In a significant stride towards preserving local Ukrainian cultural heritage and promoting accessibility to historical records, the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation (RBSCP) at the University of Rochester Libraries has completed the digitization of all early ledgers and manuscripts and all the audiovisual materials from the Ukrainian Rochester Collection. This milestone marks a pivotal moment in ensuring that the rich tapestry of Ukrainian-American history in Rochester starting in the early 1900’s remains not only intact but also readily accessible to scholars, researchers, and the broader community.

The Ukrainian Rochester Collection stands as the most extensive repository of primary and secondary source materials in Western New York, chronicling the vibrant Ukrainian American Community in Rochester and Monroe County. This invaluable collection was meticulously assembled by Wolodymyr (Mirko) Pylyshenko.

Under the leadership of Miranda Mims, Joseph N. Lambert and Harold B. Schleifer Director, RBSCP has taken a crucial step forward in its mission to ensure this material is globally accessible. The digitization process opens avenues for exploration and engagement, allowing individuals from around the world to delve into the stories, struggles, and triumphs of the Ukrainian-American community in Rochester. Whether tracing familial roots, conducting academic research, or simply seeking to better understand diaspora communities as they represent a vital aspect of global society, embodying the complexities of migration, cultural preservation, and transnational identity, the digitized archive serves as an invaluable resource.

But accessibility doesn’t end with digitization—it’s just the beginning. The next phase involves organizing these digital artifacts within a preservation and access database, to enhance the user experience. This thoughtful curation ensures that the wealth of knowledge contained within the Ukrainian Rochester Collection is not only preserved but also presented in a manner conducive to exploration and discovery.

Beyond digitization, RBSCP is actively engaged in educational outreach initiatives to foster greater awareness and appreciation of Ukrainian-American history. Collaborating with the Warner School of Education, curator Autumn Haag and post-doc Rebecca Rosen are spearheading efforts to integrate the Ukrainian Rochester Collection into local school curricula. Their partnership signifies a commitment to bridging the gap between academia and community, ensuring that this rich history is not confined to archival shelves but becomes a living, breathing part of educational discourse.

Through collaborative efforts with high school social studies teachers in the Webster Central School District, Haag and Rosen are developing a lesson plan tailored to leverage the resources of the Ukrainian Rochester Collection. By centering on documents related to Helene Sterniuk, a Ukrainian woman who immigrated to Rochester via Vienna and the UK, this lesson plan offers students a glimpse into the lived experiences of Ukrainian-Americans in Rochester, cultivating empathy, understanding, and critical thinking skills.

As the lesson plan is refined and implemented, Haag, Rosin, and the participating teachers will closely monitor student engagement and outcomes. This iterative process of observation, assessment, and refinement ensures that educational initiatives are responsive to the needs and interests of students, maximizing the impact of the Ukrainian Rochester Collection as an educational resource.

The success of this model holds promise for future endeavors, inspiring RBSCP to continue expanding its outreach efforts and forging meaningful connections between archival collections and educational communities. By empowering educators and students to explore, interrogate, and contextualize historical narratives, RBSCP is not only preserving the past but also shaping the future, one lesson plan at a time.

Stewarded by RBSCP, the Ukrainian Rochester Collection stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Ukrainian-Americans in Rochester. Through digitization, educational outreach, and collaborative partnerships, this collection ensures that the stories endure, inspiring generations to come with their resilience, courage, and community building.

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Guest article by Miranda Mims

Joseph N. Lambert and Harold B. Schleifer Director of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation

Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation

University of Rochester Libraries