Independent Study Proposal
This week we are focusing on preparing our proposals for the Final Research Paper. At a very general level, I would like to talk about a digital curation/digitization project. I would like to study best practices to thrive as a repository. From raising funds to project management. Marketing, promoting, doing outreach, partnerships, education opportunities, culture and identity of the place.
Brief About the Repository
The archives of my choice for my final LIS 587 research paper is The Wiener Library for the Study of Holocaust and Genocide . A former employee worked there for five years as curator, digital asset manager and web manager. The employee seemed very involved with this project from beginning to almost completion so she can get me valuable insider information, as my particular interests include digital curation and digital asset management. Initially, I was thinking about focusing on Digital Asset Management, however, after interviewing, I realized I won't have much material to write about. So I am rephrasing my research questions.
What type of library is the Wiener Library ?
The Wiener library is a charity organization, therefore funding comes from donors and gifts. In 2017, it was recognized as a library of significance by the Arts Council England Something to be very proud!Excerpt:
Ben Barkow, Director of The Wiener Library says: “The award of Arts Council England’s Designation of the Library as an Outstanding Collection marks the culmination of a programme of work the Library has undertaken during the last decade to improve access to our collections, professionalise how we maintain and describe our holdings and remove barriers that stop people being able to engage with the collections in pursuit of their needs and wishes.”
About the Collections:
The website states about their collections:After World War II, in 1943, the British Red Cross established a Tracing Beurau to help locate missing and displaced people so these could be reunited with their families. In 2011, with the help of the Foreing and Commonwealth Office, it was possible to deposit the digital files of the "Tracing Beaureu" into the archives of the Weiner Library. These were housed by the Arolsen Archives, (formerly known as the International Tracing Service -ITS located in Bad Arolsen, Germany)."The Wiener Library has been collecting material related to the Holocaust, its causes and legacies since 1933. Our holdings contain approximately 70,000 books and pamphlets, 2,000 physical document collections, 45,000 photographs and 3,000 periodical titles (including 110 current subscriptions), 1 million press cuttings, as well as posters, objects, artworks, digital collections, and audiovisual materials."
The ITS catalog provides access to about seventeen million records to find information from people, victims and survivors of the Holocaust and concentration camps. In addition to collections related to the Holocaust, the library also has a collection of audios recorded by survivors of the Rwanda genocide.
Types of curatorial activities?
In our Archives and Manuscripts class at SJSU, we talked about the many benefits and advantages of seeking partnerships. The Weiner library is one case study of establishing best practices to manage a repository and promoting access to the collections via co-curation and exhiting. The current digital asset management makes it possible to enhance access.Currently, a Sr. Researcher and educator and the Deputy Director are the library curators. Exhibiting and maintaing this repository is a team effort of curators, head of development, head of research, head of collections, marketing and social media officer, exhibition designers, and developer. Exhibits are also possible thanks to partnerships between scholars and organizations, such as "Finding Treblinka" which took seven years of research. The Gerty Simon collection of lost photos took two years. Commissioned artists are hired to recreate objects, artifacts and conduct interviews to create an engaging exhibit.
Current Exhibitions:
There is a lot of press about a current exhibit happening this year: "The lost photos of Gerty Simon and Weimar Culture". Currently, they are reaching out to social media to crowdsource the names of sitters on social media #findingGerty. The photos are uploaded on Flikr. See articles such as "The lost sitters of phographer Simon Gerty" from BBC's History Extra and TheTimes of Israel "Who Did Gerty Simon Shoot? The Worlds Oldest Holocaust Museum Wants to Know".Education opportunities
Every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. There are informational tours to learn about the library and its collections. Workshops are also offered about the collection, genealogy research, using archival material properly including copyrights and privacy issues.References:
UK's National Archives. Running your Organization. Developing Partnership Retrieved from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector/advice-and-guidance/running-your-organisation/developing-partnerships/
Weiner Library Retrieved from https://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/home
Weiner Library Workshops. https://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/workshops
Gerty Simon Exhibit. Retreived from https://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/Gerty-Simon
Philpot, R. (November 23, 2018). Who Did Gerty Simon Shoot? The Worlds Oldest Holocaust Museum Wants to Know. The Israel Times. Retrieved from https://www.timesofisrael.com/who-did-gerty-simon-shoot-the-worlds-oldest-holocaust-museum-wants-to-know/
March 6, 2019. The Lost Sitters of Photographer Gerty Simon. Can You Help? History Extra. Retrieved from https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/gerty-simon-lost-photographs-photographer-weimar-germany/
New Designation Awards Announced for the William Morris and the Wiener Library. December 15, 2017. Designation Development Fund. Arts Council England. Retrieved from https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/new-designation-awards-announced-william-morris-gallery-and-wiener-library
Comments
Post a Comment