Tag Archives: conservation and preservation

Meet the ARLIS/NA SIGs Series: Web Archiving SIG

Meet the ARLIS/NA SIGS: An ArLiSNAP blog series introducing you to the ARLIS special interest groups

Coordinators: Sumitra Duncan, Andrea Puccio

How did you first hear about/join your SIG?

Sumitra: I co-founded the Web Archiving SIG in 2016 with Karl-Rainer Blumenthal, with the mission to steward the community of art librarians currently engaged with or interested in web archiving. We went through the process of formalizing the SIG following several informal web archiving meetings that we held at annual ARLIS/NA Conferences in Washington, D.C. and Fort Worth. The informal meetings demonstrated the growing interest in web archiving amongst the ARLIS/NA membership and a need to create a designated space for further exploration of the opportunities and challenges of engaging in this practice. The SIG now meets annually and members have hosted/participated in a number of web archiving conference presentations. 

Andrea: I attended the SIG meeting in New Orleans after starting my current position at the Clark and gave a brief update on the 2017 Venice Biennale on the Web collection. Karl was rotating off as co-coordinator and I volunteered. The SIG has been enormously helpful in connecting me with the small but amazingly helpful and generous web archiving community within ARLIS. 

How can students and new professionals get involved in your SIG? And/or are there any projects in progress that need support they can provide?

Anyone is welcome to join the Web Archiving SIG and no experience in web archiving is needed. We do not currently have any SIG projects underway, but we are open to suggestions of how the SIG could better support the work of ARLIS/NA and art web archiving initiatives that are of interest to students and new professionals. Joining the Web Archiving SIG (or any SIG) is a great way to meet colleagues with similar professional interests and it’s also a low barrier means of learning more about web archiving (especially if you aren’t gaining experience in this area by way of your graduate program or your current position). 

What actions has your group taken to adapt to remote community engagement? What has worked well? What lessons have you learned?

While everything about our work and home lives has been more challenging due to the pandemic and resulting closures/cancelations, we were glad to have been able to host the Web Archiving SIG annual meeting remotely this year. We actually found that holding the meeting virtually allowed for a much greater number of participants to engage with the group (around 90 people attended virtually, versus our prior in-person meetings with attendance varying from 15-45 people due to concurrent sessions at the conference). The focus of our meeting in the spring was an update on the work of the Advancing Art Libraries and Curated Web Archives grant project from the Internet Archive and the New York Art Resources Consortium (NYARC), funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This initiative sought to catalyze collaboration among art libraries in the stewardship of historically valuable art-related materials published on the web and the project culminated in a National Forum event attended by 50 art and museum library professionals, several community webinars, research reports, and bi-coastal stakeholder’s meetings. More information on the project can be found here: https://archive-it.org/blog/learn-more/art-libraries/ 

From your perspective, what are actions that can be taken within your SIG and the broader field of art information in order to examine the lack of diversity and develop networks of support for communities of color and specifically Black information professionals?

For the last few years we have been toying with the idea of using the Conifer web archiving service (formerly Webrecorder now at https://conifer.rhizome.org/) to create a SIG web archive collection that we can use as a teaching tool for members who are new to web archiving. Unfortunately, a lack of “staff” time and funds for long-term data storage has prevented us from enacting this idea in the past and still applies. The original thought was to focus on artists or gallery websites local to the annual conference site. Our SIG members could proactively provide support to Black information professionals and communities of color who want to develop their own web archives but are lacking the hands-on experience for getting things started. Enabling these communities to build web archive collections while also controlling their own narrative would be the objective.

How can we get connected with or learn more about your SIG? 

The Web Archiving SIG has a website and a Google Groups discussion list: www.artwarc.org

We note on our website that “topics of interest …include best practices for collection development, preservation, and access; software services; collaborative collecting; and the applications of web archiving as a strategy for managing ephemeral resources and institutional records.” Anyone interested in these topics as they relate to collecting and preserving born-digital ephemeral art resources is welcome to join our discussion list. We hope you’ll join the SIG as well — we meet every year in conjunction with the Annual Conference!

Bios:

Sumitra Duncan leads the web archiving program at the Frick Art Reference Library. In this role, she oversees the web archiving program of the New York Art Resources Consortium (NYARC), which consists of the Frick Art Reference Library and the libraries and archives of the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. The 10 NYARC web archive collections comprise 8 terabytes of data and include the NYARC institutional websites, ephemeral art resources, artists’ websites, auction catalogs, catalogs raisonnés, New York City gallery and art dealer websites, and websites devoted to the scholarship for the restitution of lost and looted art. 

Andrea Puccio is the Collections Management Librarian at the Clark Art Institute Library in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Among her many responsibilities she manages the library’s Venice Biennale on the Web collection, a web archiving program documenting the Venice Biennale. This collection of pavilion websites, blogs, and social media accounts now spans 4 Biennales, close to 1,000 seeds, and more than 4 terabytes of data.  Her favorite part of web archiving is the metadata (once a cataloger always a cataloger).

