In NYU’s Special Collections, Tally Shannon Preserves New York City’s Forgotten Stories

Discovering NYU’s Special Collections

At NYU Gallatin, Tally studies political theory and art, exploring how art and narrative can drive political change. She learned about Special Collections in the course Researching and Narrating Community Histories, co-taught by Janet Bunde, a university archivist, and Professor Jacob Remes. Over one semester the class examined Gallatin’s history using materials from NYU’s comprehensive archives. “It was fascinating to get our hands into the archives, find materials, and try to piece together a history,” Tally shares.  

When Bunde told the class about a job opening in Special Collections, Tally eagerly applied. “After talking to Professor Bunde about my interest in archival work, I got really interested in the opening,” she says. “It has been an absolutely delightful job.”

As lead undergraduate assistant, Tally welcomes researchers into the reading room, teaches them how to engage with materials, and helps them navigate the collection. 

One of Tally’s favorite discoveries in Special Collections is a first edition of Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel Always Coming Home. “Le Guin is one of my favorite authors, so while maybe not the most visually interesting thing in our collection, I was immediately entranced,” she says.

Preserving Overlooked History

Working in Special Collections has deepened Tally’s interest in preserving overlooked histories. She quickly realized how difficult it can be to find historic records of anarchist movements. “It becomes very complex when you get into more stigmatized movements, like queer rights. It’s very interesting to attempt to preserve information and provide access to it without compromising the security of the people featured in it.” ​

The issue resonates with Tally personally. “As a transgender woman, I’ve found it very hard to find literature or media by trans women. That’s not to say it was never made; it’s just very often buried.” She’d like to create an archive of transfeminist works in the future.

​For now, she’s deep in her research on New York City’s anarchist movements, poring over periodicals in Special Collections and visiting spaces like the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space on the Lower East Side.

Through Gallatin’s Dean’s Conference Fund, Undergraduate Research Fund, and Summer Research Fund, Tally received financial support for her project. She plans to continue the research throughout the rest of her time at NYU and possibly in graduate school, with the goal of eventually publishing her findings.

A Storyteller at Heart

Tally’s fascination with archives is part of a broader love of storytelling. Outside of her research, she explores storytelling through a very different medium: tabletop role-playing games.

“I am the image of a tabletop nerd,” she says. “I’m a storyteller at heart, and tabletop role-playing games are my medium of choice.” As a Game Design minor at NYU Tisch, she’s been able to explore and expand on this lifelong passion. Her professors at the NYU Game Center in Brooklyn have been essential to her understanding of philosophy and game design. 

Finding Her Corner of New York City

Tally isn’t shy about her interests. In fact, being open about them has helped her land great opportunities, like her job in Special Collections or her Gallatin research grants. “I have a reputation as the anarchism and art girl,” says Tally. “I love having that reputation. Everyone constantly tries to connect me with professors and people they think could help me.”

Her advice to incoming NYU students is to do the same, no matter how niche their interest: “Be vocal, be opinionated, be annoying, even.”​ Equally important is to get involved with the city beyond NYU. “Explore, pick up a new hobby, and actively engage in the community,” she insists.

For Tally, martial arts is a perfect example of finding community beyond campus. She practices kali almost every day at a local Filipino martial arts school and teaches with a nearby community group. “Find the little corner of NYC that feels like yours, and try to get as deep into it as you can. You will find so many opportunities that way.”