Alyssa Pacy, CPL Archivist Featured by Simmons University

Systemic Racial Bias in Archives: An Interview

CPL’s Archivist Alyssa Pacy was recently invited by artist and activist Lori Lander to discuss race in Cambridge during Lander’s breakfast gatherings- weekly conversations on pressing local and national issues. Alyssa discusses racial bias in archives in general and the work she is doing at the CPL to remedy it by highlighting recently donated collections from Cambridge’s African American Community. See footage of her discussion with public historian Diana Lempel here!

Advertisement

A Conversation with Alyssa Pacy, CPL Archivist

The Cambridge Public Library Foundation recently interviewed Alyssa Pacy, Cambridge Public Library Archivist, as part of their series on Cambridge Public Library staff.

It’s no secret: we love the Cambridge Public Library staff! From circulation to admin, facilities to youth services – the enthusiasm, warmth, and dedication of Library workers makes Cambridge an amazing place to live and be.

While we look forward to life returning to normal, we’d like to share a series of conversations with Library staff members virtually conducted by the Foundation. We hope that reading about their work brightens your day, and reminds you that no matter what goes on the world, the Cambridge Public Library continues to support our community.Alyssa Pacy, Archivist, Cambridge Public Library.

What do you do at the Library?
I am the archivist at the Cambridge Public Library, and, to make it very simple, I collect, preserve, describe and make available records of enduring value that document the history of Cambridge.

Read the full interview here.

Walking Tour Today: Historical Highlights of Harvard Yard

The earliest known view of Harvard showing its first complete quadrangle, by William Burgess, 1726, courtesy of Building Old Cambridge by Susan E. Maycock and Charles M. Sullivan, MIT Press, 2016, p. 757.

Join Cambridge Public Library’s Archivist Alyssa Pacy for a lunchtime tour of Harvard Yard.  We will meet inside Johnston Gate at 12 today for a 45 minute walk.  (Alyssa will be carrying a red folder so you can identify her.)

This tour is part of the City of Cambridge’s Walking Series.

Walking Tour This Thursday: Historical Highlights of Harvard Yard

The earliest known view of Harvard showing its first complete quadrangle, by William Burgess, 1726, courtesy of Building Old Cambridge by Susan E. Maycock and Charles M. Sullivan, MIT Press, 2016, p. 757.

Join Cambridge Public Library’s Archivist Alyssa Pacy for a lunchtime tour of Harvard Yard.  We will meet inside Johnston Gate at 12 on Thursday July 20 for a 45 minute walk.  (Alyssa will be carrying a red folder so you can identify her.)

This tour is part of the City of Cambridge’s Walking Series.

Short Films on Cambridge History from CCTV

Traffic Pattern Analysis Report, Cambridge Public Works Department archives, copyright, Siobhan Bredin.

CCTV volunteer, Siobhan Bredin, has been frequenting Cambridge history events and making short interview pieces for the CCTV website.  The first in her series is on this year’s Cambridge Archives Crawl, featuring Gavin Kleespies, Director the Cambridge Historical Society.  The second piece is on the Cambridge Public Library’s East End Christian Union collection, featuring Alyssa Pacy, Archivist for the Cambridge Public Library.  Enjoy!