Job Posting: Conservation Technician, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Beverly Hills, VA

DESCRIPTION

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library is seeking a Conservation Technician to assist the Conservator with a variety of conservation and preservation tasks. Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor’s Degree and at least two years of applied experience in the conservation of paper-based collections in a library/museum/archives setting or a private conservation lab. The applicant should be well versed in acceptable handling and storage practices for book and paper collections, be familiar with condition reporting and building basic housings. The position reports to the Conservator.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Basic book, paper and photograph conservation treatments with full documentation, under the supervision of the Conservator.
  • Assist the conservation staff with more complex conservation treatments.
  • Fabricate/adapt specialized storage housings for the collection.
  • Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
  • Monitor the Library environments; i.e. Integrated Pest Management and collecting data for environmental logging equipment.
  • Assist with general lab duties and supplies maintenance.
  • Other duties as assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

  • Bachelor’s Degree and/or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
  • At least two years of experience in library preservation or paper conservation.
  • A working knowledge of accepted conservation standards, practices and terminology and of proper use of conservation tools, equipment and supplies.
  • Aptitude for detailed hand work and superior manual dexterity.
  • Ability to work independently following instructions set by the Conservator and comfortable interfacing regularly with other staff and interns.
  • Strong computer skills, including experience with PC platform and databases.
  • Strong time management and organizational skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Neatness and ability to share work space respectfully with other staff.
  • Job duties entail standing and/or sitting for extended periods of time with occasional climbing, bending and kneeling.
  • Capability to lift and/or move up to 50lbs

The Margaret Herrick Library has extensive and comprehensive research collections on the subject of motion pictures including posters, production and costume drawings, books, periodicals, screenplays, photographs, manuscripts and ephemera as well as other special collections relating to prominent industry individuals, studios and organizations.

Full post: https://www.appone.com/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=1322106&B_ID=56&fid=1&Adid=0&ssbgcolor=FFFFFF&SearchScreenID=1670&CountryID=3&LanguageID=2&InternalJobCode=111460

Job Posting: Book & Paper Conservator, Washington University, St. Louis MO

The Conservator performs a wide range of conservation treatments on unique and rare paper-based collections under the direction of the Librarian Supervisor and in collaboration with Missouri History Museum. Materials to be worked on include books, art on paper, archival documents, oversize materials manuscripts, albums, maps, and other flat work. The Conservator evaluates damaged collections; makes treatment decisions; provides exhibition production support; prepares material needing treatment for digitization; undertakes conservation assessments and surveys; and participates in emergency preparedness and response operations. The Conservator may eventually be located at the Missouri History Museum’s existing conservation lab (1.5 miles or 6 min. from the Danforth Campus).

  • Plans, documents, and executes conservation treatments for books and paper-based materials in accordance with accepted standards and the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.  Treatments include but are not limited to conservation rebinding, rebacking and board reattachment; surface cleaning; aqueous treatment to wash and/or deacidify; mending and/or lining; tape and adhesive removal; removal of mold and residues; consolidation and fixing; removal of backings; matting and encapsulation. Designs and makes custom-fit enclosures for fragile objects. Examines and creates full written and photographic treatment documentation. Determines equipment and lab needs.
  • Assists in preparation of library materials for exhibition. Fabricates simple mounts in consultation with the Exhibits Developer and other staff. Constructs or modifies protective enclosures and exhibit supports for fragile and/or vulnerable library materials.
  • Participates in disaster response, recovery, and salvaging operations and environmental monitoring assistance as needed.
  • Stays current with conservation issues and practices through research, professional conferences, workshops, or similar activities.

Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

Master’s degree from a recognized conservation-training program or equivalent conservation experience.

  • Performs treatments and documentation according to accepted standards.
  • Excellent manual dexterity and ability to perform delicate work with sustained concentration.
  • Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work independently.
Preferred Qualifications

Previous experience working at a conservation facility and extended, formal apprenticeship under a conservator.  Two to three years professional experience preferred.

  • Strong knowledge of the history of book structure, bookbinding, printing, writing, paper conservation and papermaking materials and techniques.
  • Working knowledge of chemistry and materials science.

More information and application: https://jobs.wustl.edu/psc/APPLHRMS/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&Action=U&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=33736&PostingSeq=1

Job Posting: Archives Specialist, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA)

The Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) is hiring an Archives Specialist, a full-time, five-year contract position to provide archival and preservation services in New York State, to help facilitate New York’s Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services (DHPS) initiative.

The responsibilities of this position include conducting on-site archival needs assessments and preservation needs assessments with written reports; developing, presenting, and organizing educational programs and workshops; presenting lectures and preparing programs for professional and lay audiences to promote awareness of archival and preservation concerns and practices; and providing technical information via telephone, e-mail, and in print on archival and preservation topics. The DHPS Archives Specialist also maintains familiarity with archival and preservation literature, and may also be called upon to write articles for publication.

