Baltimore Region Institutional Studies Center Records
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Scope and Contents
The collection includes administrative records of BRISC documenting the organization's work between 1973 and 1984. The collection describes BRISC's grant projects, oral history projects, the work of Adele M. Newberger, committee work, fellowships, and more. Materials are mainly textual and include grant applications, correspondence, planning reports, subject files, oral history transcripts, materials from the director's office, and published material.
Dates
- Creation: 1972-1987
Creator
- Baltimore Region Institutional Studies Center (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
To the extent that they own copyright, the donor has assigned the copyright of this collection to the University Foundation. However, copyright for some items in this collection are held by their respective creators.
Historical Note
The Baltimore Region Institution Studies Center (BRISC) was founded at the University of Baltimore in 1973 by urban sociologist, William Theodore Durr. BRISC operated as an experimental archives and records management repository with an emphasis on city planning. By 1976, the Center had acquired records of many of the city's foremost institutions, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Citizen's Planning & Housing Association and twenty others.
From 1977 to 1980 under the auspices of BRISC, partnering with city agencies and community groups, the Baltimore Neighborhood Heritage Project conducted oral history interviews with residents of seven city neighborhoods and workers at the Port of Baltimore. The oral history project led to a theater production in cooperation with the Baltimore Theater Project, Baltimore Voices, which was presented in about three dozen venues throughout the city. It also led to a book, Baltimore People, Baltimore Places.
When federal grant programs had their budgets slashed in the 1980s, BRISC's operations ceased. The BRISC archives were transferred to Langsdale Library and managed by Adele Newburger. Today, the archival collections acquired and maintained by BRISC are part of the Baltimore Regional Studies Archives in Langsdale Library Special Collections.
Extent
9.17 Linear Feet (12 containers)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Collection is organized into four series:
- Overview and Organizational History, 1974-1988
- Office Files, 1973-1981
- Grant Proposals, 1976-1980
- Newburger Accession, 1972-1987
Custodial History
The BRISC records were created and maintained by the Baltimore Region Institutional Studies Center at the University of Baltimore until BRISC ceased operation in the 1980s, and the records were added to the University Archives. In 2012, the University Archivist transferred 7.75 linear feet of BRISC records to the Baltimore Regional Studies Archives within Special Collections.
An accession of 1 linear foot of BRISC oral history transcripts and published material was transferred by William Theodore Durr on August 28, 2013 and donated July 14, 2015.
An accession of 3 linear feet of Adele M. Newberger BRISC records was transfererd by Joan Newberger on February 7, 2014.
Processing Information
Collection was inventoried by Aiden Faust in 2015. Series 4 inventoried by Thomas Dettling in 2024.
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Finding aid for the Baltimore Region Institutional Studies Center Records
- Author
- Finding aid was prepared by Aiden Faust (2015). Revised by Laura Bell and Aiden Faust (2022). Revised by Thomas Dettling (2024).
- Date
- 2015
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Baltimore Studies Archives Repository
H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons, Room 104
1415 Maryland Avenue
Baltimore Maryland 21201 USA
410-837-4253
specialcollections@ubalt.edu