My exciting project - suggestions, anyone?

[Calgary88]

Hello all,

I'm in my first course of graduate school to earn my master's in Library Science. For my final project I have to pick a topic and organize a collection with proper indexing and so forth. So, of course, I picked figure skating! My fantasy situation is this: I've been asked to acquire and organize pieces of information pertaining to "American Figure Skaters in the Olympics" for a new museum. So far I've thought of acquiring:

books
video footage (or 8mm film, etc.)
skates
costumes
photographs
musical recordings of the skaters' music

Any other suggestions? I'm still working on how to organize it and what subject headings to use. I'll let you know how it turns out!

[Skatewind]

Written programs & news articles
Correspondence

[ClevelandDancer]

You might be able to get medals. It's a fantasy, so the odds are more likely ;)

[blondeangl]

if its for a fantasy new muesum pretending to get their dresses would be cool :D

[skaternum]

Magazines, especially the USFSA's Skating.
Audio tapes (interviews, broadcasts, etc.) for the pre-video era
Press releases
Transcripts of discussions, etc. from bulletin boards, chat rooms, newsgroups for the internet era

[Roseline]

What about a framed display of newspapers? You could do the cover of the sports section from papers around the world on the day following the crowing of the new Olympic champion. It'd be neat to see all of the different languages headlines are written in with similar pictures of Tara or Sarah with her gold medal.

[Aussie Willy]

OMG - years ago I studied to be a librarian too! Had to do similar types of projects back then. No longer working in libraries though so not sure if I would be of much help now.

However a collection of programs, pins, uniforms and other Olympic memorabilia (not just skating related) would be a useful addition to this type of museum.

Other suggestions:

Cereal boxes or products with skaters gracing the covers to show the impact of Olympic success
Audio or video interviews with skaters who competed at the Olympics (like an aural history - particularly with skaters who competed many years ago)
An archive or database of all newspaper articles that were published - your aim would be to become a central reference point for anyone who wanted to do research later on
You would have a display area which every month would focus on an either a skater or an aspect of skating at the Olympics
Not just collect costumes but see if skaters would donate old boots and other trinkets. Some may lend them things on permanent loan or you could borrow them for a temporary display.
You could do an archive about shows like SOI or COI where many Olympics skaters go to when they have retired from eligible competition
Judges scoresheets
Of course a section about Olympic scandals

[Calgary88]

Oh, these are all terrific ideas and I will definitely incorporate some of them into my collection. Thank you so much, guys!

[icenut84]

You could also get a framed picture (professional ones) of every American Olympian (figure skater), taken at the time (for those skaters who have competed more than once, the pictures would also show the change in them over time). That could be nice to have a visual thing, so you can see what each skater who competed at the Olympics looked/looks like.

Or the bootlaces they used to skate with (Tonya Harding's would be particularly interesting, lol), or what they used in their hair, or something like that

[kayskate]

A history of program content would be interesting. This could chronical the changes in difficulty of FS programs over the years. You might also include info about school figures including patterns, rules, sample videos, etc. Lists of competitors would be interesting as well. You might also do a costume display showing the development of costumes before synthetic fibers and into the spandex age. Additionally, costumes have changed from conservative to very theatrical and risque over the years. Similarly, a display of state-of-the-art boots would be interesting. They have developed from thin and flimsy into these very constructed things. All of these factors could be tied together on a time line showing the evolution of the sport.

Kay

[Aussie Willy]

Originally posted by icenut84
Or the bootlaces they used to skate with (Tonya Harding's would be particularly interesting, lol), or what they used in their hair, or something like that

Oh definately Tonya's bootlaces from the Olympics! :lol:

Another suggestion would be a collection of old skates and blades which show the evolution of the equipment used in skating over the years. Particularly those ones you tie on your feet. The way to collect these (just a suggestion though seeing it is a fantasy museum) is to approach skate makers who have been in the business for years, or approach skaters who have been at the rink for years. We have one old guy who is constantly bring down old tie on skates which a couple of people are game to try.

Also maybe cut a boot in half to show what it is made off or get some information from skating boot companies showing the process of how they make boots or blades.

[Poohsk8s2]

I think in addition to the costumes, it would be interesting to know the music and how it pertained to the total program (ie; sequence of jumps, attire, and pertinence to the era)

[DORISPULASKI]

Borrow stuff from the World Skating Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs.
(They have all kinds of stuff-Pasha's costume, Kristi's Malaguena costume, videotapes, etc. In fantasy you could borrow all of them. At one point they had a travelling costume collection that went to various cities. Maybe claim to get that.

The daily papers from the location of the competition. The coverage there is always much more extensive than anywhere elese. Get every day of the time frame!

dpp