Qualifications include training in and a thorough understanding of archival theory, practice, and standards; practical knowledge of archival policies and procedures; experience with archival processing; knowledge of preservation principles, practice, and issues; experience in conducting and writing archival and preservation assessments for cultural institutions; talent in teaching and public speaking; excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills; ability to work independently; MLS (or equivalent) with a concentration in archival management, and a minimum of two years experience working in an archival setting. Frequent travel in New York is required.

Send letter of application, resume, writing sample (preservation assessment if relevant), and three references via email with the subject line “DHPS Archives Specialist Application” to Anastasia Matijkiw, DHPS Program Coordinator, amatijkiw@ccaha.org. Applications received by May 31, 2016 will receive priority review.

Additional information: http://www.ccaha.org/careers/dhps-archives-specialist

Visual Arts Research Data Management

Visual arts research data management (VARDM) seems to be a burgeoning subfield among art librarians and visual resource professionals that will be increasingly relevant to the success of emerging professionals in these fields. VARDM is the subject of a workshop at the VRA Annual Conference in March and, with the advent of data management services and interdisciplinary research, we can expect to see data management spread beyond the sciences into the arts and humanities.

VARDM is currently  more developed in the UK than the US, due to a series of JISC funded projects that have investigated the topic since 2007. These projects have labored to define the field, its component parts and the different roles that exist for researchers and data managers. The projects have made their various outputs available – most notably a series of online training toolkits aimed at students, researchers and data managers.

A common thread among these projects is the struggle to define key terms like ‘research data’, ‘data set’, and ‘research output’ as they pertain to the visual and performing arts. Some definitions that recur in the existing literature appear below.

Research Data

  • “A useful point to consider is that the research data of today may well be the special collections of the future” (cited in Murtagh, 2011)
  • “Research data is digital information created in the course of research but which isn’t a published research output. Research data excludes purely administrative records. The highest priority research data is that which underpins a research output” (Research Data Management Glossary)
  • “Data which arises out of, and evidences, research” (Garrett and Gramstadt, 2012)

Research Output – regardless of presentation, is a planned public statement of new knowledge or interpretation

Data Set – research collated in a certain way to substantiate a particular interpretation, analysis, or argument. May not always lead to a research output (Garrett and Grandstadt 2012)

Evidence – Evidence which is used or created to generate new knowledge and interpretations. (Garrett 2012)

The concept of the ‘visual arts researcher’ is a broad one, drawing from the fields of art, architecture, art history, design, dance, performance, etc. and including both practitioners and researchers from within each – including those who would identify simultaneously as both. Thus, ‘research data’ is understood to encompass sketches, samples, notebooks, process materials, reference materials, and any number of other things. Thinking about VARDM poses interesting challenges because, in addition to the logistics that need to be resolved in order to effectively preserve and provide access to the materials throughout their life cycle, one must constantly be distinguishing between the creative process and the research process, all the while recognizing moments when they intersect and align.

To date, most of the efforts to tackle these problems and get a handle on research data in the visual arts have been funded in various ways by JISC in the UK. Between 2007 and 2009, JISC funded a project called Kultur which developed an institutional repository model for research output in the creative and applied arts. Kultur was succeeded by a project called Kultivate which applied the best practice developed by Kultur. In August 2010, the JISC Managing Research Data Program (MRDP) funded the CAiRO project (Curating Artistic Research Output) which ran until July 2011 with the goal of creating a teaching and learning module designed for researchers at the postgraduate level.

CAiRO was followed by the KAPTUR project (also funded by JISC MRDP) from 2011 – 2013 which, “investigated the nature and scope of research data in the visual arts”, and, “created a sectoral model of best practice in the management of research data in the visual arts, consisting of: toolkits, workshops, case studies, institutional policies, a technical requirements analysis, and business and sustainability plans”. For more information, see the project’s outputs – in particular the  KAPTUR Environmental Assessment Report. The report investigates issues of terminology, the role of the visual arts researcher and the visual arts research data lifecycle by exploring the following two research questions:

What is the nature of visual arts research data?

How can we support the needs of visual arts researchers through institutional infrastructure

KAPTUR also developed three of the previously mentioned online toolkits designed to provide an introduction into research data in the visual arts and its management – two of the toolkits are geared towards researchers (Introduction to Research Data, Data Management Planning) and the third is intended for visual arts data managers (Managing the Material).

KAPTUR was succeeded by a group called VADS4R (Visual Arts Data Skills for Researchers) from February 2013-July 2014 which built upon the work of KAPTUR by piloting and further developing additional training plans and making the KAPTUR toolkits available. VADS4R created two additional toolkits: How to Avoid a Data Disaster and Writing the AHRC Technical Plan.

