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OSU Disability Archives: Disability History in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center: #PoetryForAccess

The OSU DisArchives serve as a resource to share the stories of disabled people with connections to the OSU and Corvallis communities.

#PoetryForAcccess

#PoetryForAccess is an online poetry-making project that you can do on your time using materials from the OSU Disability Archives. With the tools available in the Craft Kit, you can make your own keyhole or redacted poem.

This project was a collaboration between the OSU Disability Archives, OSU Libraries, Disability Equity Center, and distributed by the Corvallis Benton County Public Library to acknowledge disability access through the records found in OSU’s Disability Archives through craft. Particular thanks to Robin Weis and Lzz Johnk for their work making this collaboration happen!

Keyhole #PoetryForAccess Examples

Further Information

Why Keyhole #PoetryForAccess with the DisArchives?

By opening up materials from the OSU DisArchives through craft, documents are released directly into the community. This practice is one of accessibility because although OSU’s Special Collections and Archives Resource Center is open to the public, there are still some barriers to access. 


The printed documents, A Report of Handicapped Activities 1976, Handicapped Students Unlimited Budget Request 1984 - 85, and SSD Accreditation are included in the #PoetryForAccess Craft Kits with recycled magazine pages, pencils, markers, scissors, and glue. These art supplies invite a deeper dialog and inspection of the DisArchives materials while asking the crafter to reshape OSU’s past into a commentary that highlights their personal journey with disability access.

 

How-To: Keyhole Poetry

  1. Start by picking a page that has a lot of words, read through it, and think about which words you find the most interesting

  2. Circle some of the words from the page that you find interesting with markers. Look at the words you circled and see how they fit together, read them. Are there any other words you want to add? Consider adding nearby words or phrases and circle those. 

  3. Once you have a group of circled words that you want to keep, take your marker and cross out all the words around it so that you can only see the words you want to use

  4. Add words and images from other sheets of paper in the kit and collage on the keyhole poetry page

  5. Share your finished work by posting it on social media with the hashtag: #PoetryForAccess

 

Inspiration: Keyhole Poetry

  1. Find pages from a magazine that you like, rip it up with your hands and glue it down
  2. Remember, your keyhole poem doesn't have to make sense, make sure YOU like making it
  3. Try gluing down weird textures from around your house. You can use spare pieces of fabric, napkins, toilet paper, and plastics
  4. When in doubt, try out some glitter glue
  5. If you feel stuck, take a break from crafting and come back to it later
  6. Look at collage and zine inspiration online, take a look at the zine Deafula