2014: The Year in Review

Looking at my blog, I realized that I have not updated this in over a year. Understand, this is not because of a lack of information to share, but on the contrary, I was very busy and didn't have time to provide sufficient updates. That said, here's a review of 2014.

January 2014

Having recently received my master's in library and information science, I was aware of the steep drop off in healthy stress (papers, projects, assignments, presentations, deadlines, and exams) brought on by graduate school. Also, there is matter of the reintroduction of a concept known as free time. The combination of the lack of stress and the addition of free time creates a mental shock which can be characterized by feelings of loss, confusion, guilt, and even depression--an intellectual recession, if you will.

Having experienced all of this immediately after receiving my master's in history back in 2008, I knew what to expect and was better prepared to handle it this time. For starters, I had a full-time job, so there was still an amount of healthy stress available. Living in DC, I was more than up to the challenge of finding creative and innovative ways to make good use of my free time.

That said, I stayed productive in terms of both my educational and professional development. In addition to attending the American Historical Association's (AHA) annual meeting in DC, I attended a symposium held at the Catholic University of America and presented a poster and participated in a round of lightning talks. While there, two of my professors recommended that I sign up to present a poster at the Society of American Archivists' (SAA) annual meeting in August. So, I followed their advice.

March 2014

After months of delays, I finally began my detail in the Library of Congress's (LOC) Rare Books and Special Collections Division (RBSCD). More specifically, I served as a library technician in the Rare Books Reading Room, where I signed in visitors, provided research assistance, and handled materials in the RBSCD's collections. 

It's difficult to fully grasp or appreciate the RBSCD's materials. Still, it's fair to say that the RBSCD houses what one would expect when they consider it houses some of the crown jewels of the LOC. Each day brought new discoveries and experiences. While I thoroughly enjoyed working with my colleagues and other LOC staff, it was great meeting visiting scholars, library donors, VIPs, and general researchers. 

Highlights from my experience include handling first editions signed by literary immortals like Twain, Whitman, and Wilde and handling letters by Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson's Nobel Peace Prize, medieval manuscripts, incunabula, and handling materials from the Jefferson Collection.

Below are several pictures taken from an amazing exhibit in May in which highlighted several portions of the RBSCD's collection

The latter is of particular importance, because in addition to being my favorite president, Jefferson's collection of books function as a symbol of the LOC's foundation and mission. My supervisor, Mark Dimunation, received visitors from PBS in July 2014, and he was featured in a video which addresses the history and significance of the Jefferson Collection.

Working in the RBSCD gave me the opportunity to assess my career and just what exactly I wanted to do. For instance, the title of this blog suggests a career in archives or digital collections. However, working in the RBSCD helped me focus on my passion on the topic of history, and I realized that there are all kinds of ways to both enjoy and pursue it.

August 2014

My detail in the RBSCD ended and I returned to the Copyright Office. In the middle of August, I attended the SAA's annual meeting and presented a poster on digital collections and worked a booth representing the LOC and National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC). 

The meeting gave me an opportunity to reconsider my interests in pursuing a PhD. While the interest was there, I was hesitant to commit myself to a particular track until I could determine the exact path my career was taking. For instance, if I were to stay in the Copyright Office, a PhD in history or library science made little sense. The only logical path to take would be pursuing a law degree (which is of little interest). Likewise, if I were to end up working in a museum or the RBSCD, then a PhD in history or American studies makes more sense than a PhD in library science or digital humanities.

Ultimately, the decision would have to wait.

October 2014

After an interviewing, I was offered a job with the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, or simply Smithsonian Libraries (SIL). A library tech position, I would be working at the National Air & Space Museum (NASM) and the Museum Support Center (MSC). Receiving this job was evidence of persistence, networking, and just a bit of serendipity. It was also the fruition of the proverbial "dream come true." As my relatives can attest, it was visits to NASM as a child which stimulated my interest in history.

I remember visiting family in DC in the early 1980s. None of those visits was complete without trips to the Air & Space or Natural History Museums. As a kid who grew up on Star Wars and films like The Right Stuff and The Final Countdown, I was in awe by the sites and features of NASM. It simply seemed like the coolest place on earth. The opportunity to work there was just a dream.

November 2014

I began my new job with SIL on November 17th. The first two weeks were a marathon of meeting coworkers, attending tours, orientations, presentations, meetings, and undergoing a few training sessions to familiarize myself with how the SIL and its technologies operated. 

The road ahead is filled with numerous tasks and challenges. In addition to performing basic reference tasks, I also provide circulation assistance, research assistance, and am surveying materials in the collection for cataloging, preservation needs, weeding, and potential digitization. I have also volunteered my years of experience in the Copyright Office, so there may be room to put those skills to use down the road. 

Highlights of the past few weeks include attending a presentation on climate change by retiring Smithsonian Secretary, G. Wayne Clough and receiving tours of the National Museum of Natural History and Museum Support Center.

