Curation (Filling the Digitization Queue)

Owned by Annabel Pinkney (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Dec 07, 2023
2 min read

Working with Collections Managers

Collections managers include:

Modern Materials: Head of Reference and Reader Services (Ashley Augustyniak)

Archives: Chief Curator of Archives and Manuscripts (Patrick Shea)

Rare Books: Curator of Rare Books (Jim Voelkel)

Museum: Head of Collections Management and Registration (Molly Sampson)

Oral History: Director of the Center for Oral History (Dave Caruso)

Excluding the Director of Oral History, each collection manager should regularly select items for inclusion in the Digital Collections.

  1. The collection manager selects material for digitization.

  2. If library materials are selected, the collection manager checks out the items to the digitization library account.

  3. The collection manager enters the material’s identifying information and digitization instructions into the Digitization Queue. The Digital Collection’s Librarian will receive an alert via email when this occurs.

  4. The Digital Collection’s librarian will review the material for inclusion in the DC, making sure it aligns with the DC’s collecting policy, then confirm with the collection’s manager that the request has been received and ask any relevant questions.

  5. The collection manager will retrieve the item, and leave it

    1. In the Rare Book Room (Archives and Rare Books)

    2. In the Digital Collections Libarian’s office (Modern Materials)

    3. In room 632 (Museum objects)

  6. After digitization, the Digital Collections Librarian should return the objects to the respective holding rooms or return any modern library materials. Alert the collection manager that the item may be reshelved.

Note: The oral history collection is stored (almost) entirely in the digital collections. Some interviews remain on the J: drive. Additions to the digital collections are managed by the Center for Oral History staff.

Selection

Collections managers do not always have time for selections, and sometimes the queue can become sparse. The Digital Collections Librarian should also feel empowered to make selections for the digital collections by following these steps:

  1. Use ongoing or future projects, exhibitions, or institutional themes to locate related materials. Make sure selections fit within the DC collecting policy.

  2. Run your selections by the collection’s managers and obtain their approval. Ask the managers to pull the materials if necessary.

  3. Enter the items into the digitization queue.

  4. Conduct digitization as usual, and return items for reshelving.