Table of Contents

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Archival Specialization Dossier:

A repository of commentary and resources for aspiring archivists

Overview



We are aspiring archivists and information professionals with commitments to preserve and make accessible cultural heritage and moving-image art. This site is designed to support those interested in beginning a career as an archivist or research librarian, especially those considering or currently in an MLIS program. We share some of the skills required to enter and excel in the field, introduce the current professional climate, offer resources and perspectives on what working in the field looks like, and how that may shift in the future. We attempt to keep the information broad enough to pertain to early career information professionals of all stripes, but also offer some more niche perspectives on special topics such as preserving time-based media artwork. Our dossier reflects our own independent research as well as insights gathered through interviews conducted with two amazing information professionals

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Photo of Patricia
Patricia

is the Bentson Archivist and Assistant Curator of the Moving Image department of the Walker Art Center , where she oversees the preservation of the Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Canyon Cinema, a foundation in San Francisco dedicated to education and access to artist-made films. She holds a B.A. in Media Studies from UC Berkeley and is a graduate of UCLA’s MLIS program.

information professionals


Photo of Rhian
Rhian

is a graduate of San Jose State University's MLIS program and currently works in Washington state as an Information Literacy and Reference Librarian for a university in Seattle. Previously, he worked as an Archivist and Electronic Resources Librarian for St. Martin’s University. As an electronic resources librarian, he manages the process of selecting, acquiring, and activating electronic resources, as well as receiving physical resources.

Typical Tasks

Media Archival and Curatorial

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As archivist and Assistant Curator of the Walker's Moving Image Department, Patricia manages the Bentson Archive and curates the collection, in tandem with the Head Curator who is Patricia’s direct supervisor. Patricia oversees the preservation of the collection, but also programs and activates it within the Walker and outside of the institution. Her role includes recommending and making acquisitions for the Moving Image Collection.



  • Re-inspection of the entire collection every 5-10 years, especially the film elements
  • Managing the collection's catalogue
  • Drafting letters of agreement for artists whose work will be exhibited
  • Coordinating loans of materials to outside institutions
  • Administrative tasks: budgeting for projects, programming planning meetings, generating proposals for acquisitions


"Whose work should we be showing, right? Do we want to see a bunch of art from the 1950s made predominantly by white dudes? So part of my role here is, because I have this background in artist-run spaces, to bring those suggestions to the forefront and advocate for artists whose work we should be showcasing, or artists who we should be giving money to. I think that's what's important at the end of the day."






Another great way to get a sense of the day-to-day of archival work is to periodically read current job descriptions, even if you aren't actively seeking a job. Here are a few sample job listings we thought sounded interesting, at various organizational levels:


  • Archivist at the Watermill Center

    • This is a great entry-level position, offering the opportunity to aid artists-in-residence in their research. The job description provides context on DAMS and CMS one might encounter on the job.



  • Assistant Project Manager, Special Archives at the New York City MTA

    • Entry-mid career position in film and digital photo preservation, providing research services and exhibition planning for all things MTA!



job overview   &   day-to-day
                   job descriptions

Academic Archival and Librarianship

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As an Information Literacy Liaison, Rhian collaboratively designs curriculums to incorporate information literacy programming into departmental or class structures, creating a sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective preservation environment for historic university materials. His archivist duties were divided into three main parts: patron interactions and outreach, office work and meetings, and processing archival material by identifying priorities.



  • Patron interaction, outreach, & pulling materials for patrons of the reading room
  • Appraising materials to check their physical conditions, and when necessary, communicating with the researcher to figure out a different means of access
  • Priority assesment on what materials will have higher need to be accessed, processing those materials expediently
  • Design of instructional materials and programming for information literacy
  • Collaborating with instructional design team and professors to inject information literacy curriculum
  • Administrative tasks: Short and long term planning/budgeting to ensure fiscal goals are met

"...all of it is really centered around creating an environment that preserves the materials and allows those materials to be used by existing and future patrons. It's all generated by use and access.





Professional Context

Media Archival and Curatorial

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Words of Mouth is a weekly newsletter sharing opportunities for professional and creative development across design, the arts, education, and information. In addition to employment opportunities, it also lists fellowships, residencies, funding, and publication opportunities, with an archive of previous weeks' newsletters to search through on the site. It was started by Rachel Meade Smith, a writer, researcher, artist, and learning designer focused on civic design and knowledge sharing projects.

associations
conferences
journals
        job listings

Academic Archival and Librarianship

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Archives Gig is a Wordpress website created by Meredith Lowe, an MLIS graduate from the University of Madison, WI, because, "The archives job market has fascinated me since my graduate career, and this is a way for me to give back to a profession that I love". Jobs are organized by date, region (international, too) and specialization. There is also a mailing list to get the latest listings in your inbox.

