Ami Eckard-Lee, Archivist

The Kelch Aviation Museum’s Library & Archive continues to grow through generous donations of valuable collections from around the country. A cornerstone of our mission is to provide education and awareness to the public and the aviation community about the Golden Age of Aviation. Media – whether it be photographs, original building plans, vintage magazines, or in-depth biographies – is instrumental to education and historic record. Kelch Aviation Museum is lucky enough to care for upwards of 10,000 titles, all received through donations; in an effort to properly organize, preserve, and catalog these often-fragile items, the museum hired Ami Eckard-Lee as a part-time archivist on January 1, 2019.

Ami, a history student who grew up a few miles from the Brodhead Airport, discovered her love of archiving through the study of film & photographic history. “It’s amazing to work on this collection,” Ami said. “The sheer scope of the materials – magazines from as early as 1897, rare original photographs, books signed by game-changing aviation authors – amazes me. It’s an adventure to work with these treasures, and an honor to help ensure their preservation and public accessibility for generations to come.”

Ami’s salary is paid through restricted donations to the Archive, and additional funding is needed. Consider helping with a gift, marked for the Archive.

We look forward to sharing our collections with aviation enthusiasts from all over the world, and we’re grateful for any donations of new archival materials.