Collection Management

MOVING IMAGE ARCHIVING & PRESERVATION PROGRAM

COLLECTION MANAGEMENT, H72.3401

Version #2: the syllabus will be added to throughout the semester and will be posted on Blackboard.

Spring 2012 – Mondays, 6 pm – 10 pm, 721 Broadway, rm. 652

See adjusted times and places for classes 2, 3, 4 and 6.

Instructor: Mona Jimenez

Office hours: Tuesdays, 9:30 – 11:00 or by appointment

665 Broadway, room 613

[e-mail], 212-992-8458
GOALS: Students will develop an increased understanding of the principles and practices of collection management for moving images, sound, and multimedia existing in analog or digital form. They will gain hands-on experience with collection assessment, evaluating collections in such areas as goals and policies; care and handling; organization and description; item formats and condition; storage; and copyright status. Students will apply current standards and best practices to develop action steps for improved collection care, preservation and access. Students will gain experience with preservation planning for phased projects, including fundraising. This course stresses the application of archival principles and best practices in a variety of public and private institutional settings, including organizations specializing in audiovisual preservation, those with few or no dedicated moving image specialists, and ‘ad hoc” collections such as those with producing entities, independent producers or artists.
EXPECTATIONS: Students will work together on a group project in the Fales Library and Special Collections that results in an assessment report and item level inventory. Students will then apply their learning from the group experience by conducting an individual collection assessment with a film/video/audio/digital repository, resulting in a written report summarizing their findings and recommendations. They will shape all or part of the report’s short-term recommendations into a plan of immediate goals and objectives, and write a short funding request that reflects the plan. Highlights of the assessment and funding request will also be presented in a Powerpoint presentation “pitch” at the end of the semester.
Assignments:
1. Fales group collection assessment. Draft due: Friday, March 2. Final due: Monday, April 2. In addition to the final report, several short preparatory writing assignments will be part of the group project.
2. Individual collection assessment. Draft due: Monday, April 9. Final due: Monday, April 23.
3. Funding request and pitch. Two page letter of inquiry due Monday, May 7. PowerPoint presentations during class 13 and 14.
Attendance at all classes is expected unless excused, as our work together will be intensive. We will be spending one full week at the Audiovisual Grades will be based on a combination of class preparedness and participation (30%); Fales Collection assessment (20%); individual assessment (30%); and funding request (20%).
MIAP Digital Archive: In addition to assignments submitted in print form, all course papers/projects will be submitted in electronic form by the beginning of the class period on the due date. (Please also bring a hard copy to class on the due date.) Go to the Blackboard site for this class found under the "Academics" tab on the NYU Home site. Click on the Communication tab and then on Discussion Forum. You should see a link to your own individual forums. This is where you should upload your assignments.
Your papers will be made part of the MIAP Digital Archive in a private space for faculty use, and on the MIAP web site, where appropriate. Please inform me of any papers that cannot be published on the web due to confidentiality restrictions or other reasons, or if you have other concerns about your work being posted. In some cases, the title of a paper will be published, but access to the paper will be restricted to selected MIAP faculty and staff. File submission format for assignments:
year semester_class number_author’s last name_assignment number.extension
Example: 05s_1800_Smith_a1.doc
For multiple authors, the two initials of each author will be used, separated from each other by underscores. An underscore and the assignment number will follow this. Assignment numbers are determined by the order in which the assignments are given. They begin with an ‘a,’ followed by a number between one and ten. For assignments with multiple files, a letter can be added after the number. Thus, one could have ‘a1b,’ meaning that this is the second of multiple files from one student for one particular assignment. If a student decides to withhold her work from being freely available online, she may alert the professor, as well as by adding “_x “ after the assignment number in file name. Otherwise, permission shall be implicitly granted for the student’s work to be posted on the digital archive website.
Example: 05s_1800_smith_a1_x.doc
TEXTS: Readings from books are on reserve in Bobst Library, and additional materials are on Blackboard as noted below. There may be additional assigned readings throughout the semester.
Class 1: January 23 - Introducing the Collection Management and Collection Assessment Process

Topics/activities:

• 
  Overview of class goals and expectations; review of syllabus.
  