Within the VADS4R toolkits the merits of effective research data management are discussed at great length and I will not reproduce all of them here. The concise version, available on the project site, is as follows:

Managing your research data can…

…Ensure you meet research funder expectations

…Make it easier to understand successive iterations of your research

…Make it easier to re-visit your research if changes are required, for example by a journal editor or exhibition curator

…Enable easier access to your research for re-use in other projects

…Avoid the serious implications of having to re-do your research from scratch, for example due to data loss or inaccessible data

For emerging professionals, the point of interest here is not so much the history of VARDM projects in the UK, but the methodical aims and prodigious outputs of these projects which are exceptionally well documented and easily accessible online. While earning my MLIS I was not aware of any coursework addressing VARDM and I would be very interested to hear about any programs that offer this kind of material or institutions that are actively addressing it.

In the recent conference co-sponsored by ArLiSNAP and VREPS, “Visualizing the Future: New Perspectives in Art Librarianship”, Kate Thornhill of Lelsley University College of Art and Design discussed the early stages of her foray into VARDM. If you’re interested in initiating VARDM programming at your institution, I would recommend reviewing her presentation in addition to the VADS4R toolkits and Kultur outputs.

For more information:

Library Collections Technician– Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

For those of you who are interested in photographic archives…

 

Position Summary:

The department manages a circulating collection of slides, videos, 16mm films, and pictures/clippings and
an archival collection of bookplates, photographs, and design drawings. Under moderate supervision and
with moderate latitude for independent judgment, the employee holding this position participates in the
preservation, maintenance and acquisition of these collections.

Position Duties:

– Participate in the evaluation, scanning, inventory, and de-accessioning of the department’s circulating
slide, video, 16mm, and picture collections.
– Participate in maintenance of archival still and moving image collections including inventorying,
rehousing, and scanning projects.
– Assist Curator in maintaining digital image production work flow and tracking deadlines.
– Oversee filing, shelving, labeling, and repair of circulating departmental collections.
– Participate in acquisition of digital images and videos including entering and tracking orders and
preparing items for circulation.
– Oversee circulation statistics of departmental collections.
– Participate in providing public service as needed, including relaying policies, receiving image orders and
video purchase requests, assisting patrons locate images in ARTstor and the Picture Collection,
circulating slides, videos, and 16mm film.
– Participate in the hiring, scheduling, training, and supervising of student workers and graduate
assistants.
– Propose policies and procedures associated with department services
– Perform all other related duties as assigned

Education:
High school diploma or equivalent; and relevant associate’s degree or minimum 2 years related college
required. Bachelor’s degree or minor in film or photo-related field preferred.

Experience:
Must have experience handling rare or fragile materials, especially slides, photographs, and film.
Experience working with cataloguing and databases preferred.

Other:
Excellent organizational, interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills required.

To Apply: Please submit your cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three
professional references.

PRATT INSTITUTE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND RECOGNIZES AND
VALUES THE BENEFITS OF A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.
Position Type – Full-Time/Regular
Salary – 39,400.50 USD
Tracking Code – 1386

 

From VRA Job Opportunities.

Library Assistant III- The Getty

Overview:
Working under the supervision of the Digital Library Specialist and the Head of Digital Services, the Digital Library Assistant: participates in the creation and maintenance of digital collections; works closely with staff in Digital Services, Special Collections Cataloging, Information Systems, and other Getty Research Institute units; converts audio-visual digital master copies to streaming media formats; creates derivatives of digital images, video, and audio; analyzes, maps, extracts, and transforms existing cataloging data into usable metadata for digitized materials using Excel, Perl, XSL; creates ingest packages for the digital repository and performs ingest procedures. Knowledge of data modeling, metadata schemas, and controlled vocabularies and thesauri preferred. Knowledge of archival and library descriptive practices helpful.
Responsibilities:
* Utilizes solid understanding of digital imaging, audio, and video best practices, capture devices, and file formats* Applies digital library policies, industry standard software applications and production methodologies to create streaming audio and video files* Manages fulfillment of Digitization on Demand requests in a timely manner

* Performs regular troubleshooting and quality control of digital assets, filenames, and database functionality

* Demonstrates ability to learn and employ processing scripts and style sheets to transform files and metadata

* May work with born-digital materials and participate in discussions regarding their preservation and access

* Maintains awareness of current trends and developments in the field

* Applies advanced knowledge of libraries, online systems, and records
Qualifications:
* Bachelor’s degree in art history or related discipline; Master’s degree preferred* Minimum 4-5 years related experience* Familiarity with digital repository functionality, digital preservation issues and metadata standards

* Demonstrated understanding of audio visual preservation and access file formats such as Motion JPEG2000, WAV, MPEG, MP4 and MP3

* Experience using software such as Adobe Premiere and SONY SoundForge for AV editing

* Ability to work independently, exercise good judgment, discretion, and initiative

* Excellent written and verbal skills; attention to detail

* Reading knowledge in at least 1-2 foreign languages preferred

Apply here.

