On July 11, the Heritage and Research Center (HARC) at Saint Mary’s announced Barbara Gordon as their first executive director. HARC’s historical record collections highlight the history of nine different women’s religious organizations, including the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
Gordon has had more than a decade of experience in managing district libraries, most recently at Buchanan District Library and Cass District Library in Michigan. In these roles, she has promoted electronic accessibility and organized stable financial operations.
Her educational background includes a Master of Library Science with a specialization in rare books and manuscripts from the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology and Bachelor of Arts in fine arts in drawing and painting from Loyola University Chicago.
In her new role, she will oversee the operations of the Center’s facility, including the Center’s hiring process. She will also create partnerships with the local community and region. She will also be relocating historical materials from affiliated congregations in the Midwest to the institution.
In the press release, Gordon shared her excitement in working with the institution in order to “help preserve and share those stories in ways that keep these legacies alive, not only to inspire and inform the public, but also to support meaningful scholarly work. Making these collections accessible is key to understanding sisters’ contributions and the communities they’ve shaped.”
Monte Abbott, HARC board president and director of archives for the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, shared in the press release that the board is excited to have Gordon due to her level of experience.
“We are excited to bring Barbara on board. Her previous leadership experiences will be key to building HARC from a small grassroots initiative to a professionally managed history organization,” Abbott said.
On July 26, a groundbreaking ceremony was held celebrating the 12,000 square feet facility that will contain the archives of women congregations throughout the region and celebrate their impact in their communities. A timeline is provided on the official website of the construction with photos and videos of the progress being made.
The facility is slated to open this fall.
