Alone in the stacks: succeeding as a solo archivist

Abstract

"Your guide to succeeding as a solo archivist. A significant portion of US institutions charged with the preservation of cultural heritage are small repositories and one-person shops. Rapid advances in technology, increasing regulation on institutional records, and exponential growth in the volume and variety of cultural resources being collected put added pressure on solo archivists to find efficient and effective ways to manage their archives. Alone in the Stacks: Succeeding as a Solo Archivists offers practical guidance on handling common work demands while promoting archival best practices. Author and former solo archivist Christina Zamon addresses a comprehensive range of topics, including administration, fundraising and donor relations, information technology, collections management, records management, preservation, reference and outreach, facility management, disaster preparedness, and internship and volunteer programs. In addition, case studies by practitioners from diverse backgrounds, institutional settings, and geographic locations discuss the challenges they faced when they found themselves responsible for the full spectrum of archival work with limited or no paid staff to assist. Seasoned archivists and newcomers to the profession will benefit from the practical tips, sound advice, and resources shared throughout the volume, as well as the opportunity to connect to the broader community of professional archivists. If you're a solo archivist, rest assured you'll find yourself less alone with this book in hand!"--Page 4 of cover.

Contents

"What am I doing here?": administration and management -- "What is this stuff?": collections management -- "How do I manage these collections?": collections management systems -- "Can I put this online?": digitization projects -- "What do I do with these floppy disks?": born-digital collections and digital preservation -- "How am I going to get my work done?": fundamental archival programs -- "Where do I put all of this stuff and how do I keep it safe?": facilities management and disaster planning -- "You want what?": reference and outreach -- "How am I going to pay for this?": budgeting and financing your archives.