Tag Archives: Digital Curation

A Success Story: An Interview with Erin Barsan, NDSR Art Fellow at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Can you tell us a little bit about your background, your current position, and how you got into the field of art librarianship?
I actually have an art background. I got my BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in Photography from Columbia College Chicago. After undergrad, I ended up working as a photographer’s assistant at a small commercial studio. During one of our off-seasons, I embarked on a project to clean out and reorganize all the studio’s computer files and physical file cabinets. I also spent a lot of time documenting my work and creating a handbook for future assistants. It was this experience that led me to library school; I realized that what interested me most about my job was figuring out how to organize things in a way that would best help people find the information they needed.

I eventually attended the Pratt Institute School of Information and received my MSLIS with an Archives Certificate. While a student at Pratt, I took several classes related to art librarianship. However, it wasn’t until after grad school, when I worked as a project archivist at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay & Lesbian Art, that I really got into the field.

Currently, I am part of the inaugural cohort of the National Digital Stewardship Residency for Art Information (NDSR Art). I am working at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) on a one year project titled “Managing Time-Based Media/Digital Art at (an appropriate) Scale,” which is a fairly non-traditional librarian role. That being said, it’s really exciting and challenging work, and I’m very grateful to NDSR Art for this opportunity. To learn more about the NDSR Art program and my project, visit the NDSR Art website: http://ndsr-pma.arlisna.org/

What does a typical day at work look like for you? What work are you doing as an NDSR art resident?
As the NDSR Art Resident at Mia, I am taking a lead role in establishing a framework for the management and preservation of the museum’s rapidly-growing collection of time-based media/digital art (e.g., video, film, audio, slides, and software-based art). My job entails working with Mia’s New Media Task Force to develop and implement new workflows and other procedures related to the acquisition, documentation, display, and maintenance of these complex works as well as recommending technical solutions for management and preservation.

I am just wrapping up the initial, information gathering, phase of the project. Most of my day involves sitting in front of the computer at my desk in the Media and Technology Division reading, writing emails, and taking notes. Additionally, I conducted interviews with a number of this project’s internal stakeholders to learn their perspectives, concerns, and needs. Externally, I spoke with a number of media conservators and other professionals to learn about how they handle the acquisition, installation, and long-term care of their institution’s time-based media art. Now that I’ve gathered and studied all of this valuable information, I just have to take what I’ve learned about emerging best practices for time-based media art and figure out how to adapt and scale them to fit Mia’s specific needs. Piece of cake, right?

Do you have any advice for current students and/or those on the job market?
Try and get an internship while you are in school. If that isn’t feasible, think of other ways you can get real world experience. Have a school project that involves a hypothetical library? Maybe you can find a real one that you could work with for your project instead. Working while in school? Look for opportunities in your workplace where you could make a positive impact by applying your new knowledge and skills, and then pitch it as a project to your boss. Get creative!

Don’t let job/internship descriptions intimidate you. You’d be amazed how many people get scared off by things like the reputation of a big name institution or the number of other highly-qualified people they think will also apply. Even if you think you don’t have much of a chance, apply anyway. You might surprise yourself!

What were/are some challenges for you as an art librarian? Are these related to larger challenges in art librarianship?
Advocacy is a challenge for me, and a big issue in our field in general. People often don’t see the value in art librarianship because much of our work is behind the scenes, because we don’t generate a lot of money, or because other departments have projects that seem more exciting. It’s up to us to make sure that our work doesn’t go unnoticed and do our own marketing/PR. We know our value and the importance of our work; the trick is figuring out how to communicate this to others in a way that is meaningful to them by approaching it from their perspective. This sounds easy, but in practice can be quite challenging. It’s uncomfortable to talk about ourselves (no one wants to sound like a braggart), especially when the person you’re speaking with is senior-level, and it takes practice. I’ve started to think of advocacy work as a muscle–the more I exercise it and push through the pain, the easier it will feel and the stronger I’ll be.

Tell us something fun about yourself! What do you do in your spare time? If you could take a trip to visit any library in the world, which would it be?
The majority of my free time is occupied by roller derby. This is my tenth year skating, and it has taken me all over the US and soon, Europe! In February, I’ll be traveling to Manchester, England to compete with Team Romania at the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup.

If I could take a trip to visit any library, I’d like to visit the Future Library in Norway. However, that would also mean I’d have to time travel to 2114 so I could read all the newly unearthed and unpublished texts.

