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Marcella Lees, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s inaugural visiting digital archivist, is bidding farewell after a year and a half of meaningful contributions to Lovejoy Library. As she prepares for her next chapter at the Art Institute of Chicago, Lees reflected warmly on the connections she has made and the legacy she leaves behind.

“SIUE brings in some of the most dedicated, hardworking, and inquisitive students I’ve ever met,” said Lees. “It’s been a joy to assist them as they pursue their goals. Everyone has been so supportive and fantastic to work with, and I’ve loved the collaborative environment across campus.”

Among her most memorable experiences was co-teaching HIST309: Archival Processing with Jason Stacy, PhD, distinguished research professor of history. The course offered undergraduates a rare opportunity to gain hands-on archival experience and contributed significantly to the archives by allowing students to process a large, historically significant collection.

“Archival processing is not something normally taught to undergraduate students,” Lees said. “Having the opportunity to help many of them work toward careers in archives or libraries was very meaningful.”

Lees also highlighted her partnership with the Cahokia Public Library, where she supervised a history intern who indexed and processed archival documents and began digitizing the town’s historic newspaper. In collaboration with Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow Jacqueline Shea, PhD, she also helped facilitate oral history interviews conducted by Community-Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars (CODES).

Since assuming archives coverage in August 2024 following the retirement of longtime University Archivist Steve Kerber, Lees has conducted a full inventory of the University’s archival collections and expanded archival literacy instruction by collaborating with faculty in history, honors, English, and CODES.

As SIUE’s first digital archivist, Lees concentrated on building sustainable systems for long-term preservation.

“Much of my work has been setting up the infrastructure, documentation, and workflows needed for a robust digital archives program that can outlast me,” she said. “I’ve been immensely grateful for the trust and support of my Lovejoy colleagues and especially Dean Marlee Graser.”

Lees expressed hope that the systems she developed will serve as a strong foundation for those who follow, calling the experience “enormously fulfilling.”

One of her favorite memories at SIUE was working with alumnus Al Johnson to digitize historic documents related to his family’s land— an interaction captured in a photo by Director of Communications Nicole Franklin.

PHOTO: Eric Ruckh, Al Johnson, Marlee Graser, Marcella Lees