Proposal open date: June 1
Proposal close date: November 2
Project timeline: January-April 
Project duration: 15 weeks 
Number of projects needed: 15

SI 581: Preserving Information Resources in a Digital Age Syllabus

Description

In SI 581: Preserving Information Resources in a Digital Age, small teams of UMSI Master in Information students conduct a preservation assessment and provide recommendations for a preservation plan that aligns with the needs and context of a project organization.

We would welcome proposals that incorporate work and best practices for analog, digital or hybrid collections, where clients could benefit from a written report with specific preservation-related recommendations. 

Deliverables

• Risk assessment report based on one or more preservation assessment tools (such as the NDSA Levels of Preservation Assessment, Digital Preservation Coalition’s Rapid Assessment Model, NEDCC Assessing Preservation Needs Self-Survey for analog collections)
• Recommendations for a preservation plan based on the assessment

Client requirements

• Level of engagement for the course/program:
  • At least four meetings with the student team (30 - 60 minutes in duration) between January and April 
  • Feedback and communication with the student team based on the course schedule
  • Introduction to stakeholders for the purposes of information gathering
  • Access to existing policies, plans, workflows and procedures for managing the collections and/or projects under review
  • Complete project evaluation
• Special requirements for the course/program:
  • Designate a primary contact who knows and understands the collection

Past Projects

• Archive of Malian Photography Preservation Plan: Students assessed the long-term sustainability of their growing postcustodial collection of digitized photographs, using two assessment tools as the basis for further recommendations, the NDSA Levels of Preservation Assessment and the Digital Preservation Coalition Rapid Assessment Model. 
• Labadie Scrapbook Collection Preservation Assessment: Students developed a preservation and digitization plan for a selection of scrapbooks from the Joseph A. Labadie Collection, which contains various types of archival materials on social movements, dating from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. 
• Saving Milan History Preservation Plan: Students developed preservation recommendations for different formats of material currently held in the Milan Public Library and Milan Area Historical Society. 
• Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry: Students conducted a risk assessment of current preservation practices and evaluated potential storage options to meet the long-term storage and preservation needs of the digital image collection. 

Contact us

Engaged Learning Office | [email protected] | (734) 763-1251

Please complete this form to submit a project proposal for one of our client-based courses or other programs, or to receive information about these opportunities throughout the year.