named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Ephemera Resources
Provides educational content and definitions on various types of ephemera including advertising covers, chromolithographs, cigar labels, and historical printing techniques
Online Reference Library
Offers access to categorized examples of ephemera with historical context and external links to related collections and research materials
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Archival Digitization and Preservation 2 activities
- Curating and studying specialized ephemera collectionsCollects, documents, and studies specific categories of ephemera including bitters trade cards and bottles, crate label art, and sheet music from the Ragtime and Jazz Eras (1894–1972), preserving and analyzing their historical and cultural significance.
- Producing and archiving recorded interviews and presentations on ephemeraConducts and preserves interviews with notable collectors, such as Jay T. Last in 2017, and archives scholarly presentations from annual conferences, contributing to the oral and academic history of ephemera studies.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Hosting annual and virtual conferences with academic and collector programmingOrganizes an annual conference, sometimes held virtually, featuring lectures, panel presentations by students and scholars, exhibitions, auctions, and member meetings. Recent themes have included "Conflict/Resolution," "Women Challenging Expectations," and "The Ephemera of Travel," with events approaching their 46th iteration.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosting online exhibits and digital content platformsMaintains multiple virtual exhibits on its website featuring thumbnail grids of paper ephemera with clickable enlarged views, blog articles, and podcast content, such as readings from historical photo-albums, to engage a broad audience.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Organizing member tours and site visits to ephemera collectionsPlans and conducts biannual or annual member trips, including fall excursions, to provide behind-the-scenes access to institutional and private collections of ephemera in rotating locations, enhancing member engagement and educational opportunities.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Publication and distribution of The Ephemera Journal and member communicationsProduces and distributes a 32-page, full-color scholarly journal three times per year, along with an annual printed Membership Directory and a monthly eNews email to members. This includes both print and digital formats and supports member engagement and scholarly exchange.
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Historic Preservation Support Grants 1 activity
- Supporting ephemera research through grants and academic initiativesFunds and supports scholarly work in ephemera studies via the Philip Jones Fellowship, the Young Scholars initiative, and participation in National History Day, providing financial and institutional support for emerging researchers.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$156K
Contributions & grants$21K13%
Program service revenue$69K44%
Investment income$3K2%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$138K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$163K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$163K
7 years on record · 2019–2025 · YoY revenue +20.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 10
- BARBARA LOE — DIRECTOR
- BRUCE SHYER — DIRECTOR
- ELIZABETH SVENDSEN — DIRECTOR
- ERIKA PIOLA — DIRECTOR
- JEREMY ROWE — DIRECTOR
- JIM ARSENAULT — DIRECTOR
- MARI NAKAHARA — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW WITTMAN — DIRECTOR
- PAUL ERICKSON — DIRECTOR
- REBECCA PALMER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- ABAA Partner — Lists events in coordination with the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America.
- Anchor.fm Partner — Platform used to premiere a podcast based on a 1906 photo-album.
- Baseball Hall of Fame Partner — References the Baseball Hall of Fame's Shoebox Treasures campaign related to baseball cards.
- Ephemera Society of America Network — Hosts the Emerging Scholars Panel at its annual conference for undergraduate and graduate students.
- Library of Congress Partner — References the Library of Congress collection on broadsides and other printed ephemera.
- National Archives Museum Partner — Collaborates on exhibitions and educational programming related to women's suffrage and American history.
- Philip Jones Fellowship Partner — Provides research grants to support ephemera studies.
- Rare Book School Partner — Supports through scholarship funding raised from event proceeds.
- Sheaff Ephemera Partner — Collaborates with Sheaff Ephemera by referencing their collection listings for advertising covers and artistic printing.
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Partner — References the Smithsonian's collection on early balloon ascensions.
- Tamar Zimmerman Partner — Committee Chair coordinating online exhibit submissions.
- The Historic New Orleans Collection Partner — Source of photo credit and accession information for a 1906 photo-album related to United Fruit Company activities.
- The United Fruit Company Partner — Referenced in historical ephemera documenting a 1906 quarantine tour of Central America and Panama.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Driven Knowledge Exchangemethodology: network-buildingBy connecting collectors, dealers, institutions, and scholars, the organization fosters collaboration and deeper understanding of ephemera because shared passion and peer networks amplify both scholarly output and public engagement.
- Curatorial Storytelling to Reveal Cultural Historymethodology: curatorial storytellingBy curating exhibits and thematic explorations of ephemera, the organization communicates the historical significance of transient documents because narrative presentation makes accessible the cultural and economic patterns embedded in everyday print artifacts.
- Ephemera as Primary Source for Marginalized Historiesmethodology: ephemera-as-primary-sourceBy using ephemera as primary source material, the organization uncovers and highlights historically overlooked contributions—such as women's achievements—because these transient documents capture everyday life and voices often excluded from official records.