• 
  Terminology and role of collection assessment in libraries, archives, and museums. Review of key areas of collection development and management with emphasis on archival practice.
  
• 
  Components of a collection assessment. Discussion of Assignment #2: Fales Group Collection Assessment. Preparation for visit to Fales for next class.
  

Class 2: January 30

Meet at Fales Library and Special Collections, Bobst Library, 3^rd Floor, 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Class will resume at 8:00 at 721 Broadway.

Guest: Brent Phillips, Media Specialist/Processing Archivist, Fales Library and Special Collections
Due this class:

• 
  Chapter 5 “Managing the Acquisition Process”; Chapter 2 “Accessioning” in Ellis, Judith, ed. Keeping Archives. 2^nd ed. Port Melbourne: Thorpe and the Australian Society of Archivists. 1993. On reserve at Bobst Library.
  
• 
  Smith, Anne P., Jill Swiecichowski and Beth Patkus. Preferred Practices for Historical Repositories: A Resources Manual on the web site of Georgia Archives, Georgia Secretary of State. 1999/2010. Accessed 1/19/12 at http://www.sos.ga.gov/archives/who_are_we/ghrab/preferred_practices_manual/Revised_Manual_Text-Preferred_Practices_Manual.pdf
  

• 
  Review the web site for the Fales Library and Special Collections, with particular attention to the “About” section, including collection development policies and to the finding aid for the Bob Holman Collection http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/fales/holman.html
  
• 
  Review the web sites of the Archivists Toolkit and IMAP cataloging template
  
• 
  Schwartz , Eric and Public-Private Cooperation Task Force. “Depositing films with archives: a guide to the legal issues.” On the web site of the Library of Congress National Film Preservation Board. August 1994. Retrieved 1/19/12 from http://www.loc.gov/film/donate.html
  
• 
  The New Zealand Film Archive. “Depositing Film with the Film Archive” on the web site of the New Zealand Film Archive. 2012. Accessed 1/19/2012 at http://www.filmarchive.org.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18
  
• 
  Also read the “Selection and Acquisition Policy”, the “Deposit Agreement”, and the Taonga Maori Deposit Agreement” linked at the bottom of the page, and “Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua” accessed 1/19/12 at http://www.filmarchive.org.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1
  

Topics/activities:

• 
  Collection development and management at the Fales Library and Special Collections; introduction to the Bob Holman Audio Collection, the collection for assignment #1: Fales Group Collection Assessment.
  

• 
  Discussion of Fales visit and development of a work plan for Fales Group Collection Assessment. Data collection during an assessment process, including evaluation of the descriptive information provided by Fales and comparisons of collection level, box level and item level inventories. Discussion of readings on collection development.
  

• 
  Discuss options for individual collection assessments
  

Class 3: February 7

Class will meet at the MIAP Lab, 665 Broadway, rm. 643.
Due this class:

• 
  During the previous week, each pair of students should have inspected the Bob Holman Collection. Come prepared with observations based on the inspection and proposed methodologies for the Fales Group Collection Assessment.
  
• 
  Chapter 3 “Arrangement and Description” in Ellis, Judith, ed. Keeping Archives. 2^nd ed. Port Melbourne: Thorpe and the Australian Society of Archivists. 1993. On reserve at Bobst Library.
  
• 
  Kula, Sam. Appraising Moving Images: Assessing the Archival and Monetary Value of Film and Video Records. Lanham, Maryland and Oxford: Scarecrow Press, 2003, p. 1 – 58. On reserve at Bobst Library.
  
• 
  Ide, Mary and Leah Weisse. “Developing Preservation Appraisal Criteria for a Public Broadcasting Station.” The Moving Image, Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2003, pp. 146-157. Online access available through Bobcat.
  
