STUDENT HOURLY POSITION – ARCHIVES DIGITIZATION ASSISTANT
AT THE DAVID C. DRISKELL CENTER
The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland seeks a detail-oriented undergraduate or graduate student to serve as an archives digitization assistant for the Driskell Center Digitization Project, a project to preserve, reformat, digitize, and increase access to the Center’s 1,550-object art collection and 150 audio tapes, 90 visual reels, 1,500 photographs, and 3,500 slides. The student would work with the Driskell Center’s archival collection on this project, namely the photographs, slides, and documents. This position is supported in part by a two-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services [IMLS] through its Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program.
This position is valuable for students who are pursuing information science, library & information science, museum scholarship, art history, anthropology, and similar fields as their majors and whose career goal is to work in a library, archive, or museum. This position provides learning experience in using scanning equipment and software to digitize, name, and store archival materials including photographs, slides, and documents, some of which are fragile in nature; researching subjects included in the archive particularly around African American art and artists; and working with PastPerfect, a museum database software. Among the responsibilities are scanning and describing archival material; creating metadata, organizing, naming, and
maintaining digital files created; and working with PastPerfect software. He/she will follow the Center’s evolving digitization policies and procedures which are being created as part of the grant. Training for all equipment and PastPerfect will be provided.
He/she will work closely with and report to the Driskell Center’s Archivist, Stephanie Smith, as well as the Deputy Director, Dorit Yaron, and the graduate assistant on this project.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Must be enrolled as a full-time student at the University of Maryland, College Park.
• Must be in good standing academically.
• Must be enrolled in the following departments, or others in related studies: Information Science, Library & Information Science, Museum Scholarship and Material Culture Certificate, Art History and Archaeology, Anthropology, and History (Museum Studies certificate in particular).
• Must be detail oriented and have the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be able and willing to handle fragile objects.
• Excellent writing, editing, and organizational skills are a must.
• Knowledge of databases such as MS Excel and Photoshop are preferred.
• Interest in African American art is desired.
Student must be able to work min 8 hours/week to max 12 hours/week. Starting hourly rate is $12 per hour.
The position is available starting January 2018.
PREFERENCES:
Due to the nature of this position which will require training and includes professional responsibilities, a preference will be given to students who are graduating no earlier than May 2019 and who would be available to continue this position throughout the summer of 2018.
TO APPLY:
Please send the following items to Stephanie Smith, Archivist, David C. Driskell Center, slsmith3@umd.edu:
• A cover letter outlining your interest in the position, with a brief description of relevant work projects.
• A resume with a list of relevant courses completed or currently in progress; and your experience with any of the responsibilities mentioned above.
• A list of two professional references (references should include current phone numbers and email addresses).