In March 2017, LBI celebrated the launch of the Edythe Griffinger Art Catalog, a new way to search LBI’s unique art and objects catalog online. LBI News spoke to two staff members who played a key role in developing this unique resource.
Interview with Kerry Elkins, Project Manager
Kerry Elkins.
LBI News: What was your role in the development of the art catalog?
Kerry Elkins: I managed the workflow: What has been digitized? When do new pieces have to be sent for digitization? When are they done in the lab? I kept track of where the respective pieces were in the process—and quite literally where they were in the building. I also researched background information for the items and cataloged them.
Tell us more about that research.
Collecting correct information about the purpose and significance of an unknown item, such as a historical medal—its origin and former owners—is an exciting, but very time-consuming process. It sometimes means going down unexpected rabbit holes and spending a lot of time on websites for numismatists and the like.
How did you arrive at the final version of the art catalog?
Our main goal was to make the website as user-friendly as possible, so we asked users what they thought! In response to user feedback, for example, we dropped the initial distinction between “genre” and “medium,” which confused some users.
Do you have a favorite work of art in the catalog?
One of my favorite pieces is yet to be digitized: a beautiful pastel portrait of woman in a black dress with lace sleeves. The skirt is in a peacock pattern. The details are so crisp that you look at the picture and think you are looking at a real-life mannequin.