Job Opportunity: Digital Asset Manager Global Brand Design, Herman Miller, Holland, MI

Responsible for leading the strategic effort around enhancing and protecting the Herman Miller brand by collecting, curating, and managing all Marketing, Editorial, and Design assets through their lifecycle for Print, Digital, and Environments.

Essential Functions:

  • Develops a global digital asset management strategy. Leads and directs the implementation efforts around the collection, protection, and disposition of Herman Miller’s digital assets.
  • Leads and directs the content implementation efforts around the enhancement of the Styling Library and the creation of a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system as viable tools.
  • Partners with Design, Marketing, and Editorial to develop and execute work content across multiple platforms, i.e., print, digital, physical, to multiple audiences.
  • Directs the strategic operation of Herman Miller’s digital assets for the purpose of research, reference, education, inspiration, and design.
  • Manages the Digital Rights (contracts and licensing), vendor relationships, and the Styling library) for all assets as required.
  • Responsible for the curation of Herman Miller’s digital assets. Develops and maintains the DAM platform which includes user sign ups, system quality controls, and administering the assets.
  • Provides oversight of the usage and protection of corporate assets.
  • Ensures safe storage, access, retrieval, and archiving of all assets to facilitate the business process.
  • Creates the structure, standards, and maintenance of the DAM and Styling Library.
  • Creates and maintains the metadata and taxonomy structures.
  • Provides leadership to the DAM and Styling Library coordinators.
  • Performs additional responsibilities as requested to achieve business objectives.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Arts Communication, Library Science, Archives, or related studies.
  • Five years of Digital and Physical Asset Management experience.
  • Knowledge of production skills (understanding of file formats, video, images, etc.) and the Adobe Creative Suite.
  • Standard knowledge of taxonomy and metadata.
  • Working knowledge of digital asset management software; including knowledge of coding language.
  • Demonstrated leadership competencies including ability to manage, lead, and inspire a team.
  • Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to facilitate positive customer service.
  • Demonstrated high level of written, verbal, and interpersonal skills to communicate information, ideas, procedures, and processes in a logical sequence; at a level appropriate to the audience and resulting in effective working relationships.
  • Demonstrates ability to work effectively with a variety of internal and external business partners.
  • Strong problem-solving, organizational, time management, and process management skills for success in a results-oriented environment.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively use office automation, communication, software, and tools currently used in the Herman Miller office environment.
  • Must be able to perform all essential functions of the position with or without accommodations.

https://hermanmiller.taleo.net/careersection/hm_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=14401

Student Research Paper Award from ASIS&T: “What do Information and Technology Mean to the Arts and Humanities?”

http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/asistsc/studentresearchaward/

The deadline for this award is March 25th, 2015 – it appears to be only open to current students, not recent graduates, although you might want to confirm that via email if you’re interested. The monetary award amount will be announced in February for both the Masters and PhD prizes; winners are invited to present their research during the virtual Symposium in April, and may possibly be invited to present during the ASIS&T Annual Conference in November.

SIG-AH AND SIG-VIS STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER AWARD

Call for Student Papers: “What do Information and Technology Mean to the Arts and Humanities?”

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 25, 2015

FINALIST NOTIFICATION: Friday, April 10, 2015

FINALIST PRESENTATIONS: Wednesday, April 22 or Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Special Interest Group for Arts and Humanities (SIG-AH) and the Special Interest Group for Visualization, Images, & Sound (SIG-VIS) of the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) are seeking papers for a Master’s and PhD student research paper award. Finalists will be invited to present their research during a virtual Symposium in the spring (April 22 and 23) and two (2) winners will receive a Best Student Paper award and cash prize. Winners may also receive an invitation to present on a possible panel at the 2015 Annual Conference in St. Louis (November 6-10).

Theme

The contest theme “What do Information and Technology Mean to the Arts and Humanities?” is open-ended to invite participation from a variety of theoretical and empirical perspectives on the topic. We encourage graduate-level submissions from a broad range of disciplines including arts, humanities, library and information science, and computer science. Papers should explore the role or application of information and technology in the arts and humanities and may include, but are not limited to, past research, case studies, and current projects in the areas of:

  • eHumanities/arts and humanities eScience
  • Digital reference and eResearch discovery platforms
  • Text/data mining and the use of large-scale corpora
  • Scholarly communications and digital publishing
  • Data visualization
  • The role of information technology in managing images and audiovisual resources
  • The use of images and audiovisual resources in information practices
  • Digital Humanities
  • Technology implementation projects
  • Research assessment and altmetrics

(The list is meant to be illustrative, not prescriptive.)

