archival internships: balancing business need with educational experience at unlv
TRANSCRIPT
Archival Internships
Balancing Business Need with Educational Experience at UNLV
Cyndi SheinUNLV Special CollectionsWestern Roundup May 2015
Special
Collecti
ons
Divisio
nDigital Collections
Public Services
Center for Technical ServicesOral
HistoryGaming Research
Research Center
Balance
Business need Educational goals Outcomes & benefits Intern management tips
Business needUNLV Lied Library
Print Databases Spreadsheets Staff folders/network
Need to centralize information
{ArchivesSpace
Human action and intelligence required
Educational goalsUNLV Lied Library
Campus-wide learning objectives: Inquiry & Critical Thinking Communication
Image from aboutmodafinil.com
Educational goals for internships Practical field experience Course credit for public history Explore career path related to
history
** Financial bridge between spring and fall graduate assistant jobs
UNLV History Department
Educational goals
Campus-wide campaign: Retention, progression, and
completion Success after graduation
Outcomes
UNLV Lied Library
Some of what was once unknown
is now known
During the 10-week internship, over 200 finding aids were created and are now available online
~ Benefits ~
Retention ProgressionCompl
etion
• Improved access to collections
• Implementation of ArchivesSpace
• Build relationships across campus• Alumni/interns
= • Bridge the gap
• Financial support between semesters
• Professional and personal growth
• Course credits in public history
between academia and a profession
InternsInstitution
ambassadors forSpecial Collections
Management tipsUNLV Lied Library
Tip #1: Cohort
Tip #2: Orientation
Tip #3: Training
Hands-on
Structured workshop
Very focused
Collection Series
Subseries File
Item
Fundamental principles
DACSRequired elements: TitleDatesExtentCreatorScope & content noteAccess noteRepository name/locationLanguage of materialReference code
* Bio/historical note
HandlingRehousingMeasuringLabeling
Collections
Create a workflow that is self-directed
Master spreadsheet for tracking progress
Tip #4: Self-directed workflow
Structured & well-defined project with a tangible product
Share supervisory duties
One-on-one review of work
Weekly meetings & mentoring
Tip #5: Oversight
Tip #6: Feeding Our Young
Fieldfare feeding the young, 2010 by Lauri Rantala
Tip #7: High expectationsNational Media Museum “Exercising on the Beach” 1935
Tip # 8: Evaluation
“I learned and experienced much more than I anticipated.”
“I had no intention of becoming a librarian/ archivist until I did this internship, and now I’m seriously
considering it as a career option.”
“I always am excited to come to work here.”
“It vastly improved my writing and editing skills and helped me practice writing concisely under a deadline.”
“This internship… gave me a multitude of practical problem solving skills.”