January 14, 2024
Dear Friends,
Happy New Year! Once again, it is time for us to update you on the progress of the Pir Vilayat Archive Project. You are receiving this email because you donated to support the project or asked to be on the update list. If you are no longer interested in receiving this quarterly newsletter, you can easily unsubscribe below.
We have accomplished so much in the last three months! One reason is that a long time murid, Ata’allah Bill Meacham, has joined the core team. He worked in the software industry for over 20 years and his expertise has enabled us to create a prototype of the archive using Omeka S. This is a huge accomplishment and we are so grateful for his dedication and service!
Seeking feedback on Pir Vilayat Digital Archive site
Our next focus is to determine how to categorize and present the content of the archive. The digital archive of Pir Vilayat’s teachings will enable you to listen to his voice and/or read a transcript of his talks. It will also include some of his writings, such as “Keeping in Touch” and links to videos on YouTube. We look forward to adding materials in French and German.
We have built the basic framework and now need to know how you would use such a resource. What would you look for? How would you like to search the site? If you would like to help us organize the search categories and give feedback on the new site, please send an email to PirVilayat@Inayatiyya.org.
Use of Funds: We have spent $10,037 to date, with our two primary expenses being contractors to implement the project and atmosphere-controlled storage. In addition to this amount, there have been notable in-kind donations in Inayatiyya staff time; multiple volunteers documenting, digitizing, and transcribing cassettes; technical equipment; and web hosting.
Staff News: Looking for a Digital Archive Manager
As mentioned in the September update, we are looking for new support. Ata’allah’s technical work has gotten us a long way and we now need a Digital Archive Manager as we progress. Some of the key responsibilities include:
- Developing protocols for uploading items in 6/17/24 curated collection and beyond
- Serving as webmaster and administrator for PVIK Archive site and manage PirVilayat@Inayatiyya.org email
- Coordinating volunteers to digitize and transcribe PVIK material
- Uploading content to PVIK Archive Omeka S site according to established standards
- Championing project funding and manage budget
- Developing communications with archive users and writing quarterly updates
You can find more details about the position at this link. If you are interested or know someone who has the applicable skills, please forward.
Status of Preparing Archive Material: We have continued to digitize and transcribe recordings in English. With regard to sending us your tapes, please be in touch. We still do not have a final repository for them so we ask for your patience. We are very interested, however, in tapes that would fill in missing items in sets of retreats, camps, and so on and are in process of creating a list we will share with you in the near future. For now, if you have tape # 3 of a retreat held in Boston on December 9-10, 1989 we’d love to have it; it would complete a set of 9 tapes, 8 of which have already been digitized and transcribed. Please contact us!
If you know others who would appreciate receiving quarterly updates, please forward this email to them and encourage them to sign up here to receive our quarterly newsletter and other occasional emails about the project.
Thank you for continuing to hold the vision of a working digital archive by June 17, 2024. If you have any questions or thoughts, you are welcome to share them with us at pirvilayat@inayatiyya.org.
Yours sincerely,
Pir Vilayat Archives Council: TajAli Keith (PA), Abad (NY), Noor Amina Peterson (CO), Ata’allah Meacham (TX), Raqib Icovitz (CA), Yaqin Aubert (MA), and Karim Updegraff (AR).
Excerpt from Abode Lecture (“Family talk”), 1978
I have a feeling of being surrounded with so much beauty that is almost unbearable, and incredible. There’s Bach on one side and it’s always the discovery of the wonder of creation on the other and there is the very deep spiritual link with you and with many other mureeds that seems to get deeper and it moves me so deeply … my soul … I can’t say what ecstasy I’m experiencing all the time. – Pir Vilayat Khan