christiana dobrzynski grippe - marac: donor relations

Digitization and Donor Relations: Duties Beyond Processing

as a Project Archivist

Christiana Dobrzynski Grippe

The Museum of Modern Art

MARAC Fall 2012: Richmond, VA

In the beginning…

Job responsibilities

Survey the collection and draft processing plan.

Determine and acquire necessary supplies. Apply simple preservation and conservation measures.

Compile and revise existing descriptions of materials.

Re-house the collection in acid-free containers.

Write and code detailed finding aid.

Assist with reference activities of the Museum Archives.

Conduct item-level cataloguing of photographic images and coordinate their digitization and the creation of analogue print copies.

Perform any other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.

Job responsibilities

Survey the collection and draft processing plan.

Determine and acquire necessary supplies. Apply simple preservation and conservation measures.

Compile and revise existing descriptions of materials.

Re-house the collection in acid-free containers.

Write and code detailed finding aid.

Assist with reference activities of the Museum Archives.

Conduct item-level cataloguing of photographic images and coordinate their digitization and the creation of analogue print copies.

Perform any other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.

Surveying the Daled Papers

First impressions

First impressionsInventory!

First impressions

First impressionsLabels!

First impressionsLabels!

Item-Level Description!

Also in Daled Papers

Further developments

After surveying, the Daled Papers seemed to be incomplete – some records remained with the donors

Coordinated with curatorial departments as well as Museum Archives regarding communicating with donors

Curator determined that additional on-site appraisal and interaction with the donors was necessary

Donor relations

Challenges

Was not part of initial cultivation of MoMA’s relationship with the Daleds

Would not be part of MoMA’s long-term cultivation of relationship with Daleds

Two donors for the one collection

Intensely personal situation and potentially very intrusive

Language barrier

Time constraint

Lack of “institutional memory” as project archivist

Coordinating amongst several departments within the Museum Museum Archives, Curatorial (Prints and Illustrated Books), Registrar,

Art Preparation and Handling, Conservation, Development, etc.

Trip to visit the Daleds

in Brussels, Belgium

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Where were the records?

Successful survey and appraisal

Outreach and educational

opportunities

What comprises an archive?

“Why is this important?”

“Who would be interested in this?”

“How will this be organized?”

Final thoughts

Don’t make assumptions!

Being a facilitator for communication is key

Every interaction is a chance for outreach (both within the institution and outside it)

Our impact extends beyond the archives

Be willing to embrace the “other duties” associated with your job – being “temporary” is not a good reason to ignore outreach

http://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/author/

cgrippe

Christiana Dobrzynski Grippe

christiana_dobrzynskigrippe@moma.org

cjdobrzynski@gmail.com