Who is Eligible?

Submissions can be made as a single author or a group of authors, including collaborations between students from different institutions. All submitted works should be previously unpublished. Authors do NOT need to be members of ASIS&T. All research is expected to be purely the students’ work. Research undertaken as part of a course, an internship experience, or a thesis project is eligible. Authors are required to secure any necessary permissions related to research findings from internships and thesis projects being used in this research competition.

Requirements & Selection Criteria

While the contest theme and eligibility are open, papers should show an appropriate level of writing and should include an advanced theoretical or empirical discussion, methodology or analysis. Paper submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Word .doc or .docx format
  • 10 single-spaced pages or less (approximately 4,000 words), 12 pt. font, and must follow a standard citation style (APA preferred). Tables, graphs, images, etc…may appear within the body of the text.
  • Author names should not appear anywhere in the main text
  • Separate cover page with title, author names, institutional affiliations, and abstract of 250 words or less

Submission details should be made via electronic form and final papers emailed by the March 25, 2015 deadline (details below).

Papers will be selected based on the following criteria: relevance of topic to the contest theme, originality of research and approach, and quality of student writing. Papers not meeting these requirements may be excluded from the contest.

Spring 2015 Symposium

Finalists will be invited to present their research during a virtual Symposium on April 22 and 23, 2015. The Symposium will highlight student research projects amidst the larger discussion of the applications and uses of information and technology in the arts and humanities. Finalists will be selected based on the selection criteria above, as well as the possible contribution of the research to the Symposium.

Awards

Two (2) finalist papers may be awarded for Best Master’s/MLIS Student Paper or Best PhD Student Paper, including a monetary prize. Based on the quality of submissions, additional awards may be made for merit-worthy papers.

Award monetary prize amounts will be announced in February.

Winners may be invited to present on a possible panel at the 2015 ASIS&T Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO, November 6-10, 2015 (pending panel acceptance on the Conference schedule).

Submission and Deadline

Authors are invited to submit papers, based on the requirements and selection criteria above, by filling out the form at http://goo.gl/forms/tSFJjckVId and emailing the final paper to ASIST.SIGAH {at} gmail.com before 11:59 pm PST, March 25, 2015.

Please ensure the information submitted on the web form matches the final paper submission cover page. Finalist and Best Paper selections will be made by a panel of judges.

If you have any questions, please email Jeremy McLaughlin at Jeremy.mclaughlin {at} sjsu.edu

Student Research Paper Award details:                                                                                      http://bit.ly/SIGStudentRsrch

Student Research Paper Award Submission Form:                                        http://goo.gl/forms/tSFJjckVId

LOC’s The Signal: All About Digital Art

In case you’re in the market for some light summer reading:

The Library of Congress has a great digital preservation blog called The Signal. Recently they’ve been focusing on plenty of art-related issues, from digital art (and the power of the GIF) to preserving artists’ websites and communities.

There’s even some meta content, in the form of an interview with someone who talks about libraries and archives as aesthetic experiences:

Shannon: As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always loved teaching about, with, and through art. Art offers us so many rich and wonderful things (or events, or ideas…) to think with, and it helps us recognize that understanding isn’t purely cognitive; it’s also affective, aesthetic. Archives and libraries, I argue, are intensely aesthetic environments: information reaches us in various forms and materialities; we store that information on bookshelves and server racks; we access it on tabletops and laptops and through interfaces. These are all aesthetic variables that have, in my mind, huge epistemological significance. And acknowledging archives, libraries and databases as aesthetic entities not only helps patrons to better understand how they think and learn; but it also, ideally, helps practitioners recognize that the physical and digital environments they create aren’t neutral containers of information: they give shape to information and knowledge, and thus constitute what it is.

Shannon Mattern goes on to offer examples of artists working with the form of libraries and archives (not just their content). (Feel free to add this to your resource list for library advocacy, Ellen!)

You can always sign up to receive The Signal’s Digital Preservation newsletter in your inbox (if, like me, you forgot to regularly check even your favourite blogs). It’s a great resource to help you keep on top of digital developments, even if you’re not planning to focus on the tech side of GLAM work.

LOC's The Signal: All About Digital Art

In case you’re in the market for some light summer reading:

The Library of Congress has a great digital preservation blog called The Signal. Recently they’ve been focusing on plenty of art-related issues, from digital art (and the power of the GIF) to preserving artists’ websites and communities.

