Embedded Files
Image courtesty of Wikimedia Commons.
It is thanks to my professors who required me to seek out archival professionals that I was able to secure my internship at ASM. Former head archivist Mary Graham put me in contact with the woman who would become my mentor, Jannelle Weakly. Jannelle is head of digital collections and she took me under her wing to teach me anything and everything about digital archiving.
It is thanks to my professors who required me to seek out archival professionals that I was able to secure my internship at ASM. Former head archivist Mary Graham put me in contact with the woman who would become my mentor, Jannelle Weakly. Jannelle is head of digital collections and she took me under her wing to teach me anything and everything about digital archiving.
Smithsonian Learning Lab Project
Smithsonian Learning Lab Project
My first project began while I was a summer intern and, once the academic year began, I transitioned to the role of volunteer to complete it. The Museum was working in partnership with the Smithsonian Learning Lab to develop online collections, host an educator workshop and raise awareness on the textiles of Southern Arizona Native peoples.
My first project began while I was a summer intern and, once the academic year began, I transitioned to the role of volunteer to complete it. The Museum was working in partnership with the Smithsonian Learning Lab to develop online collections, host an educator workshop and raise awareness on the textiles of Southern Arizona Native peoples.
ASM Photo Collections Storage. Image courtesy of J. Weakly.
Using the guidelines from the grant, Jannelle and I reviewed hard copy metadata describing the Cordry Collections. The metadata gave us the location of slides and negatives in the archives' photography stacks; after retrieving them, I scanned them into the K drive, applying a uniform naming protocol.
Mexican Indian Costumes by Donald and Dorothy Cordry.
Simultaneous to the scanning, I assembled metadata on image descriptions, dates, accession numbers, cultures and geographical locations. The book Mexican Indian Costumes by Donald Cordry and his wife contained many of the same images, but with detailed captions about the location, cultures and dates.
Jannelle and then-museum photographer, Michelle Dillon, trained me in Adobe Photoshop and I spent several months using its tools to improve the overall image quality of scanned slides and negatives.
Pre-photoshop work.
Post-photoshop work.
About a third of the way through the project, I presented on its progress before community, Native American, Smithsonian and museum representatives. I also communicated project updates with project stakeholders via conference calls and in-person meetings.
In the end, I created four collections on the Arizona State Museum Library & Archives Learning Lab profile.
Metadata taken from the book Mexican Indian Costumes included in the image description.
Click image to see on Learning Lab site.
Image of a native woman after it was scanned and photoshopped.
Metadata gathered from multiple sources included in the "Details" section.
Mandated Projects
Mandated Projects
I am now engaged in a different project. ASM is a federal repository and is also responsible for issuing permits for any archaeological dig in the state of Arizona. The results of those digs must be submitted to the museum. At present, I am processing collections from 2017 that were not submitted in the proper format and left untouched as a result.
I am now engaged in a different project. ASM is a federal repository and is also responsible for issuing permits for any archaeological dig in the state of Arizona. The results of those digs must be submitted to the museum. At present, I am processing collections from 2017 that were not submitted in the proper format and left untouched as a result.
The required digital image data sheet contains information related to the permit number, project number and site numbers as well as information about the individual images. These descriptions are then matched to the photos to ensure they align. Once the reconciliation is performed, images are batch renamed in Adobe Bridge and metadata is embedded.
- Originally IMG_5007
- Renamed 2017-0051-image_001
- Originally IMG_5019
- Renamed 2017-0051-image_002
Once all paperwork is properly processed, a new Image Project record is created in ASM's database and information is input. If there is an existing Regis record for the project, it is then linked. The Regis is the registrar's database, technically a separate component of ASM's database. Accessions, deaccessions, and loans are logged and tracked with Regis records.
Image Project Record for Rawhide Wash Trails Survey.
Linked Regis Record for Rawhide Wash Trails Survey.
Spending the amount of time I did at Arizona State Museum helped me to see the archives' role within a larger institution. I began to understand the demands on time and energy from outside the actual stacks to professional obligations and unique projects. I was also given the opportunity to work with a photographer to understand Adobe tools and the ways they can enrich digital archiving. My experiences at ASM have both given me a clearer understanding of the role of digital archiving in a traditional institution as well as how archivists collaborate beyond the stacks to achieve access goals.
Spending the amount of time I did at Arizona State Museum helped me to see the archives' role within a larger institution. I began to understand the demands on time and energy from outside the actual stacks to professional obligations and unique projects. I was also given the opportunity to work with a photographer to understand Adobe tools and the ways they can enrich digital archiving. My experiences at ASM have both given me a clearer understanding of the role of digital archiving in a traditional institution as well as how archivists collaborate beyond the stacks to achieve access goals.
A Note on Intellectual Property
All images and digital artifacts referred and linked to here are the intellectual property of the Arizona State Museum and Arizona Board of Regents; they are subject to applicable United States copyright laws.
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