Preserving history is important to Meredith Evans. Future generations will learn about the University and the greater Charlotte region through her efforts.
As associate University librarian for Special Collections in the Atkins Library, Evans is responsible for three units – the Digital Scholarship Lab, Digital Programs and Special Collections, which includes University Archives.
“I manage people and relationships,” said Evans. “I do a lot of development work in relation to obtaining new collections for scholarly work. I am responsible for creating programs to support and preserve digital collections, too. From the physical print to audio to video to digital, it all falls within my areas. We develop and preserve research collections, regardless of format. Everything we have is one-of-a-kind – most of the time.”
From its start as a rare book collection, Special Collections now contains historic artifacts, artwork and the private papers of Charlotte citizens, as well as those of the city’s mayors.
“We also have a number of bibles. If you study them, you can get an idea of the history of printing by examining the bindings, the typeface used and other printing elements through the years,” Evans stated. “One of our goals is to document the history of Charlotte. We have some family papers and quite a few documents related to historic neighborhoods and life in Charlotte primarily from the 1940s to the present.”
Since joining UNC Charlotte in August 2012, Evans has reached out to local organizations to expand the library’s collections. She works closely with the Levine Museum, Charlotte History Roundtable and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
“I believe in a living archive, so it’s wonderful to have individuals donate collections while they are alive and can speak to them,” explained Evans. “We’re in discussion with a number of community organizations. We’re talking with members of the LGBTQ community and funeral homes and other business and other underrepresented communities with the goal of having an objective view of Charlotte through the years.”
A native of Manhattan, Evans is a self-proclaimed “city girl;” however, she has spent more than 20 years in the South. She completed a master’s in public history from N.C. State University and a doctorate from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her Master of Library Science is from Clark Atlanta University.
“I’ve always loved history, and I knew I wanted to be involved in it in some way,” Evans stated. “I deviated for a few years in the restaurant world, but I went back. I realized I could merge my management experience with history, so I became an archivist – where you get to create history because you are collecting the documents. As the profession has grown, I get to explore technology, too, which is a win-win. My goal is to make sure we have history for our children and grandchildren.”
Away from the University, Evans spends time exploring Charlotte. She and her son Evan, who turns 4 years old this fall, enjoy the city’s green spaces and the region’s many festivals and the cultural aspect of the Queen City.