The S. Charles Lee Papers is a repository of sources and information revolving around the work and career of renowned architect, S. Charles Lee. Lee became known as one of the most successful architects of Art Deco theatres on the West Coast. Some of his most recognizable developments include the Bruin Theatre in Westwood and the Los Angeles Theatre. Included in this digital warehouse are a multitude of drawings, renderings, blueprints, surveys, and photographs of Lee’s projects from the years 1919 through 1962.
When first arriving to the site, the user can see that the records in this collection are categorized alphabetically by default. Scrolling down the page, the user can see the title, content type, and a thumbnail of the specific image of the S. Charles Lee project in question. Over on the left-hand side of the page, there is a panel that gives the option to browse the collection through different filters (such as AltTitle, Subject, Type, etc.), as well as to search the collection if the user is looking for something in particular. There is also a link entitled “View Collection Record,” which takes you to the metadata of this particular collection within the UCLA Library of Digital Collections. Included within said metadata is a short description of the collection and a brief biographical paragraph of S. Charles Lee’s education and work.
Clicking on the link to a specific piece of content within the collection, you are directed to a larger view of the image. There is a small pop-up menu that offers display options for the image, as well as an option to open the image in a manuscript viewer. You are also given the metadata to the specific image/content, including information on its date, description, format, etc.
If I were to write a paper based on this archive, I would be able to describe the technical process of how these amazing buildings came to be, from the blueprints drawn by S. Charles Lee, himself, to their actual development and structure when finally completed. I would also be able to tell stories of the lasting impact of these feats of architecture, as well as S. Charles Lee’s contribution to the world of Art Deco and entertainment that we know today.
What I would not be able to tell based on this archive, however, is more of the inspiration behind the buildings and how/why S. Charles Lee designed each building in a particular way. What was the reasoning for having the FOX Theater have a point at the top of the building with illuminating letters? Why did he choose those colors for the carpet or that particular material to build the staircase? From this repository, I do not get much of the meaning behind S. Charles Lee’s famous architectural designs and why they continue to be significant. To remedy this, I would have to do some more research on these buildings and S. Charles Lee himself. Perhaps adding more of a description of these different architectural wonders, (what they were used for, how Lee devised them, the colors/materials used, the significant events that occurred in these theaters, etc.) into the metadata would allow for more context on this collection and clarify the importance of these buildings and this particular architect.