ARST 596 (For Archival Studies Students) – UBC Library, Rare Books and Special Collections

Organization
UBC Library, Rare Books and Special Collections

Email
claire.malek@ubc.ca

Address
3590 West 22nd Ave
Vancouver, BC V6S1J3
Canada
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Supervising Librarian/Archivist
Name: Claire Malek
Email: claire.malek@ubc.ca

Purpose of the project:
The Rare Books and Special Collections Library at UBC-V seeks an MAS student to arrange and describe materials in a recent accrual to the Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection. The Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection contains more than 25,000 rare and unique items, including documents, books, maps, posters, paintings, photographs, tableware, and other artifacts. The Chung Collection represents an unique and extensive research collection of items in various formats related to early British Columbia history, immigration and settlement, particularly of Chinese people in North America, and the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. One of the most exceptional and extensive collections of its kind in North America, the Chung Collection has been designated as a national treasure by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board. Permanently housed in UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections, the Chung Collection is available to scholars and members of the public in British Columbia and beyond for generations to come. More information is available here: https://chung.library.ubc.ca/

Summary of activities required to carry out the project:
Utilize the Canadian Rules for Archival Description to create item-level descriptions for archival materials in the Chung Collection. Navigate the Access to Memory (AtoM) platform to publish descriptions to RBSC’s Archival Database. Arrange archival materials in existing series, and/or create new series as necessary. Process physical materials in appropriate archival housing, and consult with RBSC team members to creatively problem-solve issues relating to archival processing, arrangement and description.

Expectations of the end result of the project, for both host and student:

Host: Materials in the 2020 accrual to the Chung Collection will be arranged and described according to in-house practices and in compliance with the Canadian Rules for Archival Description. Student will complete the full 120 hours of the professional experience project in a schedule to be determined between host and student. There is an option for completing the project hours by working full-time during a four-week period which would span June 5th to June 30th, 2023. Alternatively, the project could be spread across both Summer Terms, or take place over Summer Session Term 2.

Student: Will receive training and gain experience in a hands-on archival processing, arrangement and description project, working in the context of an academic Rare Books and Special Collections branch.

Time periods in which the project could be supervised:

  • Summer Session, Term 1 (May – June)
  • Summer Session, Term 2 (July – August)

Is there a deadline by which the project must be completed?

  • September 2023

Considering the project requirements, please suggest suitable coursework as pre-requisite or co-requisite:

Prefer candidates who have completed the Archives Core, but will consider candidates with relevant work experience.

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.