Ann May School of Nursing Papers

Elsalyn Palmisano is one of the leading archival and library experts in New Jersey, after decades of service to the library community. She has been the director of several libraries, as well as lead archivist for several historical associations, and an archival and records consultant for a number of libraries and other organizations in the state. Palmisano was one of the first members of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) and one of the creators of its CAPES consulting program. She has served as the coordinator for CAPES, and has conducted more than 40 CAPES surveys in the past twenty-five years.

Palmisano has held numerous leadership roles in a number of organizations throughout the state, including President, Vice-President, and Member of the Board of Directors for the NJLA Preservation section; three terms as President of the Monmouth Librarians Association; President and Vice-President of the Interagency Council on Library resources for Nursing; Archivist for the Region V Library Cooperative; and MARAC State Representative, among others.   She has received a number of awards for her dedication to the field of archives and librarianship, including the first recipient of the Susan G. Swartzburg Award; the Roger McDonough Librarianship Award; and awards from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Monmouth County Historical Commission.

Palmisano created extensive collections of materials related to Monmouth County, the State of New Jersey, Women’s Issues, and more, and has donated substantial portions to various libraries and repositories in the county, especially to the Monmouth County Archives. She also helped create the Local History Room at the Long Branch Free Public Library, to which she donated another large collection of local history materials. Palmisano also helped create the New Jersey Room at the Red Bank Public Library, and the George H. Moss, Jr. History Room at Rumson Borough Hall.

The Ann May School of Nursing (AMSON) Papers were collected during Palmisano’s tenure as the Director for the school’s library, a part of what is today the Jersey Shore Medical Center. While at the Ann May School of Nursing Library, from 1980 to 1988, Palmisano helped grow the collection to become the premier nursing research center in the state of New Jersey, and the only specialized nursing library in the greater Jersey Shore area, with more than 5,000 books, 600 audiovisual titles, and more than 100 periodical subscriptions. The Alumni Association for the program donated a display case, which was used to exhibit collections from the AMSON archives. That collection is currently housed in the library at the Jersey Shore Medical Center.

This portion of her collection contains materials gathered for her personal use during her time as Director and is separate from the collection held at the Jersey Shore Medical Center. Palmisano donated the materials described below to the Monmouth County Archives in May 2014.

Elsalyn Palmisano collected The Ann May School of Nursing Papers for her personal use during her tenure as Director of the Ann May School of Nursing Library, from 1980 to 1988. The collection comprises one cubic foot and is divided into three series:

I. AMSON – School
II. AMSON – Alumni Association
III. AMSON – Library
IV. AMSON – Hospital History

Series I contains materials about the school itself–the history, as well as several articles.

Series II includes materials relating to the Alumni Association–reunions, correspondence, meetings, etc.

Series III comprises the bulk of the collection, and contains correspondence, history, articles, grant materials, a finding aid, disaster plan, photos, and more. There are also slides which made up the visual portion of Palmisano’s grant-funded project, “Ann May School of Nursing: A Visual History.” Photocopies from an unidentified book are included.

Series IV is a collection of articles and photocopies about the history of what is today known as Jersey Shore Medical Center, from its beginnings as the Ann May Convalescent Home in Spring Lake, to the Fitkin Memorial Hospital in Neptune, to the present day regional care center. It includes copies of articles and letters dating from 1920 to 1985, and some very intriguing photocopies of old letters about the original hospital from 1914 to 1923. Some of the items were hand-typed, and undated.

Materials are mostly paper-based, and include originals as well as copies; index cards; handwritten, lined pages; and newspaper clippings. Some of the clippings have been copied for preservation purposes. Other materials are the slides from the presentation, and photos, all of which have been placed into protective sleeves.

The collection is not extensive, although some subjects contain more thorough coverage than others.

This collection is available for research without restriction.

Materials are arranged according to subject, with only some of the materials kept in original order. Slides and photos were placed into appropriate sleeves to protect the surfaces from handling. Original newspaper clippings are housed in their own folder, to reduce acid migration.

Monmouth County Archives
125 Symmes Drive
Manalapan, NJ 07726
732-308-3771

This finding aid was created by Mary Hussey on April 30, 2014.