December 2014

This month is still underway, but there are numerous events taking place. The Smithsonian just held its annual holiday festival, and tomorrow, Secretary Clough will be giving his farewell address.

Approaching the End (and a New Beginning)

Last night was my final presentation for my current round of graduate school. Going last, I took a brief moment to savor the feeling and then...it was gone. As of now, I have a final research paper to complete and that should be it. And yes, I am savoring my final research paper (which is sad). It's been a fun (albeit challenging) ride, and I have enjoyed it immensely. At the same time, it isn't quite over.

In January, I will be presenting a poster at a colloquium at CUA and attending the American Historical Association's annual meeting here in DC. Later in the month, I am looking at going up to my old stomping grounds in Philly and attending the American Library Association's midwinter meeting, and come next summer, I will be attending the ALA's annual meeting out in Vegas--followed by the Society of American Archivists' annual meeting back here in DC.

The bottom line is, even when the schooling stops, it doesn't really end. Because new scholarship is always introduced, and because new topics are constantly addressed (digital preservation, emerging technologies for processing digital collections, improving outreach, etc.) it's imperative to stay informed. Plus, it's just good practice to keep networking (never know who you're going to meet).

That said, while I won't have a syllabus assigned to me in the near future (thank you!), I still have some personal pet projects I will be working on. I want to familiarize myself with some open-source digital collections management software. I have a solid understanding of CONTENTdm, but I'd like to see what some other applications can do, and see what advantages they may have. Because I wanted to focus on free tools, I will be making use of ones mentioned on this site:

http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/5-free-and-open-source-tools-for-creating-digital-exhibitions/

-Omeka
-Collective Access
-CollectionSpace
-Open Exhibits
-Pachyderm

Figure I will be scanning some old postcards I have which are in the public domain and uploading movies and music and running tests to see how the products hold up for ease of editing/creation, navigation, and aesthetics. Figure this should keep me busy for a few months. Ultimately, it will serve as a personal test to see if I want to pursue a PhD.

ACA Exam Update

Little late here, but I passed the Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA) exam. This was the first time I'd taken a multiple choice exam in years--maybe since I took the GRE back in 2006. 

Obviously I'm pleased, and taking the exam comes with several benefits:

1) The studying/preparation forced me to read through books and examine schools of thought I never previously considered. I was able to trace the genesis of the field of archives in the United States, in Europe post-French Revolution, and, thanks to Posner, read up ancient examples of archives (Sumerian clay tablets, Romans, and archives in medieval Europe).

2) I could see where the field is going. Literature and scholarly articles found in recent journals provide a sense of ongoing struggles and challenges in the field (budgets, digitization, outreach efforts, retention, etc.)

3)  The letter from the ACA congratulating me on passing also came with my scores in each field, so I can see where I need to do some more work.

4) Let's not forget the most obvious thing: now that I've passed, once the check clears, I will be ACA-certified (officially beginning January 2014).

So, accompanied with the master's in history, the impending master's in library and information science, this is another notch in my belt. Only thing left is a PhD, but I will put that off for a few years.

National Union Catalog of Manuscripts Collection

Among the courses recommended for graduate students at CUA who are pursuing an MSLIS is a practicum. Kind of old school, I am more accustomed to the term internship, and I had to look this up online to see what the difference was. The bottom line is, they're pretty much the same thing. Catsup vs ketchup--it comes in different varieties and can be pronounced differently, but you get the idea.

Because I am looking to

1) Refresh my existing skills,
2) Gain new skills and professional experience,
3) Network,
4) Create a product which can be added to my resume, and
5) Ultimately position myself for a career more aligned with archives and historical research....

I pursued a practicum with the Library of Congress (LOC)'s National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC). So far, I'm really enjoying it.

To give a brief history, NUCMC has been around since 1959, but the beginnings of NUCMC can be traced back to 1947 or 1951. (Here's a timeline.)

But what is NUCMC? Well, as the name implies, it's a national...catalog...of...(manuscript) collections. These days, researchers can visit a library's website and type a subject or keyword in and a collection may pop up, or researchers can make use of sites like Google, Bing, Connexion, and cross their fingers. The point is, thanks to the internet, information is easily accessible. That's a no-brainer. However, libraries in general, tend to hold mass-produced items (books, magazines, videos, music, etc.--but that's fading thanks to increased used of digital formats). 

However, rare and unique items are housed in archives and special collections--and here's where the problem starts. Unless a collection is arranged and described and a finding aid is created, then the repository housing the collection has no idea what kind of treasure it may have. Now, imagine someone did create a finding aid 30-40 years ago, and it sits, deteriorating in an old folder in a forgotten filing cabinet. Because that bit of information remains untapped, then no one knows what's in the collection, and it may go unused. Imagine that collection has letters by Lincoln, Washington, or some other famous historical figure (or of events of historical significance).