Library Assistant II- The Getty

Overview:
Working under the supervision of the Digital Library Specialist and the Head of Digital Services, this position participates in the creation and maintenance of digital collections. Works closely with staff in Digital Services, Special Collections Cataloging, Information Systems, and other Getty Research Institute units. Creates derivatives of digital images, and may occasionally create derivatives of video and audio files as well. Troubleshoots and reconciles errors (e.g. data orphans, malformed files) before ingest package is created. May create ingest packages for the digital repository and performs ingest procedures. With guidance from the Digital Library Specialist, maps, extracts, and transforms existing cataloging data into usable metadata for digitized materials. Familiarity with data modeling, metadata schemas, and controlled vocabularies and thesauri preferred. Knowledge of archival and library descriptive practices helpful.
Responsibilities:
* Applies knowledge of libraries and online records to assignments of moderate complexity * Competent to work with and answer questions regarding library information resources * Assists in development and maintenance of databases and operating procedures * Tolerance for detail-oriented, high-volume, and, at times, repetitive work * Familiarity with digital imaging best practices, capture devices, file formats * Familiarity with digital repository metadata standards helpful
Qualifications:
* Bachelor’s degree in art history or related discipline
* Minimum 2-3 years related experience
* Reading knowledge in at least one modern foreign language preferred
* Good written and verbal skills; attention to detail

Apply here.

Educational Opportunities!

There are A LOT of educational opportunities in this post so read carefully! As always, you can also see what’s coming up through the Educational Opportunities Calendar. Keep reading for details about all the great webinars, CFPs, internships and more opportunities below!

Webinars/Online Chats

  1. Mark your calendar now for Sept 13th chat: Tips for a successful job interview. Open to all! http://connect.ala.org/node/186969. The interview stage of a job search can be riddled with emotions; excitement, nervousness, and stress to name a few. This chat will explore some of the ways you can be better prepared for your big day. Topics to guide our discussion include but are not limited to what activities your interview day may include, how you should prepare, how should you dress, what questions you might expect to get from the search committee, and what to expect after your interview is complete. While we will focus on academic libraries, many of the topics cross-over to other types of libraries. Please come with your questions and be prepared for a fun and informative chat! Deana Groves, ALCTS New Members Interest Group (ANMIG) Webmaster, will be your host along with the assistance of Liz Siler, ALCTS ANMIG Chair. The chat will be on September 13th from 2:00 – 3:00pm EST and is open to ALA members of all types. To join the chat: connect.ala.org/node/186576
  2. Title:  Successful Librarians Share Their Stories of Career Growth and Advancement
    Presenters:  Deb Hunt and David Grossman
    Format:  Webinar
    Date:  Thursday, September 6, 2012 Start Time:       12 Noon Pacific 1PM Mountain 2PM Central 3PM Eastern. This webinar will last approximately one hour. Webinars are free of charge.  Please note: we have changed hosting services fromWebEx to Adobe Connect, so we advise you to test your browser before the webinar: http://intesolv.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm For more webinar tips, see: http://infopeople.org/webinar/tips. For more information and to participate in the Thursday, September 6, 2012 webinar, go to http://infopeople.org/training/librarians-share-their-stories. How are some librarians finding practical ways to cope, successfully navigate, and even thrive in the face of a lingering recession? How can you recognize and avoid the most common mistakes that can determine the difference between success and failure in any career situation? How can you to reinvent yourself and prepare for success in a new career in a very different or less traditional role? What secrets can be learned from successful individuals who have become leaders in the library/information profession? What new career opportunities are possible for you and how can you plan a strategy to pursue something new? This webinar will assist library staff, both professional and paraprofessional, in understanding the wide range of career opportunities available to them and how to visualize a path to success. A number of successful and unsuccessful stories will be discussed. Attendees will review and analyze successful and unsuccessful case studies to help them chart a path to career advancement, such as moving into a less traditional library role or making a lateral move into a very different career.  They will also learn how to identify, select and acquire the most relevant “front runner” or leadership “personas” that contribute to professional success in the current climate. At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will: Be able to envision their path to advancement through the analysis of the accomplishments of other librarians and information professionals who have successfully climbed the organizational ladder, transitioned into a new career, or become a “front runner” or leader in our profession. Learn how to continually reinvent themselves to overcome adversity and achieve success in any work environment. Gain insight into some exciting career opportunities often overlooked by librarians and information professionals. Know how to prepare themselves for one of the numerous alternative career opportunities readily available to librarians and information professionals. This webinar will be of interest to professional and paraprofessional library staff contemplating the next job opportunity or career change and those seeking to identify their current skills and acquire new ones. This is the third in a series of four webinars presented by Deb Hunt and David Grossman. You can view their previous webinars at http://infopeople.org/training/identifying-and-acquiring-new-skills. If you are unable to attend the live event, you can access the archived version the day following the webinar.  Check our archive listing at:  http://infopeople.org/training/view/webinar/archived

Internships

  1. Call for applications: 2013 ARLIS/NA Internship Award. Please share with current students and recent graduates of graduate programs in library science, art history, architectural history, architecture, studio art or museum studies. The Art Libraries Society of North America is now accepting applications for its annual Internship Award for 2013.