Job-Market Outlook

Media Archival and Curatorial

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The employment outlook for archivists, curators, and museum workers is promising, with a projected growth rate of 10% from 2022 to 2032, significantly faster than the average for all occupations. On average, about 5,000 openings per year are expected over the decade, with many stemming from the need to replace workers transitioning to other occupations or retiring from the workforce.



The demand for archivists is projected to rise due to the increasing volume of information and records in both public and private organizations, particularly with the growing prevalence of electronic records. Similarly, the continued public interest in museums and cultural centers is anticipated to drive up demand for curators, museum technicians, and conservators. However, changes to the federal budget may affect archives and museums receiving federal funds, potentially impacting the employment of archivists, curators, museum technicians, and conservators.




"I had just finished my program and the director at Canyon Cinema sent me this job because he knew Pablo, who's my current manager, and was like, 'Oh, I think this would be a really great job for you, exactly what you're interested in.' So I applied and ended up getting it. Knowing people and talking to people is very important, especially for students. I know it can be really hard to talk to people."
growth prospects & potential risk

Academic Archival and Librarianship

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Employment prospects for librarians and library media specialists are expected to increase modestly, with a projected growth rate of 3% from 2022 to 2032, aligning closely with the average for all occupations. Annually, an estimated 13,700 openings for librarians and library media specialists are forecasted over the decade, primarily driven by the need to replace workers transitioning to other professions or retiring from the workforce.



Libraries continue to require librarians to oversee various services and activities. Librarians are essential for managing libraries and assisting patrons in finding information. Library patrons are anticipated to remain engaged by attending events and utilizing other services, including child-focused activities and employment assistance.






“I probably applied to like 35 jobs. And of those 35, I got called for one interview…and thank god I got that job! It is challenging, but also depends on where you're at, right? I'm in Western Washington, one of the most competitive library environments in the country...there's not that many institutions by density than you would see, say, in Southern California, and not that much variety either. So it's different.”
Citations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers, Accessed March 18, 2024.

                   Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Librarians and Library Media Specialists, Accessed March 18, 2024.

Technical Skill Snapshot

Media Archival and Curatorial

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  • Proficiency in digital asset management systems
  • Understanding of metadata standards and best practices
  • Knowledge of digital preservation principles
  • Familiarity with multimedia formats and codecs
  • Strong knowledge of art history and theory
  • Exhibition planning and collection management
  • Research proficiency in art-related topics
  • Familiarity with museum cataloging systems and standards


Since digitization of moving-image material has become so integral to access and preservation, employers in the field are increasingly looking for candidates with experience in digital forensics, data recovery, and museum digitization initiatives more broadly. Familiarity with cultural heritage preservation practices is also in demand, as well as strategies for how to engage audiences in education and programing initiatives. Another helpful skill to have is familiarity with machine learning and artificial intelligence for media analysis.



expected skills
 in demand

Academic Archival and Librarianship

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  • Strong research skills
  • Familiarity with academic databases and resources
  • Ability to understand and interpret academic needs
  • Strong knowledge of library classification systems
  • Proficiency in library cataloging and metadata standards
  • Familiarity with electronic resources and library management systems




Increasingly important are skills around large data set management, analysis, and visualization with tools such as Tableau. As emerging forms of media enter the archive, it is also important to stay up to date on new digital preservation techniques. There is also an increasing demaind for candidates knowledgeable in copyright and intellectual property rights in academia.

Training Agenda

Media Archival and Curatorial

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  • Take courses in digital preservation, metadata management, archival theory, curatorial practice, museum education, and collections management
  • Seek internships or entry-level positions in media archives or art spaces
  • Develop skills in digitization techniques, multimedia preservation, digital imaging and cataloging for museum collections


Patricia's top recommendations for classes to take during your MLIS program:

  • Audio archiving
  • Metadata
  • Descriptive Cataloging
  • Digital Asset Management
“In any archival position where you're handling large sets of data on spreadsheets, it can be very overwhelming. OpenRefine has been a pretty life changing tool...it's taught in the metadata class. I highly recommend it to all library school students."





Neither of our information professionals completed internships during their MLIS programs. Patricia was still working for Canyon Cinema remotely and programming Lightfield, an annual exhibition of recent and historical moving image art on celluloid. As long as you are actively involved in your field and gaining experience, that's what matters.



“Especially at a large public university, don't wait for the department to give you opportunities, you're always going to have to chase down those opportunities yourself.”
skills to hone
classes              
internships

Academic Archival and Librarianship

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  • Take courses in academic research methods, information literacy instruction, library management systems, cataloging & classification, reference services, and digital librarianship.
  • Seek internships or entry-level positions in libraries, especially academic libraries & research institutions.
  • Develop skills in bibliographic management software, academic databases, library software systems and metadata standards.


