SUDBURY, MA u2014 The Wayside Inn Foundation is pleased to announce that Lauren Prescott has joined The Wayside Inn Foundation staff as the Archivist and Online Collections Curator. Restructuring the archives has long been a priority for The Wayside Inn, but the need was amplified by the pandemic when access to records posed logistical issues for researchers and staff. Ms. Prescott will review The Wayside Innu2019s existing paper-based records and develop a cohesive cataloging system in a new web-based database. Items will be photographed and digitized in the process. With digital collections there are greater opportunities to create online exhibitions and virtual programming. Sharing the collections with the public and telling the broad-ranging stories of The Wayside Inn are key goals of The Foundationu2019s Strategic Plan. u201cI am really looking forward to working with Lauren,u201d said Nonprofit Director Sally Hild. u201cShe has a broad skill-set that not only includes archival management, but Lauren also understands how nonprofit historic institutions operate, which is incredibly helpful for me. As the pandemic wanes The Foundation now has an opportunity to improve the current conditions of the archives and by doing so, we will create a vibrant center for active engagement with our holdings,u201d added Hild. Lauren is the former Executive Director at the South End Historical Society. As the sole employee of an active organization, Lauren was responsible for every aspect of the Society, including programs and events, development, and managing the archives. u201cIu2019m forever grateful for the experiences Iu2019ve had and the relationships Iu2019ve fostered in the South End,u201d Lauren stated, u201cbut it was my passion for collections and research that flourished over the years and I wanted a career that focused solely on that.u201d Other organizations where she has worked with collections include the Arlington Historical Society, City of Boston Archives, and The Trustees of Reservations. While serving as director of the Society, Lauren wrote Bostonu2019s South End, published by Arcadia in 2018. The book utilized the Societyu2019s postcard and image collections to discuss the history of Bostonu2019s historic South End neighborhood. u201cIt was my goal to introduce people outside of the South End to the Society,u201d Lauren explained, u201cand to raise a significant amount of money to care for its collections.u201d Ms. Prescott holds a Master of Arts in History from the University of Massachusetts Boston, with a focus on Public History & Archives. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. u201cIt was here where my interest in archives emerged,u201d Lauren explained u201cin the reading room of the universityu2019s archives. I was a Math major at the time, but not for long.u201d Lauren was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She resides in Quincy, Massachusetts with her family. In her spare time, you may find her reading, cross-stitching, watching true crime documentaries, or crafting new recipes in the kitchen.

For more information call 978.295.1716 or email press@wayside.org