The online presentation of Quilts and Quiltmaking in America was organized and developed for the National Digital Library Program by Digital Conversion Specialist Christa Maher and Digital Projects Coordinator for the American Folklife Center Thomas Bramel.
Laurel Horton served as a consultant. She selected the items from the Blue Ridge Parkway Folklife Project for inclusion in this collection, performed scholarly research, wrote the collection's interpretive essays, transcribed interviews, and provided descriptive terms.
The research that underlies this online collection resulted from the Blue Ridge Parkway Folklife Project carried out by the American Folklife Center in 1978-1982. The project itself is explained more fully in About the Collection. The materials selected for this presentation rely heavily on the fieldwork of Geraldine N. Johnson and Terry and Lyntha Eiler.
This collection includes materials from the "All-American Quilt Contest" sponsored by Coming Home, a division of Lands' End, and Good Housekeeping. The quilt contest winning entries from 1992 to 1996 are displayed in American Memory with the permission of Coming Home which retains its rights.
The American Folklife Center staff was involved in every stage of production of the online presentation. Theadocia Austen and Stephanie Hall proposed the concept for the site. Theadocia Austen was the liaison between the American Folklife Center and Coming Home, the Bed and Bath Division of Lands' End Direct Merchants. She administered the consulting contract with Laurel Horton and coordinated the drafting and mailing of the informational surveys sent to the winners of the Lands' End All-American Quilt Contest. Archivist Nora Yeh coordinated the efforts of Center staff, the organization of collection materials, and the archival processing of the Lands' End All-American Quilt Contest Collection. Carol Moran shared her experience as a quiltmaker and provided in-depth knowledge of the complete Lands' End All-American Quilt Contest Collection. Alan A. Jabbour and James B. Hardin shared their folklife and editorial expertise to help shape the content and structure of the site. Cynthia Zujko Miller assisted with audio dubbing. Michelle Forner located quilt materials within the Blue Ridge Parkway Folklife Project Collection.
Mary Ambrosio of Information Technology Services (ITS) programmed the indexing and display of the documents.
This project would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the staff of the National Digital Library Program. Melissa Smith Levine evaluated rights issues and permissions requirements. Andrea Greenwood designed the graphic layout and coded the HTML web pages. Christa Maher built and maintained the database, made the original reel-to-digital audio tape transfers, created the digital audio files, and assisted with coding the HTML web pages. Jurretta Jordan Heckscher and Emily Lind Baker assisted in the editorial process. Danna Bell-Russell wrote the press release and coordinated its distribution.
Phil Michel of the Library's Prints and Photographs Division advised and assisted in the preparation of the still photographs for digitization.
JJT, Inc. scanned the color slides, prints, transparencies and black-and-white photographs.
Carl Fleischhauer shared his expertise in many areas of the digitizing process.