Document Type

Presentation

Conference or Venue

Elsevier Impact Conference, 2026

Publication Date

4-16-2026

Abstract

In this presentation, Madison Price and Sara DeCaro of Pittsburg State University will cover their unique projects created with Digital Commons Exhibits, what inspired them, and how they incorporated student employees into their workflow. Pittsburg State’s location in southeast Kansas has been home to historically significant institutions like the Haldeman-Julius Publishing Company, an internationally-known leftist press, and artists such as Gordon Parks and Eva Jessye.

PSU’s collection of 2,000 Haldeman-Julius printing plates presented a quandary for Special Collections, until one student’s interest in them prompted this question: could the plates still be used? The result was multiple collaborations across PSU’s campus, experiments in printing, and innovative content for PSU’s instance of DCX.

The annual lecture series hosted by PSU’s Special Collections has also been the basis for original DCX content. Online exhibits made to accompany the lectures have provided more opportunities for promoting archival collections, shed new light on local history, and given student workers a place to apply skills learned in their degree programs to archival work.

Showcasing this history through DCX allows for a more visual, interactive experience with the materials. This is further elevated by the student workers’ talents and interests, such as graphic design and traditional printing. These efforts have breathed new life into underutilized archival collections, resulting in enhanced conservation of physical items and improved engagement and access for patrons everywhere.

The audience should leave the presentation with ideas how to visualize or otherwise re-present their collections in an engaging manner, ideas on what exhibits they can create, and what talents their current and future student employees can bring to the table.

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