archives
Digitizing the past at the Library of Congress
06/10/10 10:59 Filed in: books
"It's
incredible, it's humbling. It might be 6 p.m. and
I'll be exhausted but I think, 'I can't complain--I'm
working with the Gettysburg Address!'"
The Library of Congress has nearly 150 million items in its collection, including at least 21 million books, 5 million maps, 12.5 million photos and 100,000 posters. The largest library in the world, it pioneers both preservation of the oldest artifacts and digitization of the most recent--so that all of it remains available to future generations.
Amazing collection of photos of their work here. Great rewinding equipment for various kinds of tape, x-ray machines, and other methods of collecting data from fragile items.
The Library of Congress has nearly 150 million items in its collection, including at least 21 million books, 5 million maps, 12.5 million photos and 100,000 posters. The largest library in the world, it pioneers both preservation of the oldest artifacts and digitization of the most recent--so that all of it remains available to future generations.
Amazing collection of photos of their work here. Great rewinding equipment for various kinds of tape, x-ray machines, and other methods of collecting data from fragile items.
Archiving Twitter
04/16/10 10:22 Filed in: search
Not everyone would think that the actor Ashton
Kutcher’s Twitter musings on his daily doings
constitute part of “the universal body of human
knowledge.”
But the Library of Congress, the 210-year-old guardian of knowledge and cultural history, thinks so.
The library will archive the collected works of Twitter, the blogging service, whose users currently send a daily flood of 55 million messages, all that contain 140 or fewer characters.
Library officials explained the agreement as another step in the library’s embrace of digital media.
Twitter, the Silicon Valley start-up, declared it “very exciting that tweets are becoming part of history.”
Read more at the NYT.
But the Library of Congress, the 210-year-old guardian of knowledge and cultural history, thinks so.
The library will archive the collected works of Twitter, the blogging service, whose users currently send a daily flood of 55 million messages, all that contain 140 or fewer characters.
Library officials explained the agreement as another step in the library’s embrace of digital media.
Twitter, the Silicon Valley start-up, declared it “very exciting that tweets are becoming part of history.”
Read more at the NYT.
Digital decay
03/20/10 07:50 Filed in: books | publishing
The
New York Times
has an
intriguing piece on how hard it is to archive
digital materials: Electronically
produced drafts, correspondence and editorial
comments, sweated over by contemporary poets,
novelists and nonfiction authors, are ultimately
just a series of digits — 0’s and 1’s — written on
floppy disks, CDs and hard drives, all of which
degrade much faster than old-fashioned acid-free
paper. Even if those storage media do survive, the
relentless march of technology can mean that the
older equipment and software that can make sense
of all those 0’s and 1’s simply don’t exist
anymore.
Grateful Dead Archivist position open at UC Santa Cruz
11/13/09 10:12 Filed in: miscellany
I think I
have to apply, even though I don't have all the
qualifications. It's just too perfect, an organized
Deadhead - who else are they going to find? Link
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ
Grateful Dead Archivist
The University Library of the University of California, Santa Cruz, seeks an enterprising, creative, and service-oriented archivist to join the staff of Special Collections & Archives (SC&A) as Archivist for the Grateful Dead Archive. This is a potential career status position. The Archivist will be part of a dynamic, collegial, and highly motivated department dedicated to building, preserving, promoting, and providing maximum access both physically and virtually to one of the Library's most exciting and unique collections, The Grateful Dead Archive (GDA). The UCSC University Library utilizes innovative approaches to allow the discovery, use, management, and sharing of information in support of research, teaching, and learning.
Under the general direction of the Head of Special Collections and Archives, the GDA Archivist will provide managerial and curatorial oversight of the Grateful Dead Archive, plan for and oversee the physical and digital processing of Archives related material, and promote the GDA to the public and facilitate its use by scholars, fans, and students.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Master's degree from an ALA-accredited program or equivalent accredited graduate archives management program. -- Okay, have that!
• Significant, demonstrated experience working with books, manuscripts, photographs, recordings, or other material in a special collections & archives environment. -- okay, it was 25 years ago, does that count?
• Knowledge of the access tools for special collections and archival material and the standards and procedures for their preservation and conservation. -- I am so out of date....
• Demonstrated experience developing processing plans and creating finding aids in accordance with national standards. -- oh hey, finding aids! Tons of experience!
