1A - Interactive Discussion
Tracks
Conway 1
| Wednesday, October 23, 2024 |
| 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Conway 1 |
Overview
1A.1 Constance Thurley-Hart
Kirsten Wright
1A.2 Taputukura Raea
Ulu Afaese
Kirsten Wright
1A.2 Taputukura Raea
Ulu Afaese
Speaker
Kirsten Wright
Program Manager, Find & Connect Web Resource
University Of Melbourne
Small archives open up: Challenges, achievements, and innovations in low-budget collections
Biography
Constance Thurley-Hart
Assistant Archivist
Australian Red Cross
Small archives open up: Challenges, achievements, and innovations in low-budget collections
Abstract
This interactive discussion is for people who work or volunteer in/with small or low-budget archives or collections. This session is designed to be an open forum to discuss the challenges facing small or low-budget archives and how we overcome them, celebrate our successes, and to learn from each other. This session aims to be a safe space for practitioners who feel hampered by the context of their organisations or archives, encouraging them to discuss issues they face, share their experiences, and celebrate the wins they have (however small).
This session will reflect on the conference theme by considering what opening the archives means in the context of small or low-budget archives: Who are we opening our archives to if we can’t publicise our collections online? How do we safeguard our collections when we struggle to find storage space or afford basic archival supplies? How do we conduct engagement while needing to justify our existence? Where do we even start with digital archives?
The themes to be discussed will be guided by session participants, however we envisage the following broad themes: Funding; engagement and visibility; advocacy and organisational support; and digital archiving. The discussion will be guided by a facilitator, and at least one speaker will provide a short presentation covering the themes mentioned above to kick off the discussion. We invite you to share challenges, innovations and successes you have had in working or volunteering in your small or low-budget archive, and bring along questions you have about your work.
This session will reflect on the conference theme by considering what opening the archives means in the context of small or low-budget archives: Who are we opening our archives to if we can’t publicise our collections online? How do we safeguard our collections when we struggle to find storage space or afford basic archival supplies? How do we conduct engagement while needing to justify our existence? Where do we even start with digital archives?
The themes to be discussed will be guided by session participants, however we envisage the following broad themes: Funding; engagement and visibility; advocacy and organisational support; and digital archiving. The discussion will be guided by a facilitator, and at least one speaker will provide a short presentation covering the themes mentioned above to kick off the discussion. We invite you to share challenges, innovations and successes you have had in working or volunteering in your small or low-budget archive, and bring along questions you have about your work.
Biography
Constance Thurley-Hart (she/they) is an early career archivist. They have been Assistant Archivist for Australian Red Cross Heritage Archives since 2022, as well as Project Archivist for the Find and Connect web resource since 2017. In their role at Australian Red Cross Constance has learned many of the charms and challenges of small and low-budget archives, such as organisational advocacy, volunteer management, establishing a digital archive, writing grant applications and managing the resulting projects.
Co-Author/s
Kirsten Wright
Kirsten Wright (she/her) is the Program Manager, Find & Connect web resource, University of Melbourne. Prior to this, she held a number of roles at Victoria University (Australia), including University Archivist, and also worked at the Public Record Office Victoria. She has previously published and presented on topics including archives and power, historical language and archival description, trauma-informed archival practice, and out-of-home care records. She is a co-founder of the Trauma-Informed Archives Community of Practice.
Co-Author/s
Kirsten Wright
Kirsten Wright (she/her) is the Program Manager, Find & Connect web resource, University of Melbourne. Prior to this, she held a number of roles at Victoria University (Australia), including University Archivist, and also worked at the Public Record Office Victoria. She has previously published and presented on topics including archives and power, historical language and archival description, trauma-informed archival practice, and out-of-home care records. She is a co-founder of the Trauma-Informed Archives Community of Practice.
Miss Taputukura Raea
Digitalpasifik Programme Manager
National Library/Digitalpasifik
Harvesting, nourishing, and thriving – Digitalpasifiks journey to provide access and visibility of Pacific Culture.
Abstract
Harvesting- Digital Pasifik will take you through the process of harvesting content from institutions around the world using the digital tool Supplejack, which can harvest digital metadata at a great scale. We have also developed a new feature to allow more Pacific based institutions to share their catalogues online, especially institutions that do not have digital repositories providing more access for our Pacific people.
Nourishing - Through harvesting this data, we connect our Pacific people with their history and stories. With this increased visibility and access to our items, Pacific people can contribute their knowledge and reclaim their own narrative. This is through the ‘User Contribution’ function on our website where our knowledge, stories give meaning and truth alongside the metadata.
Thriving -Digital Pasifik will share some examples of how Pacific communities and institutions have benefitted from the visibility and access measina (treasures).
Through this presentation we hope to show that the platform helps in re-evaluating the metadata provided by institutions, re-focusing on adapting to new digital norms, and re-connecting these items with Pacific people.
Nourishing - Through harvesting this data, we connect our Pacific people with their history and stories. With this increased visibility and access to our items, Pacific people can contribute their knowledge and reclaim their own narrative. This is through the ‘User Contribution’ function on our website where our knowledge, stories give meaning and truth alongside the metadata.
Thriving -Digital Pasifik will share some examples of how Pacific communities and institutions have benefitted from the visibility and access measina (treasures).
Through this presentation we hope to show that the platform helps in re-evaluating the metadata provided by institutions, re-focusing on adapting to new digital norms, and re-connecting these items with Pacific people.
Biography
Taputukura Raea is the Programme Manager for the Pacific Virtual Museum project at the National Library of New Zealand. Taputu is from the beautiful islands of Mauke and Palmerston in the Cook Islands. Taputu specialises in working with Māori and Pacific communities and giving them opportunities to share their stories and own their narrative
Co-Author/s
Ulu Afaese
Ulu Afaese - My role as the Content Analyst is being responsible for the day to day relationship of our content partners who are contributing metadata to digitalpasifik.org. This work ensures that their content is easier to find, share and use via the site. It is an honour and a privilege to not only be a part of this project, but to truly engage with the those from across the Pacific Ocean and to work alongside them to develop and provide a platform where Pacific people can view their stories and learn about their history.
Co-Author/s
Ulu Afaese
Ulu Afaese - My role as the Content Analyst is being responsible for the day to day relationship of our content partners who are contributing metadata to digitalpasifik.org. This work ensures that their content is easier to find, share and use via the site. It is an honour and a privilege to not only be a part of this project, but to truly engage with the those from across the Pacific Ocean and to work alongside them to develop and provide a platform where Pacific people can view their stories and learn about their history.