There’s even some meta content, in the form of an interview with someone who talks about libraries and archives as aesthetic experiences:

Shannon: As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always loved teaching about, with, and through art. Art offers us so many rich and wonderful things (or events, or ideas…) to think with, and it helps us recognize that understanding isn’t purely cognitive; it’s also affective, aesthetic. Archives and libraries, I argue, are intensely aesthetic environments: information reaches us in various forms and materialities; we store that information on bookshelves and server racks; we access it on tabletops and laptops and through interfaces. These are all aesthetic variables that have, in my mind, huge epistemological significance. And acknowledging archives, libraries and databases as aesthetic entities not only helps patrons to better understand how they think and learn; but it also, ideally, helps practitioners recognize that the physical and digital environments they create aren’t neutral containers of information: they give shape to information and knowledge, and thus constitute what it is.

Shannon Mattern goes on to offer examples of artists working with the form of libraries and archives (not just their content). (Feel free to add this to your resource list for library advocacy, Ellen!)

You can always sign up to receive The Signal’s Digital Preservation newsletter in your inbox (if, like me, you forgot to regularly check even your favourite blogs). It’s a great resource to help you keep on top of digital developments, even if you’re not planning to focus on the tech side of GLAM work.

PT term Manager of Digital Assets and Collections Information– Glenstone

Position: Manager of Digital Assets and Collections Information

Reports to: Chief Archivist/Librarian

Background:

Located on 200 acres in Potomac, Maryland, Glenstone strives to provide visitors with a unique experience through the seamless integration of art, architecture, and landscape. Its first exhibition building was designed by late architect Charles Gwathmey and opened to the public in 2006. It hosts a series of rotating exhibitions with artworks drawn from Glenstone’s permanent collection of post-World War II art. The outdoor landscape is home to monumental sculptures carefully placed amidst rolling pasture and unspoiled woodland. Admission is always free, and visits are scheduled by appointment to encourage an unhurried, intimate engagement between the viewer and their surroundings.

Glenstone is now embarking upon an expansion in order to strengthen its commitment to the viewing public. The centerpiece of this project will be the construction of a new exhibition building designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners. The building will highlight a series of discreet pavilions, or “rooms” surrounding a central water courtyard, many of which will be devoted to single-artist installations. It will provide significantly expanded gallery space and state of the art collection storage. Landscape architects Peter Walker and Partners will also oversee a revised master plan of Glenstone’s outdoor landscape. Finally, the expansion will incorporate a new public entrance and visitor amenities, to support a more comfortable and rewarding visit.

Job Purpose:

To develop detailed requirements for systems to manage Glenstone’s digital assets, including: a Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) and/or Digital Preservation System.

Job Duties:

 Produce a short and long-range plan as it relates to the creation, management, and use of information, digital assets, and other collections-related assets; deliverable due by end of appointed term.

 Work closely with IT and other departments to ensure the reliability, security, and accessibility of all digital asset and collections information systems, including managing user groups, permissions, workflows, and reporting.

 Work with records creators across departments to establish logical file directory structures, naming conventions, metadata standards, and formats for born-digital records and assets.

 Develop and/or adopt metadata standards for digital assets and collections information.

 Develop policies, procedures, and workflows for the ingestion of digital assets and collections information into all digital asset and collections information systems. Train staff accordingly and monitor compliance.

 Develop and implement digital preservation strategies.

Required Qualifications:

 3-5 years of experience overseeing digital asset management and/or collections information management in a museum or archival setting.

 BA or equivalent in Art History, History or Humanities. Advanced degree, preferably MLIS with archival focus, or Museum Studies with Collections Information Management and/or Digital Asset Management focus highly preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

 Knowledge of current best practices related to DAMS and collections information metadata, processes, and preservation strategies.

 Experience selecting and implementing digital asset management and/or collections information management systems.

 Experience and familiarity with one or more of the leading digital asset management systems, e.g., ADAM, Canto Cumulus, Extensis Portfolio, MeGlenstoneBin, NetXposure, Razuna, Xinet.

 Familiarity with one or more of the leading ILS or AMS platforms, e.g., Aleph/Voyager, Archivists’ Toolkit, Archon, CollectiveAccess, CuadraSTAR, Koha, Millennium, Omeka.

 Experience crafting institutional digitization and digital preservation strategies.

 Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifcations:

 Experience implementing open source software.

 Familiarity with current cataloging best practices and metadata standards for collections in museums, libraries, and archives, including Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO), LIDO, CDWA Lite, AAT, ULAN, DACS, EAD, MARC, AACR, LCSH, Dublin Core, PBCore, VRA Core, IPTC Core, XMP, EXIF, METS, MODS, and other standards as appropriate.

