As the Covid-19 pandemic was just beginning to make its presence known to the country this past March, Tim Barnes donated his doctoral research files on Eddie Alkire to the Center.  Tim, a doctoral student at the University of Illinois, spent many months between 2008 and 2010 using the Center’s Elbern H. “Eddie” Alkire Personal Papers and Music Instrument Collection to conduct his research.  After serving several years as the Director of Illinois Strategic International Partnerships at University, he took a position in 2017 as the Executive Director of International Partnerships and Research at the University of Kentucky International Center.  Recognizing the important of his Alkire research files to the Center, he agreed to donate them to the Sousa Archives.  The collection includes his original research notes, doctoral proposal, photographs, sheet music, and correspondence documenting Alkire’s career as a musician, music educator, and inventor.  The Center’s staff is currently finishing up the archival arrangement and description work on this exciting new music acquisition. For further information about this and the Center’s other Alkire collection, please call 217-333-4577 or send an email to sousa@illinois.edu.