• Knowledge of and ability to maintain awareness of developments in archival processing, digital information technologies, and their uses in special collections and archives. -- seriously out of date
• Expert knowledge in the history and scholarship of contemporary popular music, or American vernacular culture, preferably the history and influence of the Grateful Dead. -- I think I have this nailed. I even know where the name came from
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and time management skills. -- Ditto
• Demonstrated oral, written and interpersonal communication skills sufficient to promote and present the archive to multiple audiences. -- I hope this doesn't include singing every verse of the songs - I tend to forget words here and there.
• Prior experience directing the work of others. -- I hate this part, but have done it.
STRONGLY PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Demonstrated experience working in public services in an academic environment. -- I did this in 1978, I think that's a bit dated
• Demonstrated experience working on outreach and other donor related activities. -- Uh, does doing the Navajo Nation Library Annual Mutton Stew and Fry Bread event during the Arts and Crafts Fair in Window Rock count? It was an annual event, and I had to get all the flour, mutton and lard donated. We served up Navajo Tacos for two bucks apiece and mutton stew w/frybread for $3, all for the library. Do you think that would work?
General Information:
Professional librarians at UC are academic appointees. They are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and a generous benefit program including an excellent retirement system. The University sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. Relocation assistance is provided.
RANK: Associate Librarian or Librarian
SALARY: Appointment Range: Associate Librarian III – Librarian I, with an approximate salary range of $52,860 – $68,892, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Should I write the cover letter and post it here? Just think, I could tell them about my VW van that is named "Uncle John's Van." Maybe I could even wear old t shirts to work, and tie dye?
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ
Grateful Dead Archivist
The University Library of the University of California, Santa Cruz, seeks an enterprising, creative, and service-oriented archivist to join the staff of Special Collections & Archives (SC&A) as Archivist for the Grateful Dead Archive. This is a potential career status position. The Archivist will be part of a dynamic, collegial, and highly motivated department dedicated to building, preserving, promoting, and providing maximum access both physically and virtually to one of the Library's most exciting and unique collections, The Grateful Dead Archive (GDA). The UCSC University Library utilizes innovative approaches to allow the discovery, use, management, and sharing of information in support of research, teaching, and learning.
Under the general direction of the Head of Special Collections and Archives, the GDA Archivist will provide managerial and curatorial oversight of the Grateful Dead Archive, plan for and oversee the physical and digital processing of Archives related material, and promote the GDA to the public and facilitate its use by scholars, fans, and students.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Master's degree from an ALA-accredited program or equivalent accredited graduate archives management program. -- Okay, have that!
• Significant, demonstrated experience working with books, manuscripts, photographs, recordings, or other material in a special collections & archives environment. -- okay, it was 25 years ago, does that count?
• Knowledge of the access tools for special collections and archival material and the standards and procedures for their preservation and conservation. -- I am so out of date....
• Demonstrated experience developing processing plans and creating finding aids in accordance with national standards. -- oh hey, finding aids! Tons of experience!
• Knowledge of and ability to maintain awareness of developments in archival processing, digital information technologies, and their uses in special collections and archives. -- seriously out of date
• Expert knowledge in the history and scholarship of contemporary popular music, or American vernacular culture, preferably the history and influence of the Grateful Dead. -- I think I have this nailed. I even know where the name came from
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and time management skills. -- Ditto
• Demonstrated oral, written and interpersonal communication skills sufficient to promote and present the archive to multiple audiences. -- I hope this doesn't include singing every verse of the songs - I tend to forget words here and there.
• Prior experience directing the work of others. -- I hate this part, but have done it.
STRONGLY PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Demonstrated experience working in public services in an academic environment. -- I did this in 1978, I think that's a bit dated
• Demonstrated experience working on outreach and other donor related activities. -- Uh, does doing the Navajo Nation Library Annual Mutton Stew and Fry Bread event during the Arts and Crafts Fair in Window Rock count? It was an annual event, and I had to get all the flour, mutton and lard donated. We served up Navajo Tacos for two bucks apiece and mutton stew w/frybread for $3, all for the library. Do you think that would work?
General Information:
Professional librarians at UC are academic appointees. They are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and a generous benefit program including an excellent retirement system. The University sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. Relocation assistance is provided.
RANK: Associate Librarian or Librarian
SALARY: Appointment Range: Associate Librarian III – Librarian I, with an approximate salary range of $52,860 – $68,892, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Should I write the cover letter and post it here? Just think, I could tell them about my VW van that is named "Uncle John's Van." Maybe I could even wear old t shirts to work, and tie dye?