• 
  Society of American Archivists. “Code of Ethics for Archivists” in “Standards” on the web site of the Society of American Archivists. February 2005. Accessed 1/19/12 at http://www2.archivists.org/standards/code-of-ethics-for-archivists
  
• 
  OCLS Research. "Well-intentioned practice for putting digitized collections of unpublished materials online" (W-iP) on “Research” on the OCLC web site. May, 28, 2010. Accessed 1/19/12 at http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/rights/practice.pdf
  
• 
  Society of American Archivists. “Orphans Work: Statement of Best Practices” in “Standards” on the web site of the Society of American Archivists. June 17, 2009. Accessed 1/19/12 at http://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/OrphanWorks-June2009.pdf
  

Topics/activities in class:

• 
  Discussion of readings on appraisal and selection. Ethics in archival practice.
  
• 
  The impact of production processes on audiovisual collection care; determining relationships between audiovisual items.
  

• 
  Metadata collection during collection assessments using spreadsheets and databases. Evaluating existing information considering evolving descriptive standards and needs for metadata. Pairs present their proposed methodologies for the Fales Group Collection Assessment. Refinement of the overall work plan and development of an item inventory template for the Fales Group Collection Assessment.
  

• 
  Final matching students and groups for assignment #2: Individual Collection Assessment
  

Class 4: February 13

Meet at the Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department, Bobst LL2, 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Class will resume at 8:00 at 721 Broadway.

Guests: Alice Moscoco, Moving Image Preservation Specialist and Ben Moscowitz, Prservation Lab Manager

Due this class:

• 
  By the end of this week, you should have made contact with the organization/producer for your Individual collection assessment, should have requested descriptive information, and should have scheduled a time for your initial visit.
  
• 
  Kula, Sam. Appraising Moving Images: Assessing the Archival and Monetary Value of Film and Video Records. Lanham, Maryland and Oxford: Scarecrow Press, 2003, p. 59 - 129. On reserve at Bobst Library.
  
• 
  “NYU ViPIRS: Visual & Playback Inspection Ratings System” on the web site of the New York University Libraries. March, 2009. Accessed 1/19/12 at http://library.nyu.edu/preservation/movingimage/vipirshome.html. Read description and manuals for ¼” and audio cassette. If you have a PC, download the tool and browse.
  
• 
  “2: Key Digital Principles” in International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives Technical Committee, Guidelines on the Production and Preservation of Digital Audio Objects, ed. by Kevin Bradley. Web version on the web site of the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives. Second edition 2009 (IASA TC 04). Accessed 1/19/12 at www.iasa-web.org/tc04/audio-preservation
  

Topics/activities:

• 
  Discussion of readings on appraisal and selection.
  
• 
  Review of inspection techniques, risk assessment and re-formatting standards for audio and video materials
  

MONDAY FEBRUARY 20 – NO CLASS – PRESIDENT’S DAY

Class 5: February 27

Class will meet at the MIAP Lab, 665 Broadway, rm. 643.

Guest: Erik Piil, Archivist, Anthology Film Archive

Draft Fales group collection assessment report due 5:00pm, Friday, March 2

Due this class:

• 
  Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative. “Digitization Activities Project Planning and Management Outline” in “Guidelines” on the web site of the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative. August 12, 2008. Accessed 8/31/10 at http://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/audio-visual/documents/Resource_Video_080812.pdf
  
• 
  Read: “Sound” and “Moving Image” in “Content Categories” and “Sustainability” in Library of Congress. “Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections.” 2012. Accessed 1/5/12 at http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/index.shtml
  
• 
  Federal Agencies Audio-Visual Working Group. “Video Digitization Activities, Guidelines and Format Specifications” in “Resources” on the web site of the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative. November 2009. Accessed 8/31/10 at http://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/guidelines/digitize-planning.html
  

Topics/activities in class:

• 
  Review of inspection techniques, risk assessment and re-formatting standards film materials
  
• 
  Developing recommendations from observations and data analysis.
  