    The ARLIS/NA Internship Award provides financial support for students preparing for a career in art librarianship or visual resources curatorship. The award grants $2,500.00 to the selected recipient to support a period of internship in an art library or visual resources collection.
    The deadline for applications is October 15, 2012.
    For detailed information about the award and application instructions please see the ARLIS/NA website: http://www.arlisna.org/about/awards/internship_info.html

  2. WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART LIBRARY FALL INTERN PROGRAM 2012 — Library and Archives. The Whitney Museum of American Art Library is seeking applicants for internships to begin this fall 2012.  Under the supervision of professional library staff, interns will gain first-hand museum library experience by participating in regular departmental activities that range from research to routine administrative and clerical tasks.  Each intern will also focus on one individual project.  Participants must be willing to commit to at least 120 hours during the semester and may arrange to receive college credit.

    QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Preferred candidates are students already enrolled in a certified graduate library degree program with an interest in American art and/or museum work, have internship or experience working in a library and excellent administrative skills.  If interested, please submit, via e-mail, your cover letter, current resume and references to library[at]whitney[dot]org .  Please include dates you will be available for an interview with Library staff.

CFPS

  1. ACRL 2013 Conference Call for Poster Proposals
    Got an innovative library-based project, best practices to solve a problem, or unique research findings? Consider sharing them in a poster session! Posters should be an eye-catching visual representation of a topic, including graphics, tables, charts, text, and images. Presenters can communicate additional details via online handouts. Presenters share their ideas with colleagues as attendees circulate during one hour time blocks in the poster session area, located in the exhibits hall. Since space is limited at a poster session, a maximum of two presenters per poster at any one time is recommended. The Poster Session Committee looks for topics that will engage attendees during repeated presentations.
    Potential topics can be seen in the program tags that are included on the proposal instructions page (link below). Poster topics from underrepresented categories are of particular interest.  Here are some examples:
    cataloging & technical services
    collections projects
    preservation projects
    digitization
    data management and services
    Use the application form to sell your idea in a short, dynamic summary and provide a more complete discussion of the contents for the reviewers.  Please plan to submit an electronic version of your poster so that it can be posted online with conference handouts. Submissions are due by November 9, 2012.
    Program Proposal Instructions https://s4.goeshow.com/acrl/national/2013/abstract_instruct.cfm
    Proposal Submission Form  https://s4.goeshow.com/acrl/national/2013/abstract_submission.cfm
    Questions should be directed to Margot Conahan at mconahan[at]ala[dot]org or call (312) 280-2522.
  2. Marginalized Bodies:  Studies in Deformities and Disabilities in Early Modern Art
    Deformities and disabilities have been depicted in art since antiquity, and yet a comprehensive text on the subject as it pertains to art of the Early Modern era has yet to be written. Barry Wind glosses over the topic in A Foul and Pestilent Congregation, dealing primarily with dwarfism and gibbosity as they pertain only to the themes of “the world upside down” and the Commedia dell’ Arte.  These tropes of entertainment or curiosity are also discussed in monographs, mainly on artists like Velazquez and Callot, again limiting the discussions to depictions of dwarves at court and the comical aspects of deformity.  Deformities and disabilities also figure in texts on teratology and the kunstkammer, for example, Datson and Park’sWonders and the Order of Nature. The richness of the social, cultural, religious, political, and philosophical aspects of deformity and disability in the Early Modern era have yet to be revealed.  We wish to address this lacuna in Early Modern art scholarship by producing an anthology that integrates all aspects of deformity and disabilities as depicted in Early Modern art, utilizing an all-inclusive perspective.  We seek papers that offer particular case studies on Early Modern depictions of deformities and disabilities that address the subject from this broader outlook.
    Topics might include the apotropaic qualities of deformity and disabilities, deformities and disabilities as a means to exercising charity—the Catholic and Protestant approaches, deformed and disabled beggars, deformed and disabled saints, demonizing/idealizing deformities and disabilities, deformities and disabilities caused by disease, deformities and disabilities as reflections of sin, deformity and disability in mythology, deformed and disabled artists, aging and disability in artists and patrons, considerations of deformities and disabilities in architecture, the theoretical aspects of depicting the hideous in art, the treatment  of deformity and disability in portraiture, concealment/disclosure of deformities and disabilities, and scapegoating the deformed and disabled at times of catastrophic  events.
    To be considered for the project, kindly submit a 500 word abstract to Sandra Cheng (schengnyc[at]gmail[dot]com), Kimberlee A. Cloutier-Blazzard (kac9b[at]mindspring[dot]com), and Lilian H. Zirpolo (lilianzirpolo[at]gmail[dot]com), along with a short CV, by September 15, 2012.