 Ability to work with staff possessing a wide range of technical competence.

 Experience and/or familiarity with CRM software.

Salary:  Glenstone offers a competitive salary.  This is a six-month, term position.

Application Process:

Electronically submit a cover letter, resume, list of three professional references, and a writing sample to HR@glenstone.org, or mail to:

Human Resources Generalist
Glenstone
12002 Glen Road
Potomac, MD 20854

Date Posted: May 20, 2014

Deadline: June 6, 2014

Visual Resources Curator– Lamar Dodd School of Art, University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

The Lamar Dodd School of Art seeks a curator of visual resources who possesses a solid knowledge of technology and an acute interest in providing new proactive services and support to faculty and students. This position reports to the Director of the School of Art. The curator will be responsible for developing, managing, and delivering visual resources, and for managing and overseeing additional digital teaching materials. Essential functions of the Visual Resources Curator include administration of the collection and training student staff. The successful candidate will work within the Lamar Dodd School of Art with a community of over 900 undergraduate students in Studio, Art History, and Art Education, 100 art history undergraduate majors and minors, 100 graduate students, and more than 45 tenured faculty in these three disciplines.

It is anticipated that the future projects for this increasingly dynamic position will require multiple skills, including the ability to manage complex, multi-year projects, to work in close collaboration with the faculty, administration, and staff of the Lamar Dodd School of Art, and to build relationships with the UGA. Libraries and with faculty and students across campus who may be investigating the visual arts. Projects may include digitizing the Lamar Dodd School of Art’s significant historic art slide collections, and collaborating with the UGA Libraries to develop print and digital resources and services on site in the Lamar Dodd School of Art. This challenging and rewarding opportunity requires both creative flexibility and independent individual initiative.

Requirements:

M.A. or B.A. in art
 history, architecture, visual studies
 or a related field. Substantial experience working with visual resources collections with knowledge of the issues around the creation, maintenance, and access of a visual resources collection, including familiarity with standards for visual materials. Experience working with digital imaging technologies and library management. Reading knowledge of multiple languages, ideally including one Romance language and German. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and ability to work in a collaborative setting. Strong organizational and management skills, including the ability to initiate, track, and manage complex, multi-year projects successfully.

Desirable qualifications:

MLIS or course work leading to an MLIS degree. Experience
 with
 image collection
 management
 and presentation
 software. Knowledge of digital images best practices. Familiarity with Macintosh operating system and proficiency with PowerPoint, PhotoShop, and web content and learning management systems (eLC). Understanding of copyright issues related to image collection management. Previous supervisory experience or team leadership.

We will receive applications for this position through the University of Georgia employment website, under the position title “Program Coordinator II” (https://www.ugajobsearch.com ).

Review of applications will begin on May 19, and will continue until the position is filled.

Job postings

Picture Library Assistant– The Granger Collection

Archivist (theater)– Confidential 

Digital Asset Manager– Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Archivist– The Felix Gonzalez Torres Foundation

Library Assistant IV– The Getty

Metadata Librarian I- The Getty

 

 

P/T Database Entry Coordinator– chashama

Location: New York

Employment Type: P/T

chashama Arts, an NYC based arts non-profit that nurtures artists by transforming unused property into affordable work and presentation space, is seeking a Database Entry Coordinator to add, update and organize existing information using Filemaker Pro.

Efforts will be focused on:  transferring years of company data into the organization’s Filemaker Pro database;  streamlining internal data entry procedures;  providing user support and suggesting improvements to the database; and ongoing maintenance of record accuracy.

Qualifications:

The Database Entry Coordinator must be a professional with at least 1-2 years of experience implementing and/or using Filemaker Pro, or equivalent  cross-platform (Mac & Windows) relational database software, with preferable experience in: Cataloging and metadata management, data entry coordination, user interface interaction, mail list and data management.

  • Able to identify inefficiencies, address issues that arise during data transfer, and advise staff on how to correct errors and make necessary modifications to entry methods/processes.
  • Organized, extremely detail orientated, focused, with excellent skills in communication, multi-tasking, time management, and problem solving.
  • Able to work independently as well as collaboratively. A strong sense of initiative and independence is a must.
  • Proficiency in Mac OS X, Windows, Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel) is required. Familiarity with Adobe Acrobat, Outlook and Google Apps a plus.
  • Has an understanding and familiarity with cultural institutions and non-profits.

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter, resume and salary requirements, with subject line “Database Entry Coordinator” to jobs@chashama.org