Class 6: March 5

Guest: Nicole Martin, Multimedia Manager, Human Rights Watch
By the end of this week, you should have made your first visit to the organization/producer for your Individual Collection Assessment and have scheduled the remainder of your visits.

Due this class:

• 
  Cornell University. “Digital Preservation Management: Implementing Short-term Strategies for Long-term Problems.” 2003-2007. Accessed 1/12/12 at http://www.dpworkshop.org/dpm-eng/eng_index.html
  
• 
  Wright, Richard. “A Digital Preservation Primer” in Deliverable D7.1.4: Audiovisual Digital Preservation Status Report 2 on the web site of PrestoPrime. ICT-2007-3-231161. February 15, 2012. Accessed 3/31/12 at < http://www.prestoprime.org/project/public.en.html>.
  

Topics/activities:

• 
  Practical approaches to identification, organization and preservation of born digital materials.
  
• 
  Issues in managing digital content and digital preservation.
  
• 
  Feedback and discussion of the group project.
  

NO CLASS MARCH 12 (SPRING BREAK)

NO CLASS MARCH 19 (full-time students are at the National Audio-visual Conservation Center, Packard Campus) Activities this week in TBD.

Class 8: March 26 -

Guest: Kim Tarr, Fellow, Preservation Division, New York Public Library

Due this class:

Topics/activities:

• 
  Kim will present on conducting a multi-institutional assessment at the Smithsonian Museum of American History
  

Class 9: April 2:

By this class, you should be done with data collection for the Individual Collection Assessments and be in the analysis and writing phase.

Topics/activities:

• 
  Review of status of projects
  
• 
  Practice writing recommendations and options.
  

Class 10: April 9

Due this class:

• 
  Final Fales group collection assessment
  
• 
  Reading: De Stefano, Paula and Mona Jimenez. “Commercial Video Collections: A Preservation Survey of the Avery Fisher Center Collection at NYU.” The Moving Image. Volume 7, Number 2, Fall 2007. pp. 55-82.
  
• 
  Review:
  
  • 
    Audiovisual Self-Assessment Program
    
  • 
    Audio/Moving Image Survey Instrument
    
• 
  Topics/activities:
  
• 
  Additional surveying tools for assessments of large audiovisual collections. Studies and research projects for circulating video collections in libraries.
  
• 
  Creating a detailed work plan, with an attached timeline and budget, from a list of recommended actions.
  
• 
  Discussion of key elements of a funding proposal; turning a preservation work plan into a fundable project.
  

Class 11: April 16
Due this class:

• 
  Draft Outside Assessment due
  
• 
  Readings: Foundation Center. “Proposal Writing Short Course” on the web site of the Foundation Center. 2012. Accessed 4/5/12 at
  
• 
  Review:
  
  • 
    Institute for Museum and Library Services http://www.imls.org make sure that you locate and read the application from the Maine Historical Society
    
  • 
    National Endowment for the Humanities (http://www.neh.gov) make sure that you locate and read the application from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
    
  • 
    National Historical Publications and Records Commission http://www.archives.gov/nhprc
    
  • 
    Mellon Foundation http://www.mellon.org
    
  • 
    Gladys Kreible Delmas Foundation http://www.delmas.org
    

Topics/activities:

• 
  Sources public and private fund-raising
  
• 
  Differences in approach for foundations, public funding and donors
  

Class 12: April 23

Due this class:

• 
  Draft letter of inquiry due.
  

Topics/activities:

• 
  Continue review of sample grant proposals
  
• 
  Fundable models for access
  

Class 13: April 30

Due this class:

• 
  Presentation by ½ of class: report, preservation plans and funding pitch
  

Topics/activities:

• 
  30-minute PowerPoint presentations (20 min. plus 10 min. Q & A)
  

Class 14: May 7

Due this class:

• 
  Final Outside Assessment due (emailed to instructor)
  

• 
  Presentation by ½ of class: report, preservation plans and funding pitch
  

Topics/activities:

• 
  30-minute PowerPoint presentations (20 min. plus 10 min. Q & A)