From the 1950s to the 1980s, NUCMC was the primary means of making such collections accessible. Every year, a new catalog was published--featuring newly-documented collections from surveyed repositories (special collections and archives at universities and historical societies were the primary beneficiaries). Accompanying these catalogs were indices which provided a list of subject terms arranged alphabetically. Researchers and librarians could use the indices to locate a listing in the catalog based on its NUCMC identification number, and then, upon reading the description in the catalog, determine if they wished to visit the repository or contact the staff and learn more.

So what am I doing?

While the Internet, Google, and OCLC have improved access to unique collections. Access is only available if the staff elects to create the records and make them available online. This requires time and money. For repositories which do not have those resources, NUCMC can prove to be a valuable resource as it furthers two objectives for archives and archivists: access and outreach.

For my part, I am conducting research onto the fifth and final chapter of the Civil War (1865) and the first chapter of World War I. After collections from participating repositories have been identified, I will be working with LOC staff and archivists at the participating repositories to include information on the NUCMC website for both pages. Once all the information is finalized, I will create the pages using Dreamweaver.

So far, it's been an exciting and enjoyable experience. I've been going back to books I used when studying for the comprehensive exam (C. Vann Woodward, Eric Foner, James McPherson, etc.) and conducting searches using Project MUSE and JSTOR to locate themes relating to 1865 and beyond. Ultimately, I'm hoping to create a diverse body of collections which represents both strengths of the participating repositories and also informs/enlightens visiting users and researchers.

Historic Postcards of Virginia (A Digital Collection)

As a group project for a course I took this summer at CUA (Foundations of Digital Libraries), I worked with three other library science students on seeing the development of a digital collection--from beginning to end--using OCLC's CONTENTdm. The end result was a digital collection titled, "Historic Postcards of Virginia," which can be found here. Before discussing the project and the site, a little history first, yes?

For starters, this was not my first project using CONTENTdm. I worked with CONTENTdm back when I was at the New Hanover County Public Library. (For examples of projects, see http://cdm16072.contentdm.oclc.org/) Before the library upgraded to CONTENTdm, I briefly worked with Laserfiche, so I was aware of the basic structure and ingredients. However, it was my first "structured" project in that we adhered to principles laid out through a tried and true workflow plan. Not that we didn't have one before--but by virtue of not being in graduate school, I didn't have a textbook to refer to, so it all seemed very new. Going through the gauntlet of scholarship and weekly readings improved my understanding of the process, but all of the literature would have been abstract and theoretical if I did not have any prior experience to make connections.

 Through the semester, which ran from June to August, our class covered the steps taken in identifying and planning a digital collection through to seeing its design and development. The first half of the course focused primarily on scholarship, readings, essays, and putting together proposals and papers, but the second half, which began in early July, was when we finally broke down into teams of four and proceeded to piece together our digital collections.

Our group worked with the Arlington Public Library's Center for Local History (formerly the Virginia Room) and, after being granted access to 80 postcards from two collections, proceeded to scan the postcards, create the corresponding metadata, and upload both to CONTENTdm. We then sought out participants to test the usability of the website and provide the team with feedback. Their feedback proved helpful, and a more polished version of the website was developed. We then ended the project and semester with a presentation of our findings. After which, as per an agreement with the Center for Local History, we gave them both the scanned images and metadata so they could be uploaded to their content management system, ContentPro.

Screenshot from Center for Local History (Courtesy Arlington Public Library)

Screenshot of "Historic Postcards of Virginia" (Courtesy Catholic University of America)

So what was learned from this project?

1) The use of JPEGs as compound objects may trump PDFs in CONTENTdm. This is particularly true for loading time and the zoom-in features.

2) Visuals aside, the strength of a digital collection depends largely on the content and organization of the metadata. While not a new idea, upon viewing the user assessment, it's good to keep in mind. When developing metadata in previous collections at the New Hanover County Public Library, my supervisor taught me to research the history of the publishers, photographers, businesses,  and buildings. In doing so, I made use of newspaper clippings from the 19th and 20th centuries, city directories, family files, maps, and other resources available in the North Carolina Room. I immersed myself in the history of what was on the postcards to know exactly what it was I was describing. We did not have such a luxury for this project.

3) CONTENTdm's Project Client proves very helpful for larger projects and developing compound objects.

All the issues we encountered could easily have been addressed with more time. Because this was a class project, time was not a luxury. In a normal semester, it may have been difficult, but going from organizing a group and negotiating with an organization to access their materials to producing a finished product (after conducting user tests) in a month while working full-time jobs leaves little room for error. 

Granted, I am very pleased with the final product and was impressed with the input, ethic, dedication, and quality of the work produced by my teammates. At the same time, I might be a bit of a malcontent. If you give me a Snickers bar, I will be happy--until I see someone would a banana split. 

"You mean that was possible?"

When we made our final presentation, the sticking point for me was the images. It's a learning process, and given more time, I would have liked to have polished off those photographs (using filtered JPEGs for faster loading) and delved more into historical research to provide better/more detailed metadata. For a month of work, it was still very impressive, and much of the credit goes to the team.