Meet Alexandra Jokinen, our new Digital Archives Intern

September 19, 2016 Creighton Barrett

This week, the University Archives begin an exciting Digital Archives Internship funded in part by a grant from the Young Canada Works Building Careers in Heritage Program. Alexandra Jokinen joins the Archives team as Digital Archives Intern and will work with Digital Archivist Creighton Barrett on the development of policies and procedures for some key aspects of the Archives’ growing digital archives program. We are very pleased to welcome Alexandra to the Dalhousie Libraries for this project!

What drew you to the Young Canada Works Digital Archives Internship at Dal?
I have a sincere interest in the preservation of historical and cultural records and I was very intrigued by utilizing digital preservation to advance the work of the Dalhousie University Archives. In today’s ever-changing digital world, long-term preservation is critical in providing access to digital information in the future. As a recent graduate, this internship will allow me to develop valuable and competitive skills in the field that will further my career as an archivist.

What kind of work will you be doing during your Internship?
As the Digital Archives Intern, I will be working over a period of 28 weeks to develop digital preservation policies and procedures that touch on all aspects of archival work — acquisitions, appraisal, arrangement, description, and preservation. Digital preservation policies and procedures are essential to ensure adherence to the scope and mandate of an institution. They outline an organization’s mission to protect its digital assets and define the role a digital preservation strategy plays in carrying out those objectives. It is important work and I am eager to meet the challenges of the position.

Your educational background:
I have spent several years in school preparing myself to work within the domain of libraries and archives. Last fall, I graduated with a master’s degree from Ryerson University in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management. Prior to that, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Criticism and Conservation at the University of Guelph.

What excites you about moving to Halifax?
The seafood (!!!) and living in close proximity to the ocean. I have toured Canada and lived in various cities throughout the country, but I have never had the opportunity to explore the east coast. I am excited to experience the culture, meet new people and learn new things. Also, I hear Halifax is home to some talented musicians, so I am definitely looking forward to discovering the music scene.

Fun and interesting facts about you:
Halifax will be the ninth city I have lived in. I have a passion for travelling and spent a semester of my undergraduate degree studying art and architecture in Paris. I love film, photography and listening to music. I am also a big foodie and craft beer enthusiast.

Dal Libraries organizes five-day digital preservation management workshop

July 7, 2016 Creighton Barrett

The Dalhousie Libraries is pleased to announce that it is organizing a 5-day Digital Preservation Management (DPM) Workshop this September in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Date: Sunday, September 25, 2016 (5:00 p.m.) – Friday, September 30, 2016 (12:00 p.m.)

Location: Aikens Room, Nova Scotia Archives

Tuition: $1,250.00 CAD

Halifax workshop website: http://libraries.dal.ca/about/events/dpmworkshop.html

Pre-registration form: http://goo.gl/forms/uH9bQTYLUXHk2Wwh2

The workshop will be led by internationally recognized digital preservation experts: Nancy McGovern (Director of Digital Preservation at MIT Libraries) and Kari Smith (Senior Digital Archivist at MIT Institute Archives), along with guest instructors and presenters in-person and virtually. This iteration of the workshop will also feature a keynote presentation by Evelyn McLellan, President of Artefactual Systems.

The Digital Preservation Management Workshops, a series presented since 2003, incorporate community standards and exemplars of good practice to provide practical guidance for developing effective digital preservation programs. The goals of the workshop are to foster critical thinking in a technological realm and provide the means for exercising practical and responsible stewardship of digital assets in an age of technological uncertainty.

The workshop includes interactive presentations, group discussions, exercises, individual assignments, and a keynote presentation by an international expert in digital preservation. Workshop attendees explore the range of components needed to develop an effective digital preservation program. Workshop materials include action plans for organizations to complete when participants return to their institutions. Action plans result in organization-specific plans that incorporate technical, financial, organizational, and policy aspects encompassing the full life cycle of digital objects. The workshop focuses on strategies for organizations to implement now, while research and development goes forward in creating longer-term solutions that can be incorporated into the program framework.

Workshop curriculum is continually updated to reflect the latest community standards and practice. The workshop begins with the premise that you are managing digital material and therefore does not specifically cover digitization except in ensuring the quality of digitized and born digital content to be preserved.

For more information about the DPM workshop please see: http://www.dpworkshop.org

Pre-registration is available here: http://goo.gl/forms/uH9bQTYLUXHk2Wwh2

Pre-registration closes whenever the workshop reaches capacity. Please register soon to reserve your spot!

Scanning 3D Artifacts

April 13, 2012 Riel Gallant

Working in the Killam Library, MLIS graduate students Michael Groenendyk and Riel Gallant have begun digitizing artifacts from the Thomas McCulloch Museum, which is located in the Biology Department at Dal and well-known for its bird collection. The process involves a NextEngine 3D scanner to capture images of the artifacts, taking preservation to a new level.

This way of seeing the world will allow people to view, interact with, and modify digital objects, and even print a 3D copy! It’s just one part of Dalhousie Libraries’ upcoming initiative to bring 3D printing and scanning to its patrons. Stay tuned for more details, and in the meantime–check out our 3D printing & scanning board on Pinterest!

Lunch and Learn on Digital Preservation

February 10, 2012 Creighton Barrett

Digital Preservation: A Three-Legged Stool

Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Killam Library, Room 2616

What is digital preservation? How can we ensure our digital assets will be accessible far in the future? What is a trustworthy repository and how do they work?

To find out, come to a Lunch and Learn on February 15th! Archives & Special Collections staffer Creighton Barrett will provide an introduction to digital preservation and highlight some exciting international initiatives aimed at the long-term archiving of electronic resources such as e-journals, digital images, research data, and other materials.

Creighton recently attended the Digital Preservation Management Workshop, a 5-day event instructed by some of the leading experts in the field. The workshop outlines the organizational, technological, and resource-related infrastructure (the three-legged stool) needed to manage a digital preservation program. Creighton will introduce these key components of a digital preservation infrastructure and leave plenty of time for questions and discussion.

This is the first in a planned series of Lunch and Learns by the Dalhousie Libraries, so bring your lunch and come find out what we’re up to. All are welcome!

Archives for digital preservation