Rhian encouraged MLIS students to take advantage of as many technical skills classes as possible, being intentional to take ones that would be applicable to both archiving and librarianship, like coding and server maintenance. But his favorite class from his MLIS was a class called Issues in Academic Librarianship:



"It was a writing intensive class and required me to do a literature review per week, analyzing one issue. So I was like, okay, I need to pay attention to these issues to make sure that I'm coming out of this with the ability to speak on them and, hopefully, be a change agent...so that in whatever institution I land in, [I can say] let's address this, let's answer these questions.”




We have unique backgrounds which aren't always conducive to certain methods of gaining experience. Rhian spoke of being an adult student with a newborn daughter:



“I created a checklist, I wanted to be able to tick off as many boxes as I could by the time I finished my degree to make sure I was as competitive of a candidate as possible. I knew I was entering the job market with less hands-on experience than other people. I didn't have the ability to do internships, I had a newborn daughter, so there were some things that were just off the table for me. I really wanted to be as proactive as possible during my MLIS, to leverage that and be really prepared.”

Labor Trends

Media Archival and Curatorial

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  • Advocacy for inclusive archival practices, including community archiving initiatives
  • Shift towards cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data analytics
  • Increasing importance of AI and automation in IT roles
  • High demand for skills, job security, and opportunities for career advancement
key observations

Academic Archival and Librarianship

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  • Promotion of diversity in library collections and programming
  • Focus on digital preservation and accessibility
  • Advocacy for inclusive archival practices, including community archiving initiatives
  • Taking stances in big political climates
  • Opportunities for career advancement, specialization, and job security

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the limitations of DEI efforts in addressing systemic inequalities within these fields. DEI initiatives often fail to address issues such as fair compensation, job security, and power imbalances within institutions. Many information science (IS) professionals, such as curators and archivists, have begun to create their unions and communities in response to politics, layoffs, and power imbalances over the past four years.

Among these communities, salary sharing has become one of the biggest practices in curatorial and librarianship circles. This fosters transparency and empowers workers to advocate for fair compensation based on industry norms and individual qualifications. Much of this sharing and collaborative conversation about work experiences takes place on social media, making these professions more interconnected and visible to the public.

The second trend most discussed by IS professionals is AI. When AI became prominent last year, it seemed to cause mass hysteria that it could replace almost all jobs. However, many information science professionals believe otherwise, suggesting that instead, AI might enhance and provoke larger conversations about trust, transparency, and bias in information systems.


Citations: Bates, M.J., & M.N. Maack, eds. "Unions in Public and Academic Libraries", Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition, p. 5337-5346.

                   Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers. Accessed March 20, 2024.

                   Wagley, Catherine. Museum Workers Across the Country Are Unionizing., artnet. November, 2019, Accessed March 20, 2024.

Resources




The Carpentries is a community of researchers, teachers, and information professionals who have organized free educational cirricula and resources on data and coding skills. From scripting to webscraping to SQL, their site contains over 4,100 archived workshops broken down into three categories: Data, Library, and Software skills. This site was strongly recommended by Patricia as a way to keep on top of your technical skills.





The Museum of Modern Art's Media Conservation Department has an incredibly comprehensive website documenting their Media Conservation Initiative, which is packed with theoretical and technical skills videos for those interested in the particular challenges of preserving media based artworks. The site has lectures on caring for artists' films, the history of disk imaging, metadata and checksums from a museum archival standpoint, and many more, along with case studies and templates for license agreements and pre-acquisition questions.





LACMA hosted an amazing colloquiem which brought together AV archivists, artists, curators and technicians in Oct. 2023, addressing contemporary themes and issues around archving and presenting multimedia and moving-image artwork. The colloquiem can be viewed in its entirety here.

our top recommendations


The Society of American Archivists (SAA) is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the field of archival science and promoting the interests of archivists in the United States. Their website serves as a central hub for archivists, offering valuable resources, information, and networking opportunities. It also provides archivists access to a wide range of resources essential for professional development, including best practices, guidelines, and standards for archival work. Archivists can also find information about upcoming conferences, workshops, and events hosted by SAA, as well as job listings and career resources. Additionally, the website offers access to publications, such as journals and newsletters, that cover topics relevant to the archival profession.





The Society of California Archivists (SCA) is a professional organization dedicated to promoting the interests of archivists and archival institutions in California. Their website informs about advocacy efforts and legislative laws impacting archives. It provides access to a variety of resources tailored to the unique needs of archivists in California. This includes information on local events, workshops, and conferences relevant to the archival community in the state. Archivists can also find resources specific to California archival collections, preservation techniques suited to the region's climate, and legal guidelines relevant to archives in the state. Additionally, the SCA website offers access to professional development opportunities, such as webinars and training sessions, as well as networking opportunities through member directories and forums.