Conferences & Continuing Education

  1. We are looking for additional peer reviewers for Art Documentation, the journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America.  We welcome reviewers in all areas of interest and expertise, but in particular we are seeking those with the knowledge and background to be able to review articles about cataloging/metadata, digital collections, museum libraries, and new media/new technology.
    Reviewers are needed for the Spring 2013 issue.  You would receive the article by September 15 and have 3 weeks to prepare your comments and recommendations.  We’d like to expand the pool of reviewers for future issues as well, so even if you are not available at this time but are interested in reviewing, I would like to hear from you.
    Please follow this link to take the short Survey Monkey survey to indicate your interest in reviewing, your availability, and your areas of expertise:
    https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BZL3QPR
  2. Archiving the Arts:
    addressing preservation in the creative process
    Saturday, October 13, 2012
    9:00 AM–5:00 PM
    Michelson Theater
    NYU Tisch School of the Arts
    Department of Cinema Studies
    721 Broadway, 6th Floor
    New York, NY 10003
    Presented by:
    Association of Moving Image Archivists Student Chapter at New York University
    and Independent Media Arts Preservation (IMAP)
    Archiving the Arts unlocks dialogue concerning preventive preservation, the creative process, and where the two concepts intersect.
    Unlike corporate or policy-based content, independent media art evolves and is often born from fleeting processes, creative approaches, and undocumented methods. Its unique development deserves to be addressed by both its makers and those who fight for its welfare after creation.
    Our primary goal is to straddle an antiquated divide. Instead of finite responsibilities dictated by title, archivists and artists must learn to work collaboratively in the complex independent media environment. Join us on October 13 as we bridge the gap!
    Registration Fee: $15.00
    Students with valid ID: $9.00
    Seating is extremely limited
    Register at:
    http://www.imappreserve.org/join/membership.html
    Questions:
    Kathryn Gronsbell via NYU.AMIA@gmail.com
    Jeff Martin via imap@imappreserve.org
    Archiving the Arts is part of New York Archives Week, which is organized by the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York. www.nycarchivists.org.
  3. ALCTS web course: Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management
    Session: October 1-October 26,  2012
    This four-week online course addresses the basic components of collection development and management (CDM) in libraries. The course was developed by Peggy Johnson, University of Minnesota. Complete definition of collection development and collection management
    – Collections policies and budgets as part of library planning
    – Collection development (selecting for and building collections)
    – Collection management (evaluating and making decisions about existing collections, including decisions about withdrawal, transfer, preservation)
    – Collection analysis-why and how to do it
    – Outreach, liaison, and marketing
    – Trends and some suggestions about the future for collection development and management
    Outcomes: At the end of this course, you will be able to:
    – Describe the range of CDM responsibilities and the required skills and competencies
    – List the elements in a collection development policy
    – Write a collection development policy
    – Explain the importance of collection analysis
    – Perform one or more types of analysis
    – Explain outreach and liaison responsibilities and be able to develop a plan to increase your activities in these areas
    Who Should Attend: This is a fundamentals course that will appeal to anyone interested in the topic with no previous experience.
    Credits: This course is one-third of the Collection Management elective course approved by the Library Support Staff Certification Program (LSSCP)<http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/webcourse/lsscp>
    Registration Fees:  $109 ALCTS Member and  $129 Non-member
    For additional details including registration links and contact information
    see: http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/webcourse/fcdm/ol_templ
    For questions about registration, contact ALA Registration by calling
    1-800-545-2433 and press 5 or email registration[at]ala[dot]org. For all other questions or comments related to this web courses, contact Julie Reese, ALCTS Events Manager at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5034 or alctsce@ala.org.

Educational opportunities- free webinar & more!

Remember, for ongoing opportunities and deadlines please visit the Educational Opportunities Calendar.

Free Webinar: Developing Your Plan for Successful Career Growth and Advancement

Presenters: Deb Hunt and David Grossman

Format: Webinar

Date: Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Start Time: 12 Noon Pacific
1PM Mountain
2PM Central
3PM Eastern

This webinar will last approximately one hour. Webinars are free of charge. Registration is ONLY done on the day of the event on the WebEx server starting 30 minutes before the start of the webinar. No Passwords are required. For Tips and Registration Information, please go to http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/tips.html

For more information and to participate in the Tuesday, August 14, 2012 webinar, go to http://infopeople.org/training/developing-your-plan

The first webinar in this series focused broadly on skills that are needed in the contemporary library environment, and where to find training in those skills. This webinar will focus on your individual skills and skill gaps. Determining the specific combination of skills you need to acquire in order to advance your career or take it in a different direction can be a daunting challenge.

