Presentation "Digitization and Donor Relations: Duties Beyond Processing as a Project Archivist" given during panel "Lessons in Success: Case Studies in Project Management" at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference on October 27, 2012 in Richmond, Virginia.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Surveying the Daled
Papers

6. First impressions

7. First impressions
Inventory!

8. First impressions

9. First impressions
Labels!

10. First impressions
Item-Level
Description! Labels!

11. Also in Daled Papers

14. 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

15. Donor relations

16. 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 amongstseveral departments within the Museum
 Museum Archives, Curatorial (Prints and Illustrated Books), Registrar, Art Preparation
and Handling, Conservation, Development, etc.

17. Trip to visit the Daleds
in Brussels, Belgium

18. Where were the records?

19. Where were the records?

20. Where were the records?

21. Where were the records?

22. Where were the records?

23. Where were the records?

24. Where were the records?

25. Where were the records?

26. Successful survey and
appraisal

27. Outreach and
educational
opportunities
What comprises an archive?
“Why is this important?”
“Who would be interested in this?”
“How will this be organized?”

28. 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