielsen’s resignation as the Archive’s Executive Director marks a turning point in the history of the Danish American Archive and Library. He will continue as Director Emeritus and will have the same desk in the same office as before, so despite his altered role, there will be continuity.

The headline that until last week The Danish American Archive and Library could only savor in hope and anticipation is a reality; DAAL has finally been granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

The Danish American Archive and Library closed 2010 having successfully met the first of three significant challenges, that of moving its vast store of materials and finding a new location for its operation. Two more, however, must be faced.

With the release of Gustaf Munch-Petersen: Selected Poems in June, Lur Publications launches a new publishing venture in which it will introduce American readers to significant works that have appeared in Denmark. This work of Danish poetry has been translated by Brian Young of Port Townsend, Washington.

In keeping with The Danish American Archive and Library’s goal to keep abreast of activities in the Danish American community in the United States, Associate Director Jill Hennick and her husband Michael will be attending the Farstrup-Mortensen Lectures in Solvang, February 26-28.

The ranks of DAAL volunteers were increased this October when seven new workers appeared. They were Pam Crowell and Diane Jordan, Elsie Moreau’s daughters from Maine; Julie Johnson, Dody Johnson’s daughter; from Ohio; Audrey Hanson from Idaho; Larry Plume, Palma Plume’s husband, from Colorado, and Jens and Eileen Simonsen from Nebraska.

At its July meeting the board of The Danish American Archive and Library promoted Jill Hennick from Archive Assistant to Associate Director and elected Dr. Timothy Jensen as Chairman of the Board. These two actions will offer additional relief to the Director with Tim being responsible for most DAAL external administrative relationships and Jill assuming even greater responsibility for internal operations.

Two three-year spots will be filled at the annual meeting of The Danish American Archive and Library during the Volunteer Week in October. Board members must attempt to be present at both the April and October archive weeks at their own expense.

DAAL Volunteers will assemble from many states in The Archive facilities during the days of April 20th through the 24th. Some will come for a single day, others for the entire week, but whether they come for a short stay or for five days, they will engage in the process of accessioning and preserving archival material.

Jill Jorgensen Hennick became an assistant to Archive director John W. Nielsen on September 29th. Jill is a 1986 Dana graduate who comes to The Archive with wide business experience and the highest recommendations.

You can only imagine our pleasure at the initial response to Pete Petersen’s suggestion in the May Jottings, as reported by Sandra Wigdahl, that if 52 donors gave $150 each, The Archive would have enough funds to hire a part-time assistant.

AND IT IS SPRING! The crocus and bloodroot have already bloomed in our woodland garden as have the daffodils and tulips. Their places have been taken by Virginia bluebells and Siberian squills, by violets and bleeding hearts and delicate pasque flowers. The cherry and apricot have yielded to redbud and flowering crab and almond.

The spring volunteer week will be April 21-25. We look forward to seeing many of you even though we know it entails considerable expense on your part in terms of travel, lodging and meals. Already we have an invitation to Julie and Charlie Rohlfing’s.

The last Jottings alerted you to the fact that changes are afoot. Since then we have changed our name from The Danish Immigrant Archive to The Danish American Archive and Library. This new name more accurately reflects our mission and holdings.