How can you:
Determine which skills are essential for pursuing your chosen career path?
Craft a plan to acquire the critical skills that may be lacking or increase your level of competency for skills you already possess?
Acquire the new skills necessary for career advancement if you are unable to attain those them within the confines of your current job?
Successfully break through these barriers and smooth the way to career growth and expansion?
Design and create a resume that will rise to the top of the pile and maximize you chances of landing your dream job?
In this one-hour webinar, participants will learn a number of proven strategies to acquire new skills and be shown how to formulate a plan to attain those new skills or bolster the skills they already possess. They also learn how to successfully overcome some of the greatest barriers to career growth. Finally, they learn how to redesign their resumes to garner maximum impact.
At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will:
Be able to generate a customized list of the skills they need and levels of expertise they must attain in order to move their careers forward and meet their career objectives.
Be able to conceptualize and prioritize their skill acquisition strategies to meet their career objectives.
Be able to create a customized plan for the acquisition of new skills or improvement of existing skills to meet their career objectives.
Learn how to overcome the five biggest obstacles for career advancement
Know how to rewrite their resume to stand out from the crowd and maximize their chances of success.
This webinar will be of interest to Library staff contemplating the next job opportunity or career change and those seeking to identify their current skills and acquiring new ones.
This is part of a series of four webinars. The other presentations can found at:
Webinar 1: Identifying and Acquiring New Skills: The Key to Career Growth and Advancement July 10, 2012
Webinar 2: Developing Your Plan for Successful Career Growth and Advancement August 14, 2012
Webinar 3: Successful Librarians Share Their Stories of Career Growth and Advancement Coming in September 2012
Webinar 4: Telling Your Story: Five Secrets for Successful Career Growth and Advancement Coming in October 2012
If you are unable to attend the live event, you can access the archived version the day following the webinar. Check our archive listing at: http://infopeople.org/training/view/webinar/archived

Submit reports for “E-Resources Round Up” column 

If you attended ALA Annual or other professional conferences this summer, you are invited to submit reports for programs dealing with electronic resources in libraries to the “E-Resources Round Up” column for volume 24, number 4 of the Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship (JERL).

The “E-Resource Round Up” column is dedicated to helping JERL readers better understand topics related to the ever-changing world of electronic resources and their roles in libraries. It covers developments in the areas of new and emerging technologies and systems related to electronic resources and the digital environment; reports from professional discussion groups, meetings, presentations, and conferences; news and trends related to electronic resource librarianship; tips and suggestions on various aspects of working with electronic resources; opinion pieces; vendor activities; and upcoming events of potential interest to JERL readers.

Your contribution to the column does not have to be lengthy, and could be on any of the topics listed above. This could be an ideal opportunity for you to report on sessions you attended that may benefit others in our profession. If you are interested in submitting a program report, please check with the presenters first to make sure they are not planning to write their own version for publication.

The editors would like to receive contributions to the column by Friday, August 17, 2012.

If you have a submission or questions, please contact the column editors:

Bob Wolverton
Mississippi State University Libraries
(662) 325-4618
bwolverton[at]library[dot]msstate[dot]edu

Karen Davidson
Mississippi State University Libraries
(662) 325-3018
kdavidson[at]library[dot]msstate[dot]edu

ALCTS Web Course: Fundamentals of Preservation
Session: September 10 – October 5, 2012

Four-week online course that introduces participants to the principles, policies and practices of preservation in libraries and archives. It is designed to inform all staff, across divisions and departments and at all levels of responsibility. Provides tools to begin extending the useful life of library collections.

Course components:
Preservation as a formal library function, and how it reflects and supports the institutional mission
The primary role of preventive care, including good storage conditions, emergency planning, and careful handling of collections
The history and manufacture of physical formats and how this impacts on preservation options
Standard methods of care and repair, as well as reformatting options
Challenges in preserving digital content and what the implications are for the future of scholarship
This course is one-third of the Collection Management Elective course approved by the Library Support Staff Certification Program (LSSCP).

Registration Fees: $109 ALCTS Member and $129 Non-member

For additional details, registration, and contact information please see: http://www.ala.org/alcts/conf! events/upcoming/webcourse/fpres/ol_templ

For questions about registration, contact ALA Registration by calling 1-800-545-2433 and press 5 or email registration[at]ala[dot]org. For all other questions or comments related to the web courses, cont! act Julie Reese, ALCTS Events Manager at 1-800-545-2433, ext.! 5034 or alctsce[at]ala[dot]org.
To view this Event in Connect, go to http://connect.ala.org/node/184047

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: Remaking Research: Emerging Research Practices in Art and Design

Remaking Research: Emerging Research Practices in Art and Design invites artists, designers and educators to submit proposals for Featured Research Projects to be presented at the symposium.
Remaking Research is an AICAD ‘working symposium’ centred on the discourse, pragmatics and possibilities of creative practice as research, both within art and design institutions and in the context of interdisciplinary, inter-institutional, and partnered relations taking place at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, Canada from November 1-3, 2012.

We are currently accepting proposals to present research projects that address the Remaking Research Symposium themes:
The Production of Knowledge in Art and Design
The Political Economies of Art and Design Research
Networked and Partnered Research Practice
The ten-minute Featured Research Projects presentations are an opportunity to share a project or collaboration.
To submit a proposal to present a Featured Research Project, please send the following information to remaking[at]ecuad[dot]ca:
your name and institution
a short description of your project (300- 500 words)
no more than 5 images (jpeg or pdf)
an indication of the theme to which your project responds
DEADLINE: Thursday, September 20, 2012
SUBMIT TO: remaking[at]ecuad[dot]ca
PLEASE NOTE: Remaking Research is not able to support travel or conference fees for those presenting Featured Research Projects. We are happy, however, to support your participation by providing a letter confirming your contribution.